Blanco Cocina + Cantina Reviews

must say I was pleasantly surprised we stop by after shopping to have a drink (must try Freso drink) I was pleasantly surprised on how delicious the street was. We ordered an appetizer of calamari and this too was delicious. My significant other decided to order the chicken I’ll Pastore tacos these were so good you only get two but it plenty to share. the service was amazing and the atmosphere was just as good so if you haven’t stop by yet and you are in the Fashion Valley Mall please stop by for a small little bite to eat.

Absolutely delicious tacos and fajitas and bright friendly service, all made for an excellent visit. This place is located in Fashion Valley shopping centre and a great way to start a shopping trip! Highly recommended

Dropped in here after a big day of travel. Beers were nice and cold and the food was good. Surprising place in the middle of a shopping mall

There is such a nice warm feeling about this bar. The custmer service is fabulous and food is amazing of quality. I would highly recommend the bar due to it’s custmer service and most of all smiles. I met the manager and was greeted in return with a smile which is very rare in this day of age to find a pleasant but comfortable restaurant to relax and see the staff happy but content with there work. Thanks for a great afternoon. The salads are amazing.

This place is by far the best Mexican food in San Diego. Yes, I’m saying it because I honestly believe it. We have been to old town, puesto, so many places around but Blanco takes the cake. They have a modern spin on the classics and it’s amazing how good their food is. If you are in San Diego this place is a must.

I have never had better food or service. All employees were happy and having a good time which makes every customer have a good time. The food is amazing. We discovered it yesterday at lunch and had dinner yesterday and this evening. We tried most everything on the happy hour menu and enjoyed it all. The manager is a special person because he can make everyone have a great experience, including the employees. Got lots of good ideas for food to cook at home.

Food is solid. Good portions. Good taste. Fast service. Good service. Great atmosphere. Cool bar. Cool décor. Clean, modern and big bathrooms. Great place to eat before or after a movie (AMC across the hall)

In a mall setting. Loud, hard to hear. Your usual Mexican menu. Margarita was ok, but the cup was full of ice cubes. Fish tacos were good but the fish was dry. Tostada salad was not memorable.

My wife and I got dinner here recently on a very rainy Saturday night when everywhere else was packed with an hour plus wait. This place is located on the top level of the Fashion Valley shopping center so it is exposed to the elements as is the escalator you take to access the restaurant so I wouldn't recommend this place in inclement weather. The parking for this shopping center can also be a nightmare due to poor design and access to parts of the shopping center. The staff were friendly and accommodating in finding us a table on a busy night without a reservation. The place is very noisy when it's busy so it can be difficult to carry on a conversation. The service was excellent and the food was very good with the price being a little higher than you might expect in a mexican food restaurant outside of a shopping center. I would recommend this place if you are visiting the shopping center in good weather and want some decent mexican food.

The place was perfect for a break from shopping. The nachos are completely cover with cheese and flavor. Try their Frozen Paloma for refreshing. For a better experience I recommend sharing ;)

Both the food and service were very good. I ordered three carne asada tacos. And I started with a bowl of chicken tortilla soup. The soup was tasty and it was not excessively blazing hot. The carne asada tacos were also very tasty. Service could not have been better. My Diet Coke glass was always full and I was offered a chip's refill several times. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. I chose to sit indoors because it was a little chilly, and my place was very comfortable.

The meals were fantastic. Well presented and a very good size. We had spare rib enchiladas and they were great. An excellent selection of drinks.

Needing a quick, healthy and classy Mexican bite before the Movie? Check out BLANCO just outside the entrance of the Movie Theatres at Fashion Valley Mall. The Watermelon Ceviche Appetizer, Tacos and specialty signature Margherita’s (like the Pineapple Jalapeño) were the perfect choice. Great chips and salsa too. Highly Impressive! Prompt courteous service with a smile just steps from the entrance of the Theatres. Suggest bringing a jacket and eating outdoors. More intimate and quieter. Comfortable bar stools, too. 👍🤩🔥

While walking back to the parking garage we passed this outdoor restaurant with trendy booths and tables on a sunny patio which looked quite inviting. It occupied what was previously an open area of the upper level of the mall near AMC Theatres and the food court. We sat down and had two margaritas and ordered an appetizer. It was a lovely eatery. They also have a large indoor bar and smaller outdoor bar where happy hour prices are in effect. We sat in the area that is designated as the “restaurant”. Very nice place! Perfect for grabbing a bite or drink after the movies!

Lunch with family on a Sunday afternoon. What we liked: 1) The place was clean 2) Kelsi, our server, was friendly and attentive. In fact she did everything perfectly. All the adults agreed on this. My only regret is that I can't find the meal receipt that had her name on it. I trust I got the name right. What we didn't like: 1) The dining room is wide open and marked by hard surfaces. This made the noise level intolerable. Actually, had we not had an appointment following the meal, we all agreed we would have skipped Blanco's altogether because of the noisy dining room, but we didn't have time to search for another Mexican-inspired place, so we stayed. 2) The high prices. I volunteered to spring for the cheese dip to accompany the complimentary chips. I about choked when I saw the $11 (ELEVEN DOLLARS!!!!) we were charged for approximately 1 cup of cheese sauce. I eat in Mexican restaurants 2-4 times a month. The most I've ever been charged for a cup of cheese dip is $3. I'm speechless over the $11. The drinks were pretty pricey too. 3) The food: Most of it was good. We all questioned the rice, though. It had an odd, overy buttery flavor, almost like rice from a box to which you add a lump of butter and some milk. Would we return? All three adults said emphatically NO. Too noisy, too expensive, just overrated in every way. Too many excellent Latin choices available in San Diego.

Wow! When a place does things right, you can tell it from the beginning. We had heard about their Crisps, so we knew we had to start with one of those. Think of it as an awesomely crispy version of an open-faced quesadilla with a variety of toppings to choose from. Incredible! In fact, we liked them so much, we had to come back the next weekend and try more of them. I would love to recommend one to you, but I actually really like them all. More important than the great food, though, is the fantastic service experience the entire staff creates. From the moment you are greeted, and by the team approach to ensuring your needs are met, you cannot escape the feeling that you are their most valuable customer. In a time when even a little customer service is hard to find, Blanco takes it to a whole other level on par with high-end steak houses and such. We were so impressed with everyone we met there that I asked Tonya, the manager about the great company culture. She told me that they do not hire servers, they hire people who genuinely care about customer experiences. It shows, Tonya! Keep up the great work and we will be back as often as possible.

My meal was prepared as I requested it. The Service was great and continued to get better, the drinks I asked for were awe inspiring. Unbelievable how I enjoyed myself and will continue to do so as long as I keep having BLANCO's Tacos and Tequila!!!

Visited on a weekday as part of a larger group. Service was fast and friendly. House chips were great and salsa and guacamole were excellent! I ordered the ground beef tacos with rice and beans on the side. Everything was excellent - the taco shells were warm and light that I thought made my dinner extra tasty. I also had a latitude blood orange IPA with my dinner that I enjoyed as well! Great dinner!

Loved this restaurant. Food was good. Service was good. However, the best part was the friendly workers. They were amazing! We encountered 4 employees and each one couldn't have been nicer and truly friendly. A special thanks to Corrina, our server. What a smile!

Beware of this restaurant. They do not honor their listed prices and advertised specials. The staff is passive-aggressive with the customers. We felt like we were getting conned.

After some shopping at the Fashion Valley mall, we had lunch here. The Avocado & Green Apple salad is probably the best salad I have had anywhere, with a perfect blend of tastes, topped by the specialty jalapeño vinaigrette sauce. Add to this a very nice atmosphere and great service and this was an absolute treat!

This review happened during COVID (April, 2022). My wife and I where in San Diego for a short vacation. Went to the Mission Valley Mall for some light shopping and found Blanco. We where not expecting much but we where surprised. The service was great. Quick and they know there menu. My Wife had the Chicken Fajita and she loved it. She said it was well seasoned and the chicken was not dry. I had the Butter Tigger Shrimp[ fajita and I have to say the butter garlic sauce was great not over powering. The shrimp where not over cooked and had a great texture. The onions and bell per tasted good. What I loved is they added a poblano peppers in with the inion and green bell pepper and it really added some heat. The table salsas they gave also tasted pretty good. They had a flavor and slight spice. The rice and beans that came with the meal where typical. We will definitely eat here again when we visit this mall.

Just had lunch here and was very impressed. First, kudos to Sabrina the bartender. She was excellent. Had a Clementine Mule to start off. Delicious! Dined on a Chicken Pastor taco and a side of guacamole. It was all perfectly balanced. Chicken pastor had just the right seasoning. Addition of pineapple and candied jalapeno was just the right kick. Hate it when places overload with so much spice/salsa that you can't taste anything else. Blanco has done an excellent job. Guac was also well balanced. Home made tortillas are really good. Salsa served with chips was also tasty. This is truly my new favorite spot. I will be back. Anxious to try all the other items on the menu. Also since I'm a light eater, it's nice to find a place that can serve items a la carte. Staff is exceptionally friendly.

I am from out-of-state and went to Blanco with two friends. The menu including drinks is innovative and different. If you go during Happy Hour, you can actually use the menu as a "taster." Was able to try two different items and they were excellent! Sterling, our server was excellent! The manager walked around and checked on customers as it was crowded during lunch. If in the area again, I would go again!

Recommended by our time share, this turned out to be a great dining experience. We were a bit tired from traveling all day and didn't want the hassle of Old Town San Diego parking. Our waiter, Joshue, was friendly, attentive and helpful with choices as it was our first time there. A relatively limited menu (the name is 'Tacos and Tequila', don't expect the usual huge menu). Everyone in our group enjoyed their choices. Had the wagyu carne asada tacos and the meat was tender and with good flavor. 2 tacos with black beans. Enough to fill you. The Crispy Calamari, and the hamachi and watermelon ceviche (interesting combination that works quite well!) were both hits. Had their main margarita which was pleasantly heavy with the lime, which I really enjoyed. Both indoor and outdoor seating.

Great stop to eat before a movie or while shopping at Fashion valley Mall. Inside and outside sitting area and bar perfect for any weather. Plenty of appetizers like fried calimari, warm queso dip and Mexican style corn to name a few. Entrees includes tacos, burritos and bowls. I had the delicious Wagyu beef carne asada tacos, the plate includes 2 tacos, rice and beans. Fish and fried shrimp tacos were good too. If Vegan no worries there are choices for you too like fried avocado tacos. Look online for menu choices. Chips and salsa are complimentary for every table, the salsa was so good we couldn't stop eating. The food tasted really fresh and the drinks were good too. Plenty of cocktails from sangria to ginger Palomas to Clementine mules. I can't wait to come back for Happy hour Monday thru Friday 3-6pm and may soon change to a later time. Make a reservation this place is popular.

I visited this restaurant and had an unpleasant experience from the start. The front greeter was unfriendly and rude for no apparent reason. The food portions were very small, and the seasoning was off. However, the most frustrating part was that just 5 minutes after receiving my meal, the waitress emilee handed me the check which says in her actions she wanted me to leave. She was very rude. She didn't want me to sit and enjoy my meal. I had ordered a margarita and hadn’t even finished it yet. I was still chewing my food when she rushed me out. This kind of behavior is unprofessional and frankly shocking. It felt as though they didn’t want me there, despite me doing nothing wrong. Based on this experience, this restaurant treats certain customers unfairly, rushing them out if they don’t fit a certain profile. This experience has left me questioning the quality and integrity of their service. I also wonder if they did something to my food. I would not recommend supporting a place that treats its customers like this. I posted this review somewhere else and the restaurant had it deleted. Hopefully it stays here.

After some serious shopping a drink is mandatory and why not some really good guacamole and chips? If you are at Fashion Valley any way look no further. The staff mix top notch margaritas with a smile and a little flirt. The snack is equally top class so the perfect way to the end the day.

We ate here between Xmas & New Year’s Eve. The patio was closed. We ate inside thinking it would be warmer but it wasn’t. The whole restaurant was cold inside as they leave the two front doors open. This might be OK during the warmer months as San Diego has mostly good weather year-round, however, during the cold winter months, those doors should be closed. While we enjoyed the food, we did miss the old menu as they had a much better variety of tacos. Even the tacos that we did order were missing some of the key ingredients that were listed on the menu. A bit of a disappointment.

OMG...this restaurant is phenomenal. I love its interior design. The ambiance and energy is so high! My wait staff was so friendly and professional. They walked me through a tasting experience that left me speechless. The drink were so special. Chris the bartender is a master mixologist. The food was so fresh and absolutely delicious. When visiting San Diego...this is a must do dinner night.

Don't be deterred that this place is in a mall. We almost were but...after reading reviews, seeing pictures of the menu and food, we continued on and made reservations through Yelp. There are so many Mexican food places in San Diego, it's actually hard to pick one unless you know what you want. Our family of three wanted something trendy, with a fun spin on traditional Mexican food, but actually tasty, and we found it here. We ate in the patio but inside was equally nice. They have a bar where they sling the most amazing margaritas and their menu is a foodie's dream. I had fajitas and they were prepared gluten free for me. I had their homemade corn tortillas which were pretty good. (The homemade flour ones looked rad too). The kids menu was awesome and we easily found something for our 4-year old eater. They also serve the BEST FREAKING QUESO! Sadly, they ran out of flan at 8:00 PM so be sure to call ahead if you really want it to see if they have it. Afterwards, you can stroll around the outdoor mall and look around to "walk it off."

The dishes are very well served with a lot of image to want to eat them. Once you have tasted them, They are very good and are almost at the perfection of a true Mexican dish. My only criticism is the sauce, it is very sweet and far from being a true Mexican sauce. The salsa does not have to be spicy to look Mexican, you just have to know how to prepare it and it is very simple. 100% recommended.

Good food, good service, good atmosphere, reasonable prices. We enjoyed our meal here after a movie at the cinema next door to it

We went on for early dinner at 5 pm on a Sunday after making an opentable reservation same day in the morning. Our table was ready, however we choose another table as ours was close to kitchen door. Host readily made the other table ready. Fish Tacos were good, although the shredded cabbage was a bit too much. Their hot/spicy salsa is really to the point. Use it judiciously. The Mexican tiramisu was really good, but don't compare to to the Italian one, they are completely different. I would come back again next time I'm in the mall. Service was good, although I'd prefer more craft beers on tap.

Stopped here for lunch after shopping. Very creative menu, with something for everyone! The appetizers are big enough for lunch (or to share with your meal) and both my friend and I loved our choices! Try the Watermelon Margarita, very refreshing! Great servers, nice atmosphere.

While visiting San Diego on business I thought I’d try some Mexican cuisine. Well this wasn’t just Mexican food, it was the most delicious Mexican food I have had in sometime. The shrimp taco’s were recommended but I was also interested in the corn appetizer, so I got them a la cart. OMG...yummy! Definitely coming back the next time I am in town. Located in Fashion Valley Mall, near the theaters, makes this place great for date night or some serious shopping. Wait staff very friendlly, helpful and fun...enjoy!

My wife and I were looking for a nice place for lunch and came across this restaurant which had plenty of empty outdoor seating available on a nice sunny day. On looking at the menu the waitress ignored us, walked right past us leading us to ask her for a table or if we should just grab one ourselves, her response was that we’d need to wait until front of house arrived and we shouldn’t just sit at one of the many empty tables, which weren’t reserved. Despite this ridiculous stance we asked her to speak to the front of house to which she shrugged and walked off - complete waste of space of a waitress and resulted in her company losing a c.$80 sale.

After shopping around the mall it’s the perfect spot to grab a bite. The restaurant it’s is beautiful, the food is amazing, and the cocktails are even better! Definitely check it out.

Everything was perfect... the environment, the food, and the service! Our server, Chandler was attentive and helpful in our menu selection, and she even packed up a lovely to-go bag for us. The food was spectacular as well! I chose the enchiladas. They were not overly spicy and the entire meal digested smoothly. I will definitely be back for the BLANCO experience!