Cocina de Barrio - Encinitas

Service: fantastic! Oscar was our waiter. Ambiance: comfortable chairs, loved the murals, lighting is not overwhelming and very comfortingDrinks: fun, absolutely delicious and thoughtful presentationSalmon tacos: light, needed a tiny bit more sauce but superbChilaquiles verdes: excellentChurros: I'd good back for just these! Tasty, filled, served warm but not scalding, dulce de leche ice cream was caramelly without being fake and had a slight crunchI'd definitely go back again.

Ambience was nicely done. Very modern and welcoming. Thought was put into the design. Staff: Warm and welcoming. They were helpful and courteous. Food: OMG loved it. I tried so hard to finish but it was too much food for me. Plated very nicely. Fresh ingredients. Lots of flavor. My favorite were the cheesecake pancakes. It had little cheesecake squares on it...yummm! It was the type of food that you remember years later. "I miss That one place in Encinitos- with cheesecake squares on the pancakes" Also, very reasonably priced. Lots of options on the menu that I will have to make another trip from Nor-Cal for. Thank you for the great food memories!!!

I had dinner here a couple weeks ago with a group of girlfriends, most of whom had never been here before at all (myself included), and a couple of them had visited for brunch and had only glowing reviews to share. A couple of us arrived early and sat at the bar, because we had to wait until at least half of our party arrived before they would seat us. The bartender was friendly and attentive. The ambiance was classy and chic but warm and inviting. Once our party arrived and we were seated, we realized the booth wasn't going to be large enough to fit all of us and asked to be moved elsewhere, which the staff accommodated without issue. Our server (I wish I remembered her name, but she was a sweetheart) took drink orders quickly, and explained any menu offerings we had questions about, also providing her personal preferences when asked. Now I know Gordon Ramsay feels differently about this topic, but I feel Cocina de Barrio would be wise to include some photos of the food on their menu to help give a visual for those of us who A) don't speak Spanish or B) can't see very well because the font is so tiny and the color scheme makes it incredibly difficult to read! We were a group of young(ish) ladies in our mid-late 20's to mid-late 30's and we were all struggling to read the small type and font, never mind trying to decipher it from Spanish to English. I tried two of the margaritas, both of which were light and refreshing, but not boozy at all (booooo). They were definitely beautiful however, and I was able to capture some great shots during the golden hour. When it came time to place our food orders I settled on the Tacos de Birria (beef, although our server had recommended the lamb) and a side of rice and beans. Normally that would all come on one plate so I was very surprised when I was served one plate with tacos, another with rice, and a third plate with beans. I think presentation wouldn't have been sacrificed if they would just plate everything together, or at least consolidate the rice and beans, as my three plates quickly took up a huge chunk of the table. The birria was plentiful but it was incredibly salty - even more so than I (a sodium loving gal) enjoy. The beans and rice were really subpar, and they tasted a bit like tap water. The consensus of the whole table was that across the board the food was quite underwhelming.Overall the space and the vibe is really nice here, and I would visit again for a happy hour or possibly to try out the brunch I've heard good things about. But with about 1,000 other killer restaurants nearby and all over North County to enjoy I don't think I'd return here for another dinner experience.

Stopped by for brunch with my girls on a Sunday morning. It wasn't too busy. The music and vibes were on point. I really enjoyed the jams. The drinks are amazing! La tia Chata horchata drink is my favorite. The serving sizes are generous and the service was excellent. Would definitely recommend. I will be back to try their happy hour during the week.

Ambiance..cute place with plenty of parking Service..amazingFood..love the live guac station with crickets..my drink was strong and good.. I also loved my quesadilla de portobello. The hot salsa was hot and the flan and dolce de Leche was amazing. So fresh flavors and plenty of food.

Delicious food. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful. Very clean. Service is always great. 5 stars well deserved! Will definitely be back :)

Non alcoholic mango margarita is fantastic!!!The ceviche appetizer was wonderful. Really fresh with cucumbers and avocado and red onions. My hubby enjoyed the chicken colorsdito It came with a nice mixed veggies with cactus in it. We loved our waitress named Fatima. She was really good!Each time we come we discover something new!

Tried this place out for the 1st time! The staff were really great! I sat outside, and they lowered the shade to block the sun,as well as offered to put the heaters on if I got too cold, which was super sweet. Disappointed they done offer chips and salsa, only if you ordered their made to order guacamole....which based on couple sitting behind me was amazing. I had their La Rosa hibiscus and it was the perfect drink on a warm day. I also ordered the portobello mushroom tacos and the blackened salmon tacos. The portobello tacos were fantastic and also vegan which was a plus. The blackened salmon however, was rather disappointing. It lacked flavor and next time I'd just stick to the portobello ones. Overall, great spot for yummy drinks, awesome service and decent food.

This restaurant is located on the far south end of The Lumberyard ion 101. Pretty cool setting inside and out. My server Abby was super knowledgeable when describing the the food and beverage menus which made it hard t choose. Sooooo delish. I'm not usually a foofoolala Mexican food lover but, although it's not served like you'd find in a home kitchen the flavor is!!! And the cocktails !!!!!! I had the tacos de birria I chose beef but they also offer lamb. I would've liked a little more flavor but I was able to personalize them with this amazing salsa macha. Also had taquitos dorados which were good but I would probably adventure for something else on the menu next time. Everything is topped with super fresh micro greens and pickled onions. They do a table side guac where you can custom select the ingredients including FRIED CRICKETS!!!! Yesss girrrrlll you read that correctly. And to wash it all down with....the delectable Agua Santa, a pineapple, coconut infused tequila margarita with a Tajin rim was gonna have a Paloma for the 2nd round but it was too good not to have another. Cheers PS some pretty decent vegan options. See photos of menu.

Birria-left (beef) center (lamb) right (beef)! Delicious! Great customer service and atmosphere. Highly recommend