Fidel’s Little Mexico

If you’ve lived in North San Diego County for any amount of time you had to have heard about Fidel’s. I’ve been eating here on and off for over 20 years but this place has been around, longer than I have.
The food is always just as it should be, authentic and tasty. I don’t make it down to Solana Beach very often but when I do and I’m in the mood for Mexican, this is as good as anything you will find in Old Town.
Service is always friendly, I generally go for lunch and enjoy sitting both inside and outside. The place is sprawling with multi-​levels including a bar area. If you have not tried Fidels and you are in the area, I highly recommend it.

Surprisingly decent food. While I don’t like the décor it does scream authentic Mexican. Got a shredded beef taco plate and ate it all, happily. My wife got a bean tostada and also finished it. Plates were just right. She had a tasty margarita too.

Celebrated Valentine’s Day at Fidel’s. Loved the fact that there was no wait. We walked right in and were eating our meal within 15 minutes. The most important thing to me is good service and ambiance, and Fidel’s had both.,
We ordered one Margarita. Given the choice of large or small, we chose large. I was surprised to see how small a large could be! We didn’t bother to ask the price. $ 19, FCS

So my review is strictly based off the service not the food, I would give the waiter a 1 and the food a 4.
The waiter Fabian took forever to take our drink and food order and never once checked on how we were doing or if we needed refills unless we called him. We sat for an hour before we got our food and not once did he let us know it’s on it’s way or that he cared to check the status, when my grandma asked him about the status the attitude he gave in my opinion was that he couldn’t care any less. If I was paying for the meal, he would not have gotten a tip at all and I never do that.
I hate to write a review this low and its rare especially since I had no problem with the food but Fabian did a horrible job. I suggest that he gets a refresher training as a waiter/​customer service.

Their chicken soup is amazing! 5 stars. Also ordered the grilled shrimp burrito. Worst burrito ever. It was a tortilla filled with small, flavorless shrimp with red and yellow peppers. No lettuce, beans, sauce, etcetera. No Bueno.

Chicken cilantro soup and Mexican cabbage salad are fabulous. Service is great and generally very attentive. Great options for all kinds of diners and eaters. We’ve enjoyed everything from fish tacos to chorizo/​egg dish. All good! Only downfall has been blah rice on occasion and chicken asada meat was too dry once. Our favorite Mexican spot in San Diego.

We were a very large party, but they did a good job accommodating us. The chips with cheese and guacamole were delicious. I didn’t think I’d have room for dinner but I managed, and the chile relleno was great. I also enjoyed my strawberry margaritas. I would definitely return. The wait staff could not have been nicer.

The guacamole was very, very good. The service was warm and courteous. My daughter’s strawberry lemonade was tasty as well.
However, the main dishes left a lot to be desired. The carne aside meat was tough and poor quality. The seasoning was «meh» as well. The other sides were very greasy, e.g. grilled veggies, beans (which were greasy because they were covered in cheese). My daughter had the chicken burrito. Like the sides, it was soggy with grease. This seems to be their shortcut for flavor — artlessly adding grease and salt, instead of using better quality meats and seasoning. Not worth the cost.
Unfortunately, on return trips to the area we won’t be coming here for Mexican food.

One of my girlfriends suggested this spot for lunch the other day. It was cute and authentic but the vegetarian options were severely lacking. We ordered margaritas and our server told us he comped hers. Uh ok. Awkward! Why don’t you comp mine too ese? I had a tostada. It was more like a pile of chips rather than a tostada shell. It was nothing to write home about.

Took us a year but we finally found a great Mexican restaurant! Food was great! Service was great! The décor was perfect!

Fidel’s is my favorite restaurant on the entire planet. Every time I’m home to visit I go here AT LEAST twice. I order the bean and cheese burrito like I have since I was 7 and I have zero regrets that I have not tried anything else on the menu. My family loves the chicken and rice soup and I’ve heard great things about the chicken and rice burrito. The only thing I’ve heard negative things about is the Crab Enchilada, but I just feel like that’s your own fault for ordering it. Fidel’s is the happiest place on earth in my personal opinion.

Great recommendation by the Sterns (500 Things to Eat Before It’s Too Late). Fidel’s margaritas and guacamole dip a great start to our meal!

Best chicken tortilla soup. Love their salsa. Service is usually great. Fajitas and nopales are standouts.

This place is honestly the best authentic Mexican restaurant I’ve ever been to! They are totally Mexican themed style indoors and they have a cute seating patio by the side that lights up nice at night. The alcoholic beverages are served with a nice amount of alcohol – not too much or too little. The hot chocolate is soooo delicious; I always have one. They actually make the hot chocolate from scratch! I always come here specifically for their Chorizo con Huevos plate. It’s the best authentic chorizo with LIGHT grease (because chorizo tends to have a lot of grease). Everything on their menu is to die for!

This little gem has a cute patio and a very authentic Mexican feel. I ordered in Spanish, which was the first language of our server. The margaritas were delicious and cheap. All the food was what you expected and tasty. Chips and salsa also get a thumbs up, which is important being the first thing on the table. We found this place on Unilocal in a pinch and it delivered.

Come here for the Chicken and Rice soup as it is simply amazing. I’ve had other mexican chicken soups in the area, but this one always hits the spot for me when I’m feeling the need. It is simple in that it has nice white meat chicken, rice, cilantro, and avocado. Spice it up with their hot salsa and side of fresh tortillas and you will go away happy. Even getting this soup to go, it is perfect.
The rest of the Fidel’s menu is traditional mexican fare, and everyone walks away pleased. The margaritas are pretty good, and the beers are mostly mexican, but they added Ballast Point Sculpin on draft, so that pleases this guy. The staff are always friendly and efficient, and the food is priced right.

I LOVE Fidel’s! This place is a SB institution. Is it the best Mexican food, no, but is it awesome YES!!! We ordered the Chile Rellenos, albondigas soup, fajitas with flour tortillas. The chips were warm and salsa good. I prefer the salsa at Fred’s but this was fine. They also have a nachos with melted cheese dish that is the bomb. This place is confusing when you walk in. Mainly b/​c it was an old house that got converted and space got added. If you are plants day at the Del Mar Races come here either before or after. The food at the races is terrible.

My favorite, absolutely favorite, walk to, Mexican Restaraunt. When I’m in need of a good margarita and some fabulously prepared Comfort food… Head to Fidel’s. We literally walk there, then sometimes either slowly make our way back or (don’t tell my son, he makes fun of me) pay Über like $ 2.00 to take us home. LOL I literally tip like 600% so the poor driver doesn’t get mad.
Now onto the menu: the chicken & rice soup is to die for. It’s a great combination of literally I think 5 ingredients. Fresh, fresh, fresh! And the tortillas that come with it taste just like the ones I made with my grandma when I was small. The margaritás are very good, the bartender is not a schulp that’s for sure. You’d think he was a mixologist, lol.
It’s a very casual place with patio seating upstairs and downstairs. The place has a cute authentic feel to it and with the stage coach outside you surely can get a good photo op in there too, during your visit! ;)

A really fun place. It’s like a maze inside so watch your alcohol intake or you could get lost. It’s like a little street in TJ. The employees were super competent and professional. We had a huuuuge party and all of our picky orders were correct and came to the table at the same time. Amazing. The food was really good too. I make really good Mexican food so I tend to order something I can’t make. I had the chimichanga since I don’t have a deep fryer and it was so yummy. I will definitely go back. They take reservations.

The best Mexican cuisine in San Diego! Any day dining here is like a treat on my best of life bucket list! Chicken burritos (try it with a squeeze of fresh lemon)!! Chicken and rice soup with avocado! Carnitas plate, cheese crisp, chili rellanos like no other! My happy place! Tried the new salmon filet dinner and it’s mouth watering with tremendous flavor!
Great service and ambiance!

All you people out there that want to claim there is better sit down Mexican food than Fidel’s in North County (other than Norte in Carlsbad since it was a Fidel’s and they just changed the name) it’s just not true :).
First off, you need to know what to get here. You come here for the CHICKEN (all white breast meat is standard). This stuff is cooked perfectly without an once of fat on it… and it comes in more than generous chunks of white gold as the mouth views it. I don’t care what you decide to put the chicken in… but a burrito (the sauce doused on top is pure bliss), a tostada, a taco, or the CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP (this thing could be on the Best I’ve Ever Ate show on the Food Network… you will NOT be disappointed… out of this world addicting) will all equally stimulate the senses in every which way from Sunday. It’s an automatic crime if you don’t order the chicken. With its level of skill and tenderness, the chicken is the clear stud around all these other meats like Tony Gwynn was around other Padres.
ALSO the chile relleno!!! Wowie!!! That thing cannot get any fluffier and perfectly executed… I almost wanted to use it as a pillow, and could care less if I got that flawless sauce all over my temple. It is HANDS DOWN one of the best ever.
Also if you like salsa that is more the sauce-​type or taco sauce-type…you are going to want to drink this stuff out of the dish when it comes with the chips. Its hands down the best there is. I get quarts of it for house gatherings. If you want pico de gallo type salsa… ask for it and you shall receive!

Fidel’s is decent for an American-​style mexican food joint. I’ve been here on several occasions for work lunches and the service is quick, regardless of party size. The food isn’t spectacular, but it isn’t terrible either. I find that they really go heavy on the cheese. I LOVE cheese, but it’s over the top at this place.
For some reason I can never figure out where the real entrance is and always have to go through the up and down maze of their restaurant to find the hostess station. Definite downside.
I’ve heard good things about the chile relleno, but have never tried it myself.

Traditional Mexican food right by the Del Mar Race Track, I have been coming here for years and always enjoy their food and drinks. I usually get the combination with a chile relleno with a chees enchilada. This literally feels like an authentic Mexican restaurant you might encounter south of the border. Overall great experience especially for large groups.

Came here on Saturday evening around 6:00 before catching a local play. Our wait was about 20 minutes for first available (patio or indoor) so we sat at the bar and had a drink and chips and salsa while we waited. Our wait was about 20 minutes as they stated.
We were seated on the patio and it was a beautiful evening. There was a mariachi band roaming and playing at each table… excellent ambiance. We’ve been here when it’s a bit chilly and sat on the patio. They have heaters so it makes it very comfortable.
We ordered our food (Chicken tostada and Chicken Tostada Suprema) which was a pretty basic order. After some time we asked the waiter where our food was (we were in a hurry to get to our play) and he didn’t remember what we ordered so we re-​ordered our food. He clearly waited in the kitchen for them to prepare our meals and brought them out after a few minutes.
Unfortunately, I had to inhale my food and didn’t get to enjoy it much. My date didn’t get to eat all his food before we had to leave. As we were sitting at the play, my date’s stomach started hurting. So whatever he ate did not sit well with him.
We’ve been to Fidel’s before and enjoyed our time/​experience there, but we weren’t rushed like we were on Saturday.
I’m giving it 3 stars since the service was subpar.

This place is pretty interesting. Its unique in its own way. But the food is not as delicious as its hyped up to be. The taco bar is cool, the servers are nice. And i like how the owner comes in randomly to make sure his workers dont mess up. Haha.
The drinks here arent free pour which means you dont get as much as you can get sonewhere else. Which i recommend.

Well, it’s about time. Have been scavenging North County for decent Mexican food… and finally made it to Fidel’s. It’s not exactly on the beaten path, you won’t find it unless you know where to look, sort of on a back street.
Diane, Michelle and I found Fidel’s on an early Saturday night. We got there before it was crowded and parked on the street (when we came out at 7.30 every single parking place was taken). A quaint, traditional, old-​fashioned place — just the right atmosphere for a good Mexican meal.
We started with the guacamole appetizer. They asked if we wanted the big plate with cheese and nachos but we said just the guacamole. Wrong! It was a teensy little portion of guacamole. So then we got the large plate and it was wonderful! A huge tube of guacamole down the middle of the plate, surrounded by cheesy nachos. Yum. Went very well with our margheritas. I ‘m a light drinker so I ordered mine «weak» and was glad I did. I tasted Diane’s golden margherita — sheesh… one little sip and my eyes were crossing. That is some heavy tequila in that drink.
For the dinner Michelle just had a small tostada, wasn’t hungry, and it was good but nothing special. They do not have any salads, which is what she really wanted, but the lettuce on the tostada sufficed.
Diane had the most beautiful, huge, stuffed beef taco I have ever seen. It was bursting with ingredients, very fresh lettuce, sort of sealed with the cheese which was also hanging out, and shredded beef. A really special taco. She loved it. She also had a cheese enchilada which was — a cheese enchilada.
I had the chile relleno plate and it was the best chile relleno I’ve had in a long time. The breading was very light and tasty and cooked just right, with cheese and sauce on the top, and a chile that wasn’t too hot. Most importantly, the beans were delicious, although the portion on the plate was quite small.
We passed on dessert and left with happy tummies.,

Menudo and chicken tostadas are excellent!