El Fandango Restaurant

This place has a ton of specials and a nice long happy hour all weekdays. (I think it's 3-7) Anyways, Monday and Tuesday they have $2 dollar margaritas. How could you go wrong with that? more

Went there with some buddies after work and it was really good! We sat at the bar first and had a drink, pretty good margaritas. Chips and salsa was good. We all got different stuff, but I had the crepes on their specialty menu and they were very different but really good. Only semi-downside is the parking situation, but they have that big lot where people go to park to use the trolley. Wasn't a problem for us and we all met there around 5. Definitely worth trying out. more

I don't know what these other reviews are talking about--the service was great, the food was really good (I tend to judge mexican restaurants on their salsa, and it was some of the best I've had in Old Town)- and you can tell the place is very authentic and is one of the historical Old Town establishments. I had a work meeting at El Fandango last week and was very impressed. Our server was very attentive (refilled drinks before they could even get half empty, brought our food out hot, and continuously refilled the chips and salsa). The portions were HUGE. They also have great specials! $15 for TEQUILA tasting and appetizers on Friday-- a serious steal in San Diego! My friend has been to their Sunday brunch several times and it includes champagne. Many of the posts on here are complaining about service, but I honestly can't see how. I worked in the service industry for 4 years and do not have one complaint about this restaurant. Trust me- you won't be disappointed! more

HORRIBLE DO NOT EAT HERE! we waited forevr for our waitress, waited 1 hr to gett our food and the waitress was terrible and rude. we unknowingly got a ""15 %gratuity fee"" added to our bill for sitting out side! ( we were sat there, not by choice) and when we asked about what these extra charges were she rudely exclaimed that we ""didnt have to tip if we didnt want to"" and stormed away. there were two tables next to us and they seemed to have gotten the same bad service we did because i could hear them complaining about her too. In the end my friends left a undeserving $6 tip and my only regret was not speaking to someone incharge while we where there. whe we got to our car we were still wondering why the gratuity was so high, so we double checked and realized she added 20% instead of 15! we were so mad! i wrote a nasty complaint on their website and im still not satisfied. I DO NOT recommend you going there. Eat somewhere else. The food isnt worth all the terrible service. Pros: getting to go home! Cons: bad food, bad service more

Except delectable Mexican fare and singing mariachis at this romantic eatery, tucked away in San Diego's cute Mexican village. A mellow vibe entices diners to linger long hours and the wide menu tantalizes with traditional dishes and treats. We were not seated promptly but were able to wait at the bar. They claimed to seat us in 15 minutes, however we waited for more than 40 minutes though. The food was a delight! My halibut came in a delicious spinach sauce, steamed veggies and rice alongside. The wide bill of fare also offered diverse cocktails and alcoholic beverages. Pros: Food, ambience, service Cons: Restroom more

We were in Old Town for the Cinco De Mayo celebration on Sunday 5-04-08 and decided to eat at El Fandago as the menu as presented outside the entrance looked pretty decent......... WRONG!!!!!!!!! Pros: None that I can see. Cons: TERRIBLE service. LOUSY food. more

I'M FROM SAN DIEGO BUT MY PARENTS WERE VISITING FROM JAPAN. EL FANDANGO HAD THE WORST MEXICAN FOOD I'VE EVER HAD. THE SERVICE UP UNTIL THE CHECK WAS DECENT, DEFINITELY AT LEAST 15% TIP WORTHY. WHEN WE GOT OUR BILL WE NOTICED OUR SERVER (RAFAEL) ALREADY INCLUDED THE TIP, FOR A PARTY OF FOUR. I HAD INITIALLY THOUGHT THE TIP WAS OKAY, BUT REALIZED AFTER WE WERE HOME HE TIPPED HIMSELF 20%, DID NOT GIVE US A RECEIPT & GAVE ONLY 1/3 OF OUR CHANGE. WE CERTAINLY WILL NEVER GO THERE AGAIN & WILL MAKE SURE WE PASS THIS EXPERIENCE ON TO OUR FRIENDS SO THAT THEY NEVER GO THERE EITHER. Pros: nice atmposphere on outside patio, great outside fireplace Cons: bland mexican food, shady server more

Starting from the beginning. Customer service is slow. You get chips and salsa quickly but they take too long to get your order in. Whenever you get your food, don't expect anything special. Expect the food to be on par with Taco Bell. Tasteless. Bar is small and cramped and there is no air conditioning in restaurant. They even tried to stick us with the bill for an additional dinner. Complained to waitress, manager, and owner and finally got it adjusted. Is it that hard to fix that? It's like no one believed us. If you like bad customer service, bad food, and sweating while you wait, this is the place for you. If not, your better off at El Toritos or Taco Bell. Pros: It's located in Old Town Cons: bad service, bad food, no air conditioning, please read further... more

Went there for the mojito special and fell in love Pros: free drink on thursday with meal... Cons: parking was hard to fing.. more