Cocina 35 Reviews

Dropped in for breakfast shortly after they opened. Chose to dine in. Nice menu options plus they have a case where you can actually see a good number of the options. I chose the Cajeta Toast, a French toast riff, and it was very good. Included fresh berries, bacon and eggs. Very filling and tasty.

The home style Mexican restaurant is very good. The breakfast plates and the lunch buffet is excellent. The chilaquiles are excellent and the pulled pork for lunch is also great.

A few friends recommended we try this place and what a pleasant and plentiful suprise! My husband had the Machaca breakfast and I had pancakes with a perfect over medium egg, a dollop of whip cream, drizzle of caramel and berries. DELIGHTFUL! My frst time trying Mexican Coffee and I had two cups which is unusual so you know that it is good! Staff was friendly and attentive ☺

This was a post-volunteer lunch. I've been curious about this place, because when we pass by on weekends, it always seems to be busy. I didn't get a chance to go with my husband, but stopped in for lunch with some co-workers one mid-week day. It wasn't too busy when we got there, which was nice - because by the time we left, there was a line. We spent some time acquainting ourselves with their meals and menu items, before all deciding we were going to get different variations of their salad. You basically get a base, and can add on five toppings. Additional toppings cost more, of course, but five was plenty for me. I went with the pickled onions, corn, queso blanco, broccoli and mushrooms. I added chicken for an extra cost, and went with their house dressing. At checkout, I got their mango juice drink. We huddled on one of the tables in the dining room, and set to on our salads. I enjoyed mine, but was glad that I didn't drop a ton of money on it. It was very basic - a salad, after all - so I don't feel like I gave their food a fair shake. I would be interested in going back for their hot food, but I don't know that it's high on my list of restaurants to return to.

I tried 3 different plates, and they were all delicious. They have such a beautiful presentation as well!

gotta love this place!! we visited for brunch and i had the chilaquiles de mercado and hubby the pulled pork torta they were both awesome and delishhh!!! just like grandma used to make back in mexico!! clean, love the decor and open kitchen!!! the breakfast display is mouthwatering and the best was the aguas frescas obviously made from scratch not like the ones at all the mexican restaurants, we saw the sign for taco tuesday with home made tortillas and guisados we will definitely going back to try them they all look delicious!!

Although not close to the hype of the gas lamp district, this quaint eatery provides made to order authentic Mexican fare. I have never been disappointed after several trips when I am in San Diego

The long wait on a Sunday was well worth it. This place has authentic chilaquiles!!! i don’t remember the last time I had such amazing chilaquiles. Not to mention the huge portions. Aguas frescas are really good as well as their cafe de holla (cinnamon coffee). The staff is very friendly and polite. This is not a formal sit down restaurant, it has a cafeteria concept.

Tasty Mexican breakfasts. Expect a wait. Everything they serve is good, without the heavy, bland aftertaste you often get from Mexican food. The price is a little high & you'll probably have to fill up on something else in a few hours, but the taste is unique & worth trying.

If you want authenticate Mexican food this this is the place for you. It is not much on decor ,but the food is tasty,fresh and delicious. You come in a pick out your entree and side dishes. Service is courteous and fast. I would definitely recommend if you are in the downtown core.

Found this amazing restaurant for breakfast. The selection is amazing with plates large enough to share. They are displayed before you order so you know what you're getting. All plates are very reasonably priced. We ordered Enfrijoladas and a side of grilled vegetables and walked away stuffed after sharing this amazing dish. We visited Cocina 35 twice in the 6 days we were visiting! Highly recommend this restaurant.

First time visiting Cafe 35 in San Diego all the way from Chicago! I loved it. The food is delicious and so are the desserts. The plates are huge! Next time I'm out there will definitely visit again.

If chiliqulies is on the menu I order it, I really love chiliqulies and am always searching for a good one. When I crave chiliqulies this is where I go, they are the best! A variety of different types and meats, I like them all and try different ones every time. Also, it's the only place I get horchata, they make it with coconut- so good!

Wow! This restaurant boasts the best Chilaquiles, and they are definitely delicious! Luckily we went on a weekday, so it wasn’t super crowded, but I’ve been told the weekends are nuts. There is plenty of metered parking across the street, as well as a pay parking lot. The restaurant has examples set out for you to see what you’d like to order in advance. It’s a great idea because a lot of times something sounds great on the menu but it does not come out looking anything like you imagine. The restaurant is set up so that you order at the counter, receive a number & they bring the food out to you. The portions are large and very delicious. The aquas frescas were super yum as well. I ordered the El Patron which comes with chilaquiles & your choice of meat and sauce; French toast; eggs; and Refried beans. All in all, the food was delicious and the cost was reasonable for the amount of food you get. I will definitely be returning!

In the old town area. The food was good and authentic mexican. We will be back when in the area. Lots of places in th old town area

Wow! Fantastic, authentic and delicious! I’ve spent many weeks in central Mexico for work and have experienced authentic Mexican food, not tourist resort offerings. This is exactly what is served in real Mexico! The number of Hispanic patrons packing the restaurant is also a testament to this! We came for breakfast on the recommendation of our Lyft driver and were not disappointed! A great variety of chilaquiles options! Best meal of our trip so far! Portions are big so unless you are really hungry you can probably share! Also try the Horchada! Delicious!

We went here because it was downstairs from our hotel. It's a little pricey for tacos but they were very good and we were on a mini vacation so I liked it.

Get ready for a taste explosion of well- crafted Mexican favorites - no gringo favs like burritos and tacos! Chilaquilles any way you want them. The poblano cream ones with carnitas - amazing pulled pork - are ALL THAT. The atmosphere is somewhat casual, unpretentious and friendly. A row of colorful picnic type tables are curbside, but the buzz inside will call you. First, add your name to the waitlist - there is a reason you can expect one. Once assigned a table, go through the order line. Real examples of meals are labeled on display making choices and portions visual. Aqua frescos? Yes! Grandma’s Mexican coffee? Yes! Huge huge portions- yes, consider splitting something. Street parking only. A MUST DO while downtown.

I went to cocina 35 for a quick lunch. It was simple but good. I had a plate with two types of meat, pork and beef. It came with rice and retried beans and a soft tortilla. I added cilantro, onions, and hot salsa. It's not a destination restaraunt but for a quick and cheap lunch, it's good.

I absolutely loved the food in this place even though I don't consider myself a big fan of Mexican food, especially of what I call "messy" dishes, i.e enchiladas. The first day I was there for lunch I tried one of these "messy" dishes - the chilaquilles ranchero and loved it. In fact, I loved it so much that I went back again the next day. The service is set up so you can go to the counter and choose your own food from dishes that looked like they change everyday or you can choose items of a set menu. If you ask, although sometimes you don't even have to, they'll just bring the food to your table. I also loved their house flan. Delicious food, good prices, great service, a must have experience in San Diego

Recently was looking for a new Mexican place and stumbled across Cocina 35 in Downtown. I knew the southern location was renowned for the Chilaquiles but did not know this had opened and was turning out great food in Downtown SD. There can be a line, but they get you in fairly quickly and the food is tremendous. Make sure to try the agua frescas, the fruit flavored drinks, I have not had a bad one between ones I ordered or tastes I had of my wife's drink.

This place was next to our hotel and was very good. Waiting times might be longer but its totally worth it.

We came into per say the buffet of Mexican breakfast and great Chilaquiles. There portions are huge and very cheap for the price. Good coffee de la olla. I had the Chilaquiles rancheros with chorizo just Great! My wife had the Sinaloense and came with a very good cornmeal tamale, Chilaquiles, Over-easy egg and beans. Definitely recommend this place and be ready to wait unless you get there at opening time.

I went to try a new experience. Unfortunately after I placed my order I was told they were out of rice and cheese. They were not concerned about it, either. That lack of caring really confused me. Not good service at all.

Despite being right next door to our hotel, we only paid attention to the place when we noticed long lines outside it waiting for brunch on our weekend stay in San Diego. We decided on our last day to skip the hotel’s complimentary breakfast and give it a try - and we were impressed! large serve meals that were tasty and a staff that were friendly and keen to impress (which must have been a trial seeing as Mexico had just lost their World Cup match to Brazil minutes earlier). If we’d ventured in sooner on our trip, we’d have frequented it more, but it still left us with a great ”taste” of San Diego.

Loved the taco's at this place. Authentic Mexican food. Wonderful flavors and so many choices. Prices were very nice.

You like chilaquiles? Are you in San Diego? Well there's only one place to get them. Cocina35. Hands down the best ones I've ever had. Bar none.

They claim to have the best Chilaquiles in town, and I would have to agree. Such a delicious place to eat right downstairs from the Holiday Inn. I only wish they were open longer hours.

Authentic old school cuisine. Love this place. Offers tons of variety, accommodating staff, and the aqua fresca is fantastic!

We were in town before a cruise and wanted to get some "real Mexican" food since we were in the area. While this appears to be a place for locals to enjoy dishes that they are accustomed to, it was a huge disappointment for us (as tourists). We arrived about 2:00 pm (it closes at 3) and the food was already prepared and set out in cafeteria style kept warm by some kind of heating system. We did not understand most of the posted menu (unfamiliar with the names of the dishes and the way in which were expected to pick certain entrees and sides). The lady who took our orders mumbled and was very hard for my mother to understand (she is hard of hearing). The lady repeated the same information (i.e. the Spanish name of the dish) but did explain whether it was beef or pork or whatever, when we asked her to explain. The food itself tasted like it had been sitting for a long time, and most of it was very bland. One of the shredded pork dishes was excruciatingly salty. None of us finished our meals. We had to ask for chips. I DID like the salsa bar! Very tasty varieties of salsa. Not at all crowded at 2 pm. Prices were reasonable and atmosphere was casual. Overall, I would not return.

Looks like it’s a popular restaurant coz they’re people lining up to get a table inside. My partner & I didn’t mind to eat outdoor because we are used to a cool weather and it was sunny anyway. They have model of foods display. It’s a big serving. I tried their Mexican beverage which I can’t remember the name. It wasn’t too bad. The foods were ok. I think if I ordered different food i might enjoyed it. The food portion was big. I had to ask my partner to help me to finish my food.

The food is good here, but the agua fresas are even better! They have different flavors every single day.

They only serve breakfast or brunch on Sundays. The food is tasty and portion sizes are just about right. Staff are friendly. A nice mexican restaurant with aqua frescas and mexican coke. Loved their tortas!

The hype is real! Indeed the best chilaquiles in town! What makes them the best? The chips! Have you ever experienced soggy chips? You won’t be disappointed at Cocina 35 because it’s made in house and somehow they’ve found the secret recipe to keep it crunchy after drenching in the delicious sauce. The line gets really long. The trick is to put yourself on Open Table waitlist while you’re heading out. Check to see how many parties are ahead of you. Whether you need to add yourself when you’re on the way or when you park. Parking is all on the street by meters. The green curb are 30 minute limit. Otherwise it’s an hour limit. Or ACE across the street. There are free spots along Sixth Ave in front of the restaurant. We sat outdoor due to our dog. You order and pay inside. When you go inside, you’ll see the entire menu on display in the glass. The portions are huge! We ordered their best seller which was Los Rancheros chilaquiles and the sampler, Tochomorocho. Los Rancheros is basically red sauce with chorizo and two eggs. Tochomorocho came with four items but it was missing beans on my plate. Didn’t realize it until I wrote this review. The sampler was a great way to get regular chilaquiles. It had no meat but a big slice of avocado in green salsa. Two eggs anyway you like it. I got scrambled and it came with diced tomatoes on top of corn tortilla. The last item was a corn tamale. That was my favorite. Both plates are ginormous. We finished the Los Rancheros because we didn’t want the tomato sauce to get the chips soggy if we waited. I ended up taking home the regular chilaquiles and by then it was soggy and needed to be in the air fryer. If you like their chips, they sell for $8.50. There’s mugs and t-shirts for merchandise as well as cookies and family combo and food trays. There’s a location in Otay Mesa but speaking to people in line, they all say Downtown is better. A new location will soon open in Liberty Station. Their hours are 8am-2pm M-F then 7am-3pm on Sat and Sun.

We popped in for an early weekday breakfast and by the time we left the place was heaving! I can’t remember the name of the dish we both had but it was very tasty, spicy and large! We loved that they had examples of each dish so if you’re like us and don’t know what’s what, you can look at each offering first before choosing. I wish there was somewhere like this near home!

Saturday meals are all breakfast. The food was fantastic. Service was fast and friendly. Would visit again for the regular menu.

Making chilaquiles great again. It's true. So good. We tried to get in on a weekend morning, but it was an hour wait. Returned Monday and had great Rancheros and French toast.

You have to go when in San Diego! You will definitely be happy you went. Lots of variety. Mexican food. Best chilaquiles you’ll ever taste. Staff is very friendly & helpful - they walked us through how to order, answered all of our questions, gave recommendations, etc. Open early for breakfast (7am), close at 3pm. It’s usually pretty busy.

We were in San Diego for business, and my wife wanted to have a Mexican breakfast. I Googled "Best Mexican Breakfast in San Diego", and Cucino 35 was one of the choices. When the concierge at our hotel also suggested it, our decision was made. What a great choice! Cucino 35 is a casual place, where the various options are on display behind a glass counter. They are a Comida Corrida (build your own plate) restaurant, and advertise that they have the best chilaquiles in town. Everything looked good, but we both chose Los Rancheros, their best seller: Rancheros salso, topped w/beef chorizo & suny isde up eggs, garnished w/red onions, cilantro, oaxaquiera cream, cotija cheese & avocado. Our waitress described it as "nachos w.fried eggs on top", and she was accurate. It was delicious!! Neither of us could eat all the food on our plate. They don't sell hot tea, but the juices are served in a large Mason jar, and were delicious. Don't miss Cucino 35 if you're looking for an Old School Mexican breakfast in San Diego!

First time here. Had the carnitas torta w/ fries ($12). This thing was huge. Great flavor and fresh ingredients. It was easily a foot long with mounds of carnitas piled on. Loved the pickled onions. The restaurant has a colorful, simple design. Very clean and no strange smells. Staff was friendly and quick. Not much to see as far as a view (it's across a parking lot) but a quiet location.

This little Mexican brunch spot is a must try! You're greeted with an inviting display of premade plates, giving you a sneak peek at what’s on the menu—perfect for deciding what looks most delicious before you order at the counter. The chilaquiles here are a standout! Crispy tortilla chips smothered in flavorful sauce, topped with the perfect balance of cheese, crema, and fresh toppings. Each bite is just as good as the last, making it easy to see why they’re known for this dish. Before ordering, they give you a table number, and your food is brought right to you. The laid-back setup and cozy atmosphere make it an ideal spot to enjoy a relaxed, flavorful brunch. If you're craving authentic Mexican flavors and casual vibes, this place should definitely be on your list.

My husband and I went on a Saturday for brunch. We were quoted a 15 minute wait time, but it exceeded 40 minutes. The staff was very polite though. It's "cafeteria" style, which was new for us. You basically walk by a glass display and order at the counter. Our food was brought to our table promptly and was very flavorful. They are know for their chilaquiles, but also have pancakes and eggs, etc. I got the "de mercado" version and my husband got the same on the "el Parton" which was a combo plate with eggs, beans, and French toast. The watermelon/cucumber agua frescas were a great accompaniment.

Best place for authentic Mexican breakfast. The food is authentic and fresh. Try the chilaquiles rancheros. Amazing food

I love this place, I have to have at least one meal here when I am in San Diego. They are known for there Chilaquiles, and they are some of the best I have had outside of Mexico. I usually order the "El Patron" (The Boss) because it lets me enjoy a little bit of all there delicious food! The place get busy so do be ready to wait on the weekends. But the wait is well wort it!

I wasn’t sure what to expect other than the regular Mexican food but this place exceeded my expectations by far. The chilaquiles are amazing and the aguas frescas are delicious. Even the coffee was so good. I came here on the last day in San Diego, wish I had come at the beginning because I would have been back everyday for breakfast! Oh yeah, the cajeta French toast is to die for.

I literaly had surgery on Tuesday and not well enough to go to Brunch and this place still charged my Daughter for the reservation. She couldn't even reach anyone to try and cancel the reservation. Unconscionable to not even have anyone to speak to.

Staff at our hotel recommended we visited this restaurant and we were not disappointed! Their food is amazing! Drinks are delicious including their cafe de la Olla and their French roasts are to die for! You 👏🏼 need 👏🏼 to 👏🏼 go 👏🏼 YOU WILL LOVE IT, I promise! We tried la bombs chilaquiles twice, French toast, mango drink, choco flan and their burrito. Everything was huge portions and just delicious!

They only serve breakfast/brunch on Sundays. Went in on a Sunday hoping to get some lunch. Service was quick and the food is pretty good. Not expensive too with good portion sizes. They have aqua fresca and mexican coke!

The food was incredible tasty! Very authentic and has a good family vibe. Be ready to wait to get a table... we did for an hour. Coffee is pretty tasty! The only reason I give this restaurant three stars is because they do not have a lot of vegetarian or vegan options second their food portions are in Normas to the point of turning you off your meal because it’s just so much food and the plate is just so big! Besides that come with an appetite or don’t show up to this place at all be ready to eat huge portions!

Cocina means kitchen in Spanish and I'd intended asking the staff why the 35 was part of the name but I forgot. This restaurant is on the same block as the downtown Holiday Inn Express and in fact there's a walkway from the hotel to an elevator going down to street level on 6th Avenue. From there you are no more than ten steps to Cocina 35. They offer what Mexicans call "cafe de olla", which is coffee made with a bit of cinnamon in a clay pot. Wow! I had not tasted that in many years. They also have many fresh fruit drinks, or aquas frescas. I saw at a nearby table that somebody had a very large size burrito and it looked very tempting. But I'd already eaten and had to control my inner urges to order that same. Great place! I will return next time I'm in San Diego.

Coming from Chicago, I thought I had good Mexican food. But these carnitas and al pastor tacos were out of this world good! I would fly back just to go back here! My boyfriend got the chilaquiles, and wow, also amazing. Definitely worth a stop!

I can make flans in different styles and pretty much tasted the flans and crèmes caramels of almost every single pâtisseries in France. Also tasted the ones in Spain. You can call me obsessed or a specialist. The flan in this restaurant is excellent. It’s creamy and has a nice texture. The guava pie I had was also delicious and definitely homemade. I like that they display the food they serve. They are very generous with their portions and the ingredients they use. My daughter had a burrito and there was plenty of meat and little rice (which is a great thing). The staff was nice and helpful. Definitely a great place for a cheap meal.

We stumbled across this place on our way to the museum and we were so lucky. This is one of the best Mexicans we had in San Diego and we only stopped in for breakfast! The place itself is more of a quick eat than a restaurant but the food was delicious. I would recommend anyone to visit here, every bin is fresh on site and you can help yourself to as many dips and other extras as you like. I also recommend trying the Mexican coffee, it was amazing! The staff were lovely and really helpful giving us advice and information about San Diego and it's culture and made our stop for breakfast even more enjoyable!

We went there Sunday morning - got on the waitlist in advance on Open Table, and I definitely recommend that you do so - wait times go up to 2.5-3 hrs. We got there and were told that there was a half hour wait, so we went for a coffee - about half way we got a text that the table was ready and came back to find that there was another 20 mins wait. It would have been better to actually have the table ready and then send the text. the food was excellent. We ordered veggie chillaquiles and a mango & lemon juice and churros with chocolate. We simply inhaled the chillaquiles - they were so good.

The young lady (Carolina) who greeted guests was really friendly and helpful, but we just didn't like the food. Also, for you Old Testament scholars out there, there was an element of "Shibboleth" about the experience. Go there, say the name of the restaurant, and you'll find out what I mean.

I was out for a walk, came upon a place that had 15-20 people waiting outside. Got closer saw a sign that said old school Mexican. I thought to myself, wow! This place really has something. Went there for lunch a few hours later. Still 15-20 people waiting. When our turn was up, we went to the cafeteria style bar to select our meal, staff educated us on all of the options. Didn’t take long to get our food. We shared one of the combos it was more than enough for both. It was around $15. Very fair price. The food was beyond excellent.

Amazing chilaquiles! I've tried them with carnitas and the chipotle ones. It's a must try for everyone is San Diego!

This place has amazing food and drinks. We were looking for traditional, mom and pops Mexican food and this was spot on. Would visit again in a heartbeat. It's a must go to while in San Diego.

One of our Lyft drivers had recommended this restaurant, so we decided to check it out since we were staying nearby in downtown SD. Luckily we got there at the right time and didn't have to wait in line. As first-timers here, the menu options were fairly overwhelming, but appreciated that they had everything on display! We finally decided on one of their samplers to split between the two of us (forgot what it was called). The platter looked amazing and it tasted even better. We've only had chilaquiles one other time before so not a lot to compare with, but I'd say these are pretty top-notch. I was full but still managed to find room in my stomach for the churros! Service was very fast and friendly as well. Would definitely go back!

Have eaten here a few times and food is always excellent. Coffee is strong and delicious. Can get "American Food" if Mexican is not your choice.

I had breakfast here based on other reviews and I wasn’t disappointed. I had chilaquiles rancheros and it was amazing! Very authentic and delicious. The waiters were so helpful and quick. This place was awesome!

Best chilaquiles ever! All the food options there are amazing. I’ve tried almost all of them and every single time they don’t disappoint!

The combination plates are ginormous, they are delicious, and satisfying.. Best place for chilaquiles and cafe de olla. The restaurant is cozy, the staff is very friendly, and the atmosphere is great! They have awesome tortas as well, you must try it all, and you will always come back. A place you must eat while in San Diego, great for family, friends, or business brunch..

The flavors are realy good and there but it is to cold inside and by the time you get your food... its to cold. What a shame this place has the potential... it might be better to take it to go

Cafeteria style ordering for breakfast but the wait staff will bring your order to your table. Food was fresh and hot. Lots of choices for sauces and topping and combos, which is a little confusing if you aren't familiar, and you feel pressured to make a decision because there's a standing line behind you. Also, you order first then sit with your number. I sat first and no one came to the table, then I learned the process.

We walked here from our hotel to have lunch. Basically the only lunch items were various forms of chilaquiles, which are really just tortilla strips, that you could get topped with meat, grilled veggies, salsas. I had the grilled veg version with rojas sauce. The sauce had a good flavor, but the grilled veggies were little more than a few green pepper and onion pieces, and a few avocado slices, with a huge pile of the tortilla strips. I would have liked more veggies and much fewer tortilla strips and I left most of them on my plate. Would not eat here again.

we asked the staff what they recommended and we agreed on the choices. It was enough to share and was really good. Little street parking available.

I ordered their famous chilaquiles for a later breakfast one morning while visiting San Diego, and I could not have bene more pleasantly surprised. The food was fresh and delicious, and the portion was HUGE!!! I was not at all disappointed with my choice of food, but every single dish that I saw come out looked equally amazing. The french toast looked like some of the best I have ever seen. My friend ordered a more traditional American-style breakfast and ate every single bite of it. My dish was so good that I tried to eat it all, but only could make it through about 2/3 of the plate. Even at that, I was so uncomfortably full that I did not want to eat the rest of the day. I would recommend splitting a plate for you do not feel bad about wasting one bite of this deliciousness!!! I highly recommend this place, and I will go out of my way to return here the next time I am back in Sand Diego.