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Ortega's A Mexican Bistro Reviews List
Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Ortega’s Mexican Bistro features the authentic flavors of Puerto Nuevo. Experience Baja style lobster and table side guacamole while sipping a decadent pomegranate margarita. Enjoy dining in our restaurant or for a more energized evening, dine in our bar - La Cantina. Additional flavors include Banana Crusted Huachinango, Kobe Beef Bistek and Chicken Mole. Newly expanded and designed to capture the festive traditions and tasteful flavors of Puerto Nuevo.
See more Ortega's A Mexican Bistro details
52 Current Reviews
Summary of Diner Ratings & Reviews
Overall
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Rating Breakdown 52 reviews
5 stars
(16)
4 stars
(20)
3 stars
(10)
2 stars
(6)
1 star
(0)
Food
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
3.8
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.7
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
Filter Reviews By:
Diners classify this restaurant as:
- neighborhood gem(27)
- good for groups(18)
- great for outdoor dining(13)
- fit for foodies(11)
- great for lunch(10)
- great for brunch(9)
Ortega's A Mexican Bistro Reviews List
Review 1 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Watered diwn margarita, Small dried out lobster. very disappointing."
Dined on 5/04/2013
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Review 2 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Great for happy hour and appetizers
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Not authentic Mexican food, but creative and tasty. Best prices and options are for happy hour, and for people who like seafood."
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining
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Review 3 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ortega's with a crowd
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"We were gathering family from all over the country in San Diego for the weekend and looking for a good mexican meal for a crowd of nine, but I forgot it was Cinco de Mayo weekend - so I googled "best mexican restaurants in san diego" and Ortega's came up. The food was great, the location convenient, the staff were very accomidating and the prices extreamly reasonable! I would definitely recommend to any groups, large or small!"
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, great for brunch, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 4 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Highlights and Lowlights
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"They offer a wide variety of margaritas but there is so much ice in the glass that you only get about 3 or 4 sips of the actual drink. The chips and salsa are so good you need to control your desire to eat the whole basket and ask for more. The lobster, unfortunately was a little on the dry side, which was disappointing for the price, but it's size was generous. The shrimp tacos were excellent and the beans tasty. We've eaten here before, and learned that some menu items are fantastic, while others are so so. All in all, it remains one of our favorite Mexican restaurants."
Dined on 04/28/2013
2012
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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Review 5 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
We always enjoy eating at
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"We always enjoy eating at Ortega's. This restaurant is our favorite Mexican restaurant in San Diego. The menu offers more authentic Mexican dishes, not just tacos and enchiladas, like so many Mexican restaurants. I wish it was closer to our house."
Dined on 04/25/2013
2007
Special Features: neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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Review 6 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Very good overall, but not lobster
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The regular Mexican meals were good and at a good price, but the lobster meal was very disappointing. Very small lobster and very large price. Everything seemed very fresh and it was very good but I still left with a so-so experience because of the very disappointing lobster meal. Save your money and do not get it, not worth it. I may go back just to try their Mole dinner and see how it compares to real Mexican mole."
Dined on 04/19/2013
2007
Special Features: great for outdoor dining
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Review 7 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Have been to the Ortega's
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Have been to the Ortega's south of the border and the food here is not as great. Had the Puerto Nuevo style lobster and the table side guacamole, both were good. The rice we were given however was awful, but we brought it up to our servers attention and they were very nice about it, offered to bring us new rice which we didn't have room for, and also brought us a free flan, which was pretty good. The food is good but not excellent (well except for the hand made flour tortillas- you must have them) the service was very good, the only down fall would be that parking is awful."
Dined on 04/13/2013
2012
Special Features: great for lunch
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Review 8 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
What a pleasant surprize!
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"What a pleasant surprize! The Carne Asada Tacos were delicious and our server was great"
Dined on 04/11/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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Review 9 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Made a reservation via open
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Made a reservation via open table. They got it and my party showed up only to he told we had to wait behind walks ins that have been waiting."
Dined on 03/24/2013
2009
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Review 10 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
The ceviche appetizer was
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The ceviche appetizer was excellent. The entrees were very good. Service was professional."
Dined on 03/25/2013
2004
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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Review 11 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
We found our food to be very
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"We found our food to be very bland. Needed a salt shaker, at the very least."
Dined on 03/24/2013
2011
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Review 12 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Great brunch overall. Pretty
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Great brunch overall. Pretty good food. Bottomless mimosas were good but heavy on the OJ unfortunately. AWESOME service!"
Dined on 03/17/2013
2011
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Review 13 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Just not great food or service.
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Just not great food or service. San Siego has much better to offer."
Dined on 03/09/2013
2010
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Review 14 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Disappointed
Food
(Poor)
1
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The margaritas were horrible. The kids meals were huge and overwhelming. The Mexican sodas were not at all tasty. The waiter brought me the wrong soup and never returned to the table so I couldn't send it back. I give it 2 thumbs down and if I had more thumbs they would also be down!!"
Dined on 03/08/2013
2010
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Review 15 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
The Almond Margherita was
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The Almond Margherita was stupid good!"
Dined on 02/27/2013
2011
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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Review 16 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Must eat lobster!
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Lobster was delicious. The rice wasn't the best but everything else made up for it! Flour tortillas are unreal... So good!"
Dined on 02/16/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem
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Review 17 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
We had the Valentine's Day
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"We had the Valentine's Day special of Puerto Nuevo Lobster. Everything was truly fantastic. We LOVED the chicken tortilla soup!
We can't wait to go back and try the enchiladas."
We can't wait to go back and try the enchiladas."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2012
Special Features: kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 18 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Great Ortegasfood, without
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Great Ortegasfood, without the cross-border wait."
Dined on 02/15/2013
2010
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Review 19 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Excellent authentic Baja style
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Excellent authentic Baja style Mexican cuisine without the kitschy Mexican decorations or tourist trap feel. Excellent, attentive service."
Dined on 02/06/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem
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Review 20 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Awesome Mexican seafood, Baja
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Awesome Mexican seafood, Baja style. Very fresh, unique menu and preparations. Love the margaritas, generous servings. Good service and atmosphere."
Dined on 02/06/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem
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Review 21 for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
EVERYTHING WAS JUST GREAT..........
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"EVERYTHING WAS JUST GREAT......................"
Dined on 02/02/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, kid-friendly, late-night find, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, scenic view, great for lunch, hot spot
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Ratings-Only Reviews for Ortega's A Mexican Bistro
Based on the average of (31) ratings-only reviews
Overall
(Very Good)
4
/
5
6 out of 6 recommend this product
Food
(Outstanding)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.8
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic