King and Queen Cantina Reviews

This place was awesome, one of the best we ate at during our trip! We actually returned later in the week -it was that good!The food was exceptionall! We had a grilled Caesar salad, nachos, and California burrito with pork belly. All Amazing. I tried some of the local draft beers. It was lively with great music and an upbeat vibe. It got crowded, but a great atmosphere and decor. Highly recommend. Our wait staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu too. I recommend going early or make reservations just to be safe.

We were a large family group for the evening, so sharing & tasting other meals of generous portions was just amazing. It was hard not ot over indulge.

I should have left after sitting at the bar with two bartenders standing directly in front of me and they completely ignored me while the talked and then walked away. The the smell was a strong sweet odd odor on second floor, not sure what that was but was awful. I finally was acknowledged and I ordered the house taco selection. Oh my god, they were terrible. Has to be the worse tacos I’ve every eaten, no the worse meal I’ve every eaten. Highly recommend don’t go here.

Denise was server and very friendly and attentive. The free chips and salsa were good. We will visit again before we leave.

The taste and appearance of the food was incredible. This is upscale Mexican at its best. We all cleaned our plates, with all six of us ordering different things and finding them all delightful. What do they put in their sauces? Amazing. The service was good as Consuelo was very attentive.

Went here and enjoyed the atmosphere. It is one of the coolest places that I have visited before. The vibe was great and the food was awesome. Got the taco platter and the chocolate taco was legit

The food, drinks, and service was outstanding!!! Would definitely recommend. My husband and i ate here twice on our 2 day vacation....lol!!!

We are tourists, we are tired and ready to go home, we know that by accepting the waiter's suggestions we'll pay a bit more but we can accept that. What I can't accept is a $185 steak when everything on the menu is $30. This is so wrong, SHAME ON YOU. We are a couple with small children, is this really how you treat people?

We had a great experience at The KIng & Queen Cantina last night. Its difficult to find restaurants with the combination of Great Food, Ambiance and Service. The King & Queen have all three. The presentation from the Margaritas, Cool take on Fish and Chips, Ceviche to the Churros really added to the experience. We will definitely be back.

What a place! the food 5/5 the view 5/5 staff 5/5 My girlfriend and i decided to leave LA @ 4am to get to K&Q to watch the Mexico vs Brazil soccer game! we got there to a full house, with a vibrant staff, at 7am.. its was a strange but everyone was in such good spirits and enjoying the game! service was full effect with the full house! Daniel took care of us along with what seemed like quite a few other tables and did an amazing job! he made us feel like the 2 hr drive was worth it! give us the run down of how the place came to be. great knowledge about the menu! Making sure the drinks were flowing at 8am! Loved it! This place now has topped Puesto as our favorite place to eat! you will not regret it! ask of Daniel!

I have to say, this is probably one of the best restaurant in SD, I just moved here from Miami and I’ve been back for the 4th times now. This restaurant is infused Mexican and Asian, what I’ve tried so far are Birria Tacos, Surf and Turf Tacos! very tasty 😋 Seafood Rice is a lil salty but comes with big calamari, if u like spicy, you should try Camarones Diablo 🌶 Crunchy Rolls 🍣 is surprisingly very good for infused restaurant. Try the infamous Margaritas Flights that comes in various types, their Tequilas is #chingon my favorite is Watermelon Margarita. The ambiance is upbeat with Latin musics and young crowd! I highly recommend this place! Christian is very attentive and helpful! He is an asset 😁 definitely deserve a raise! Verdict: I definitely come back 💯

Saw all the reviews and it was right beside the hotel so I had to try it. The reviews are so right. Walked in and was greeted by 3 different waiters. After we sat down, the manager personally came up and introduced himself and let us know to call him if there's anything we needed. Food was absolutely amazing. We went during happy hour so it was also discounted. We ordered churros, and they later gave us an extra serving on the house. Would definitely go back again.

great ambiance, love sitting at the bar overlooking Kettner Blvd in the heart of Little Italy. The bar staff was great and they have wonderful specialty cocktails. Their food looked great. We talked with our neighbors at the bar and they said their food was great. It has a neat, cool, relaxed feel.

Diverse menu with wide variety. Food was great. Good portions. Friendly staff. Nice atmosphere. Highly recommend.

Very popular restaurant, You will want to make a reservation if going for dinner on the weekend. I had the Tinga rolled tacos, they were delicious! I loved them and the sauce. Even thought the restaurant was packed we also received great service.

Lively with a ton of seating, but on weekends you might want to call ahead. Plenty of beer to go along with the great food menu.

Walked here based on the really high ratings. The only knock on this place was obvious from a block away--really loud music. We were able to get a table for 5 after only a 5-minute wait. Service was great, and our waitress, Daisy, was great--she even brought out a different kids meal when our little guy didn't like the first thing he had. Tacos were all amazing. The Cuevas and fish tacos were fantastic. The octopus tacos were okay. Restaurant has a really great setup and vibe, despite the overly loud music. Definitely a cool place to have some great food and drinks, see and be seen.

We went to this cantina, frankly because it was close to our hotel and it was the nearest Mexican restaurant. We were pleased with it and would return. We arrived in Happy Hour and the Margaritas were $8 and good. We chose two vegetarian items: a hippie burrito and avocado tacos and they were both tasty. The server was friendly and good. We ate upstairs on a covered balcony (with heaters).

A friend was visiting on a weeknight and I did a quick search (and reservation) to find King & Queen Cantina had some decent reviews. So, we decided to try it. What a great find! The place had loud music from the moment we entered and only got louder as the evening progressed so that was really one of the only cons I can mention aside from trying to find parking downtown. Other than that, the food was exceptional, some of the best tacos we've ever had. I had the Los 3 Animales and others had the House Taco Selection. For appetizer, we had the Pork Belly Bites. The server was more than willing to accommodate my request to remove the cotija cheese from my chicken tinga taco which came with sour cream instead. I'd love to return to try more dishes and highly recommend this restaurant if you're looking for Mexican food in Little Italy!

We LOVED this restaurant. Read about it online, booked a table during Comic-Con (a very busy time). The food was fabulous (the grilled octopus was to die for), ditto the drinks (check out the smoky margarita, also the cucumber margarita, the house special). And the staff was so incredibly warm and welcoming, we didn't want to leave. Others have spoken about the happy vibe at this place, and it's true: you'll leave feeling even better than when you walked in.

We visited on a Friday evening without a reservation about 7:00. Had to wait maybe 10 min. They seated us Two flights upstairs which was unfortunate because Hubby uses a cane. The service was excellent. The food is different and delicious. I had a combo plate with four different kinds of tacos. Hubby had chicken enchiladas. Would recommend the churro cart for dessert just for fun. Toward the end of our meal the manager came over to say he would escort us to the elevator. It was in the back corner & obviously not for public use, but we were impressed that he was even aware of our need. The only down side is that it was extremely noisy with loud music videos playing. It was hard to converse.

They do not serve free water, which I feel like has to be illegal in California, but even if it's not, that is absolutely absurd and something I have never experienced at any restaurant in any country in my entire life. You have to buy $4 small water bottles of their own branded water bottles, so if you are relatively thirsty expect to pay an extra $12-$20 on water for each person at your table. They also kick you out at exactly 90 minutes even if you are still eating (there are signs posted everywhere about a 90 minute rule). I was once kicked out with a full flight of margaritas and had to drink them standing outside on the sidewalk.

Failed. Dined on a table on the painted balcony that smelled of rust. Food no big deal. Very touristy. Perhaps young people appreciate eating in the dark with very loud music but poorly cooked food. We will not return

"I SAID WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DRINK? " WHAT?!" "I CANT HEAR YOU" "WHAT??" Woah, the music was unnecessarily loud for 7pm on a Thursday night. I go out with friends to talk to them, not to stare awkwardly at them from across the table. On a positive note the interior is bright and fun, service is great, and food is ok. The classic margarita was way too sweet. Sugar and tequila does not make a margarita. Guac was alright, avocado tacos were interesting, and nachos were fine. Also, this is one of those places where you leave smelling like grease and it seeps into your hair and clothes. If you're a local, or over 25 (in their defense the clientele is very young), don't go here. This is San Diego - if you want above average margaritas and Mexican food go to one of the other 100 better options.

We came here last June and it was okay. We found it kitschy and gimmicky, but the food was ok. We returned today and it was really bad. The digital menu looks like a bad poster for a music festival that you don’t want to go to and the the servers don’t know anything about food or tequila. The tuna tostada was swimming in soy sauce. I’ve never had soy sauce in a Mexican restaurant before and now I know why. Just gross with very muddy and overly salted flavor. The nachos also left a lot to be desired. The meat was very dry and under salted and there was no cheese. Aren’t nachos supposed to have cheese? We also got the nachos gordo with a nice cream sauce. We asked what it was and the server didn’t know. I told my brother in law that I thought it was avocado crema. I think I was right and this may have been the best thing we had. Margaritas were overly sweet and they try to upsell you to more expensive tequilas. This would be fine if the drink was drinkable and not an overly sweet mess. Finally, the bill. Only $165 before tip for three appetizers (two nachos and a tostada) and four cocktails. What a steal. You couldn’t pay me to go back to this place.

OMG the food was amazing best Mexican food I ever had. I've my Family and friends that if they ever come to San Diego the have to eat there.

The place has a nice ambience with a good new Latin fusion menu. The problem is on the service side. Several times we were “reminded” that we needed to close our bill because they have a 2 hour limit. This 2hr limit was not mentioned to us initially and it made the experience very uncomfortable, as it was poorly managed.

This was a return visit to one of our favorite spots in Little Italy. Monica was our server and made all of our cocktail and food dreams come true. We sat outside and enjoyed the vibe of the street and the restaurant. It was Happy Hour and we took full advantage-monstrous margaritas that were shear perfection-my kind of margarita-with a little bubble to it-not too sweet and not too sour. Next-Guac and Chips-crispy, creamy heaven! Onto Chicken Tinga Taquitos-oh.my.goodness! And finally the Chicken Enchiladas-smothered in a creamy queso sauce. Perfection!

Try the short rib mole taco! Made with chocolate abuelita tortilla OMG amazing... and the surf and turf roll... Can’t go wrong with either of these...

We had reservations here. We were seated half in half out of the restaurant on a little metal table on little metal chairs, squeezed in between other people in little metal tables. It had a very fast food feel to it. Our young waiter seemed nice enough. We ordered chips with guacamole. I don't know what they put in their guacamole, but it wasn't very good. It had a very strange tangy taste to it. I will admit the salsa had a very good flavor, even though it wasn't spicy at all. Our margaritas were tasty enough. Our food took almost an hour for a couple of burritos with french fries even! Our waiter kept apologizing for how late our food was going to be, due to the large rush of people . I wouldn't have minded it had our food tasted good. My asada burrito had a weird taste to it. My husband thought the same of his food. It's like they are trying to add weird flavors to already good food because it is the trendy thing to do now. We did get free churros for the long wait though. They serve 6 small churros in a large bulky "miniature" churro cart with 3 small amounts of dipping sauces. (chocolate, caramel, strawberry) It seemed like overkill just for a gimmick . I wish the churros weren't stale or I might have given a better review. I really wanted to like this place, but I've had way better Mexican food at smaller places for less money. If you want trendy , loud and vibrant atmosphere and you don't mind the food, then it might be alright for you. As for me, I don't think I will eat here again. I like good tasting food.

This new restaurant in the previous space of Bracero, was delicious, enjoyed our meal upstairs at the bar, service was great, really attentive bar attenders kept our drinks flowing. Had the 4 taco plate, I really enjoyed the cochinita taco, also good was the mole taco, my other friends also enjoyed the tacos. Will go back for more.

An awful and degrading experience. I ordered food through postmates. I showed up to pick up my food. The clueless personnel at the front seemed bewildered at the request to pick up my pre-paid food. The manager was condescending - initially I was told the order could not be found. Then that it had been picked up. My (foreign) name seemed to create consternation and confusion- eventually no name appeared on the order tag. Bottomline is they did not have a professional approach. Victims to their success, perhaps? They are taking their customers for granted.

We went here on a friend’s recommendation and it did not disappoint! The service was quick and friendly, the food was bomb, and we really enjoyed it! It was one of the most expensive Mexican restaurants I’ve ever been to ($65 for two people - $4 water, $20 taco dish, $14 chips and guac, and $15 taquitos + tax and tip). BUT the birria tacos were so flavorful and unique to us. Overall, a very tasty stop, probably not one I would do on a regular basis with that price tag.

Service was great, the restaurant is decorated very nicely, definitely eclectic and a great menu. Romaine Caesar was especially good for a Mexican place. Seems like this is at the center of Little Italy for where the vibe is at. Good bar area, two floors, and very nice people working there. Will definitely go back.

Needless to say, when you say "Sure one more round" each inning in this game that your bar bill is gonna be high, but it was a fun night. The food was also very good and service at the bar for both food and drinks was top notch. The Costa Azul and Cueva were really good.

This became a regular place for us when we visited in San Diego in April and we were keen to revisit. Margaritas and food just as good as before and we were actually remembered by some of the staff. So as "regulars" now we will certainly visit again when we are in San Diego again.

Stumbled upon King and Queen Cantina completely by accident. I was getting a scooter and their decor caught my eye, so I made it a point to come back once they're open. Located in Little Italy, about a 5-minute walk from the County Center/Little Italy transit stop on the green (Sycuan) line, KQC offers two floors of sleek decor and upbeat music, as well as a diverse menu of tequila and tacos. There were so many drool-worthy items on the menu, but I went for the Smokey Margarita and Ceviche Duo. I'm usually not a margarita fan, but this particular one tasted absolutely delicious. Wish I had time to come back for their Margarita Flight as it looked quite appetizing. The ceviche duo was two cups with fish ceviche verde and shrimp ceviche served with chips - a good size for one person or as a shareable app for two. My server, Maria, was amazing. She was friendly and attentive the whole time I was there. If I lived in the area, KQC would definitely be my go-to spot.

We waited for 10 minutes on Thurs. at 6:30 pm for a table for two as K&Q was a hoppin' joint. No big deal, great attention from staff and a spot just inside but still open to the outside under a patio heater. One warning - when it's busy the tables are packed pretty close and if you aren't quite slim the chair backs may clash from the neighbour behind you. Husband had a Modelo Negra on tap, and I had an avocado margarita, delicious and definitely not stingy with the Reposado tequila. Perfect balance of flavours with an added sprinkle of microgreens cilantro on top. I recommend you try it if you are NOT a sweet drinks person. I noticed quite a few Gluten Free options and they seemed to take allergies seriously. Lots of interesting options, I had Mayan grilled Salmon with fresh pineapple ring, saffron rice (real thing - not just coloured with tumeric), roasted mixed vegetables, and 3 sauces on the side to add as I wished. Perfectly grilled salmon, with a thin crisp on the base and still tender and moist. It's so nice to have good GF choices that aren't salad. Hubby had Nachos Gordo with added chicken. Homemade chips, with plentiful toppings of multiple cheeses, crema, avocado crema, beans, and other numminess topped with slices of jalapeno. It was quite a heap on a sizzling metal plate (like when you get fajitas) and enough for dinner or for two to share for drinks and snacks. Cost for us was 65 with generous tip. We'd return, good idea to make reservations if you're considering later dinner or Fri/Sat.

King and Queen Cantina was referred to us by a friend of my wife.; good call! Party like atmosphere, temperature check at the door, disposable menus, outdoor dining good service, and partitioned tables were definitely a major plus. The food was delicious; they had a nice variety of Mexican fusion cuisine. The prices were reasonable, and they have happy hour. If you order a Margarita, I suggest you upgrade to a higher-end tequila. If possible, I suggest you make reservations; we had to wait an hour for a table. We (my wife and another couple) had a gratifying experience at King and Queen Cantina. I definitely recommend giving them a try.

Went on a Saturday night with friends. It was busy and we didn’t have reservations, but got in within about 20 minutes. Food was great, service was great, our drinks were ok.

I was actually walking to a different restaurant in Little Italy, but K&Q Cantina looked inviting and it sucked me right in. Ended up sitting at the bar enjoying myself. It was a Tuesday night, so “street tocos” were on special. I ended up ordering a house cucumber margarita and a series of street tacos. The margarita was excellent and I enjoyed the tocos. Chicken and pork were my favorites. Great option in Little Italy!

This place was a party vibe! I was unsure about it when entering with my young family as it seemed crowded and not for us. Glad we tried it anyway! Service was really great and food terrific. Wish we had paid more attention to all the extra add-ons that we didn't realize were add-ons (chips and guac to start, beas and rice side). It was expensive, but a great experience and we would return again.

I like the story of Jorge Cueva aka Mr Tempo. He came to the US illegally at the age of 18 speaking no English in 1991 and worked as a dishwasher, went to college and earned a degree in restaurant management and opened his first restaurant in 1997. Today he owns many and is still on the move and looking for even bigger things ahead. This place has a trendy hipster vibe in an artsy 2 story corner building in Little Italy. Of course during this Covid crisis I was lucky to get a sidewalk table for Happy Hour which had a whole menu of bar bites. I was debating between stuffed oysters or the pork belly bites and my server Leo hands down said the Pork belly bites are the best. I've never had them before and I agree, very tasty and good with my beer. This place was really hopping for Happy Hour n a Monday at 4:30 pm and they were doing temp checks and contact tracing.

My wife and I ate here Friday night. This restaurant is easily the loudest restaurant I've ever dined in.....music and everything else. First, the hostess tried to cram us in a two person table between two other couple, one with a baby and stroller hanging over part of the table. My wife objected and they did relocate us. But the table was extremely small. We ordered chips and salsa and were stuck with the serving platter (a cutting board essentially) for the rest of the night at this small table. Drinks were slow to come. Wait staff was relatively cold and not engaging. The dinners were far from traditional mexican in a bad way. Cauliflower in fajitas? I get that it is a fusion attempt.....and perhaps this appeals to millennials.....but it isn't for us.

QUICKIE REVIEW Good drinks and good food. Give it a try. FOOD This is what I tried: -Pork Belly Bites -Chicken enchiladas w/ an egg -Crème brulee Pork belly bites, what a way to start off the meal, just wow. By themselves, they could have been an entire meal if I did not have people helping out. Next are the dirty enchiladas (enchiladas with egg). Creamy goodness is what you are receiving right there. The taste is amazing especially when you mix it with the egg. Both items are my recommendation to try when you go here. I do want to mention the table side flame crème brulee is pretty cool but the taste is as expected. Still good for dessert. PARKING No. Street parking if you can find it. SERVICE Good. Our waitress came back and checked on us often, which was impressive considering how busy they get at night. PRICE For two, expect around $40. TIP/OTHER THOUGHTS This place is beyond busy at night. Highly recommend making reservations before coming here.

We dropped into this ground floor Mex spot for a happy hour margarita and guac and chips. We were most amazed by the size of our drinks but most of all by the friendliness of the staff. Our guacamole was a bit "soupy" but the roast salsa that accompanied it was truly a taste sensation and one I'd not ever experienced before. I love the indoor / outdoor feel of King and Queen Cantina. We'll be back for more.

Loved our visit to King and Queen Cantina. Delicious tacos, wide variety to choose from. Also enjoyed the Mexican/Japanese sushi options. Super fresh food. The drinks were tasty - enjoyed margaritas and the Reina Mule. Fried ice cream for dessert. Highly recommend!

We stayed in Little Italy for a week and had the opportunity to dine out in many different places. This was by far my favorite. The service was fantastic, great vibe, and delicious food. If you are a raw fish fan, you must have the tuna tostada. Honestly one of the most delicious foods I have ever eaten! Everything was good, and the server, chef, everyone, exceedingly friendly and accommodating. Check out the menu. If it’s your kind of food, do not miss this place!

landed from an East coast flight looking for a meal mid - week night. places around our hotel kitchens were closed but diverted us to King and Queen Cantina. Seated upstairs and waitstaff got us hydrated right away. We had a Ca. burrito and deconstructive Quesadilla. Food was great hit the spot for us. Folks were friendly with a good crowd.

Visiting from UK so we were looking for some good Mexican food and we definitely found the place! The restaurant is quirky with interesting wall art and the food was amazing! We ordered the pork belly bites, steak tacos (3 in an order) and the chicken taquitos (6 in an order). We loved all of it, the portions were great and they tasted amazing! Price point was OK averaging around $14 a dish. We ordered churros and ice cream for dessert which were $19 which we thought was overpriced. But overall would definitely recommend and we would go again if we had the chance!

I was drawn to King & Queen Cantina because of the music, laughter & pretty people milling about outside. I had the chips & guac which was just ok, but the fried avocado tacos were out of this world! The service was great & the waitress Gigi was very friendly

Lots of food choices, and desserts. Really enjoyed the food, sushi looked fresh, but I did not eat any.

This was tasty Mexican food. Loved the Guac and chips, very tasty. Cueva tacos and house taco selections were delicious. This place has very good tasting upscale Mexican cusine. Only had the Insurgente La Lupolos IPA beer for my drink so cannot comment on Margaritas.

Great place, just very busy so get you name in as wait can be long but worth it ! Cevicie and Ahi Tuna were amazing same with the peppers. Love the vibe.

Excellent food Excellent view Excellent service This is a really fun and friendly place to stop for food and drink

I would have given this place 5 stars if it hadn’t been for the horrible hostesses. They were all gossiping right in front guests and outright being very unprofessional...kind of a let down. The food was delicious and had a different flare to it. The cucumber margarita is a must have...delicious!!! Julio the waiter was amazing, attentive and very knowledgeable of the menu.

Nice little bar type diner on the corner... we sat outside- I didn’t care for the Pork Belly Bites, a lot of fat! The shrimp burrito was very good!

Had brunch on a Sunday and very much enjoyed it. The atmosphere was lively and the staff friendly. The food was excellent! I had the taco sampler and some else the deconstructed quesadilla. Both were fantastic . It was too chilly to sit outside but the upper deck would be a great place to sit someday. Would recommend Trying this place.

If you're looking for cheap, large-portioned, simple Mexican (nothing wrong with that!), this is not the place for you. It's complex flavor combinations and higher-end ingredients. There's a trained chef involved. Therefore, it costs more and you get less. But the flavor makes up for it! The staff was nice and attentive. It is loud with loud music, but it's the ambiance they want and we had no problems.

Enjoying the town can make a person hungry. Nachos with all the fixings and bacon wrapped shrimp hit the spot. Atmosphere was good.

Just round the corner from our hotel it became a regular stop off point especially during happy hour. Loved the Margaritas and small plates.

Great food served in a tapas style ,cheery servers but it was spoiled by the extremely loud music that must damage the hearing of its staff

Our first night in San Diego & we didn't know where to go. Stumbled across this Restaurant by accident & were really glad we did. Weren't sure what to eat as it's actually not traditional Mexican so our server recommended some dishes & they were fabulous. Great cocktails too. Really enjoyed the experience as it was a crowded Friday night but still the service was great.

Came to the place for dinner before our annual conference. I ordered the pork belly nachos and they were good. Some people in my party got the Korean and bone marrow tacos, they really liked them. Service was great and the turn around was not bad. Tristen took care of us. They also have a full bar.

My husband and I went for dinner and it was very good. The menu is a little eclectic and we weren’t sure what to expect but we ended up picking some great choices. The taquitos were really crispy and we liked the chipotle sauce the best, my husbands burrito was gigantic and he said it was really good, and I got the samurai roll. It wasn’t the best sushi I’ve ever had but it wasn’t bad. Really fresh tasting. Drinks were great too. We had sangria and a smoky margarita and they were excellent.

This was my perfect spot in San Diego. Love their Margaritas. Also have brunch there. But the best meal I had was the seafood zafran rice. Almost a “Paella”. Perfect. Thanks to Viridiana who made sure everything was right and the hostess at the entrance very nice too. For sure, if I go back to San Diego, will visit them.

Decent Mexican food, but not the best I have had. Good drinks. We had something called Carne Asada Plate, supposedly.

Looking for tocos near Santa Fe Train Station. Happy Hour fish tocos, 3 to a plate where some of the best. Each toco is 5 inches with a spicy sauce with a little bite. We shared two fish toco plates and a 3 different tocos plate. The margaritas come in a double size glass with a special mild spice on the edge all for Happy Hour prices. Service was outstanding with descriptions of each item on the menu we asked about. Very happy with location

Got here best Ceviche outside Mexico. The staff is really helpful and are great ambassadors for restaurantcand city

Smooth call ahead takeout order and food was ready really quickly! California burrito with pork belly tasted really good (greater than the sum of it's parts) and is currently sitting in my stomach like a brick. VIP taco set was a really good sampling of a wide variety of seafood tacos! The tuna tostada was just ok though. Wasn't as flavorful as the other dishes.

A Vibrant and buzzing Mexican place with a nice assortment of Drinks and Foods,I am a big fan of their interiors as well, I tried the michelada here and it was amazing

Having moved from Chicago to San Diego, I had been having trouble finding “good food”. SD is a taco town. Follow the restaurant on Instagram so I knew I wanted to try it. Stopped in for a birthday dinner with my daughter. We chose a Monday evening as it’s Happy Hour all day. Let me tell you, I openly admitted to our great server that this was the first meal in San Diego we could call FABULOUS! We especially loved the Pork Belly bites! You get a blend of a sweet savory sauce and jalapeño salsa, the blend of the two with the pork is genius. I got a cucumber margarita and after half, was feeling it, that told me it was a good margarita! We can’t wait to good! My check was higher than anticipated but that’s because we wanted to try lots of things.

My son & I stumbled, luckily, on this great Cantina. Happy Hour food is the best! We had fish tacos (3), chips & Guacamole board, & gigantic watermelon Margaritas! We sat at the open window. Our server, Jim, was so attentive & engaging, we felt we made a "new friend", by the time we left. Can't wait to go back!

This was place was amazing !! An amazing vibe with exceptional tacos. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Short Rib Mole taco but the Surf & Turf taco (steak + shrimp) was honestly the best I’ve had in a while! The chips and salsa were also to die for! My coworker bought a liter of the salsa to go since we don’t have this restaurant in Florida. + The service was phenomenal. If you can request Maria, you will not regret it but everyone was super friendly and welcoming. She just honestly went above and beyond with everything that we needed and never stopped smiling. You cannot leave San Diego without stopping by here first.

Went here around 7pm for supper. Quite busy however only had to wait 5 minutes to be seated. The noise level was incredible...music videos playing on screen was so loud we had to yell across the table to talk to each other. We were going to get up and leave but asked if we could sit outside...and they found us a spot along sidewalk. Way better. Spouse ordered California burrito and I ordered blue cheese salad. They brought out hubbys burrito and walked away. Waitress comes back a few minutes later to ask if there was anything else she could get us. I laughed and said maybe my salad. She said she’d go check...came back a few minutes later and said “how it works here is we bring food out as soon as it’s cooked so things come out at different times”. Ok. I ordered Salad lol. Eventually salad was brought out about 15 -20 minutes after my hubbies. ANYWAY....the food we ordered was very good. I’ve never licked a salad bowl before but I was tempted. Hubby loved his burrito. Then we asked for desert menu. Looked it over a few minutes and decided on the cheesecake. When the waitress returned for our order and we asked for the cheesecake she said “oh sorry we don’t have the cheesecake, we only have the churros or the fried ice cream (out of all the things on desert menu). It would have been nice if she would have said that when she dropped the menu off...it would’ve been much easier to decide lol. We had the churros and they were all right. Don’t know if we would go back...food was amazing but there are so many more places to check out.

This restaurant is not to be missed. The Guac & chips were the freshest we have ever eaten. We had 2 orders of the Asada tacos. There are 3 little tacos. Amazing! Had Mango and a Watermelon Margaritas. Wowwww! Daniel gave us excellent service. Only down side was music was playing too loudly.

Very fun, modern Mexican restaurant. Not traditional by any means. More like a fun place to visit for some good food. Tacos were good but what stood out was their butter cake and their own tequila, Dame Mas Reserva!! Beautiful and very tasty. Unlike any tequila I've had. This is so good, you just sip it. Bought a bottle for $250 bucks!!

The food was ok - a tasty enough meal, but the server was just amazing. Asi (I think her name was) was genuinely invested in her customers, made the dinner a true experience, and should be commended by her mangers for how incredible she is. I would recommend this restaurant for her service alone!

Had new york steak and salad, both quiet good. What was outstanding however was the margarita and service

We sat on the patio and the service was ok. The prices are high and chips and salsa is extra and not that good. The steak tacos were good but just didn't hit the spot on our love of Mexican food. A great place for the younger crowd to hang out, not what I would call family friendly.

I’m in San Diego on business and decided to try this place. I’m glad I did, had the VIP tacos and a couple of cold IPA’s and a real good time. I was alone so I sat at the bar, the bartenders were helpful and friendly. I will return next time I’m in town!

King and Queen Cantina restaurant in San Diego has thr best mango margarita (not made from any syrup) and the best fish tacos! I would suggest to go early as in before you get hungry or reserve a table. Standing at the bar holding heavy margarita glass may kill the fun! This place is crowded so be ready for loud noise unless you go on weekday for lunch. The service is great! They have downstairs and upstairs sit down area and bar. Highly recommended!!

Visited this cantina last night, very busy - would recommend reservations (particularly on a Saturday) buzzing, fun atmosphere. Our server was attentive and helpful - there wasn’t a simple ‘fish tacos’ on the menu, but it was made up and delicious. The salsa that came with the nachos was ‘the best I’ve ever had’ from my daughter and the innocent sounding ‘veggie rice’ came sizzling and was amazingly tasty. Would highly recommend a visit - the upstairs is ‘inside- outside’....try and get a table by the window. Can’t wait to return.

Awesome vibes, fun and entertaining while we was there. There was a good amount of people there and we were able to get a table right away. Music was on point and we had a good time. Downtown San Diego has lots to do and it was lively.

We had a great experience at The KIng & Queen Cantina. Drinks are good, food is very good and it is not overpriced. We liked the ambiance, decoration and we will come back!

Recently had a lunch here for 14 family members. The food was outstanding and the servers were 1st rate. The only criticism that I have and it is a big one were the hostesses. They were not helpful, were very rude and downright unpleasant and nasty. We had reservations and when asking when our table would be ready were met with snide, nasty and petty comments that were borderline insulting. We were ready to leave but stuck it out and our waiter made up for the hostesses' rudeness. Management should clearly understand that these hostesses are their 1st impression and it is not one that was a good one. Everything else was great.

They could not get our straight. Kept bringing the wrong order to out table. They said they would take care of us at the end but never did

Food was ok. Served nicely but quite surly or lazy or simply insincere service standards. Will not Go back.

Lots of food and drink choices. Had surf and turf burrito - was excellent. Very good service - prompt, friendly.

I was in SD for a businiess trip so I went in there after work for a specific drink, the smoked Old Fashioned. I saw a video of it on instagram. It's supposed to be a cool little show. The bartender rolled his eyes when I ordered it. He was bothered that I ordered something that actually required work. If you don't want to put on a show by preparing a drink that requires you to do a show then don't work there. Plain and simple. The greeter and the bar manager were the same with their approach. Here I am walking in thinking i'm about to enjoy this cool drink with a cool show. They were not welcoming at all. I like the idea that they displayed on their social media but sadly, the actual service didn't match the social media posts. No tip for these guys.

I did a phone-in order to do a pick up from my hotel....but the order was wrong :( ...I had wanted the Mayan Salmon (it looked so amazing) but somehow i got the Chicken with veggies - instead of correcting it - i just took it and left...I came back the following sunday for breakfast and had the Veggie Omelette...it was FANTASTIC. Great food (even if my order was wrong the first time).... Next time, i'll have to try their salmon... :) Very busy place! and took temps/info...also, there is a 90minute eating window currently.

This place has a great atmosphere and if you’re just having drinks and tacos, you won’t be disappointed. As for the rest of the group and the menu, we were not impressed at all. They like to take their ‘spin’ on classic Mexican dishes and make them unidentifiable (check out my photo of my quesadilla). The tuna tartare was also a fail.

We went during the Happy Hour on Saturday afternoon and enjoyed a variety of finger food. We had to wait about 20 minutes after checking in at the door. Service was good and I enjoyed a Mexican Lager while my partner had a Margarita. The Margarita was a bit unique in that the lip of the glass was dipped into a spice that looked and tasted like Tajin. We had about 5 different small plate items, the Ancho Fries our favorite. The ceviche was tasty with real Peruvian hints, although it was a vegetarian variety that I had not had before. The Pressed Cheeseburger was just OK, not anything special. All in all, a nice spot to enjoy some libations and antojitos on a beautiful afternoon.

We kind of stumbled upon King and Queen during a recent trip to San Diego, and it was so good we came back for seconds! The ambiance is great, the service was wonderful, but the food is what sets them apart. I'd give recommendations, but everything was so good I can't settle on one thing. If I could give this place 6 stars, I would.

On a Saturday, a solo man in search of a cool house strong NOT too sweet Margherita, and some hot tasty Salsa and cheap Chips ($6?! Really). Maybe a succulent smaller appetizer? I had the Costa Azul fried wrapped bacon shrimp with two sauces (were good). 14 bucks. This place is very LOUD (whaaat?! I can't hear you! Talk louder people!!). Don't come here if you want solace. A plethora of many Margherita versions. They are good at about 11 to 14 buck a pop.

I came here with a group of 12 friends, and we all had a fantastic time. The service was wonderful and attentive, the food was delicious (highly recommend the grilled chicken!) and the margaritas were large and delicious! They also split bills very easily which was much appreciated!! Would go back next time we are in San Diego

It was for just a drink and impressed with their cocktail selection. Well crated Gimlet in a very vibrant environment. Second floor bar had nice views and cool decor.

We waited an hour for food. My dish came out 20 mins before my partners and the salmon I had was so bland it tasted bad. When I told the server he didn't seem to understand. The beer we ordered never came and the music was so loud we could barely hear each other. We definitely won't be back.

Flew into San Diego and needed to find a place to eat. Looking online at restaurant names we just picked this one thinking that we could get some Mexican food. Boy were we surprised. It was not just “some Mexican food.” This was an Asian/Mexican fusion menu and wow was it wonderful. We had a House Taco Sampler plate. The highlight of the four different delicious tacos was the short rib mole taco with chocolate tortillas….that’s right, CHOCOLATE tortillas. I also fell in love with the crispy avocado taco. The margaritas were great too. Lastly our waitress, Perla, was a gem with a bright personality and good knowledge of the menu and the bar. It was an all around great visit and meal!

Three of us picked this place for dinner. We made reservations and were seated promptly. It took a while for our server to greet us,but once he did he was very knowledgeable about the menu. He made several recommendation which we followed. The food was good, not great. The biggest issue was the kitchen. We ordered an appetizer, pork belly bites, and they were tasty. Sadly, by the time they got to the table, they were only warm. Things got worse. Each meal of the three entree arrived separately and 10-15 minutes apart. Furthermore, the server stopped at another table, with my food in his hand for about 3 minutes. Moderately warm again. Won’t recommend this place.

Stopped by for lunch. The food and service was really good. Parking in that area was tuff so expect to walk a little not unless our lucky and park close. They also have great drinks that my wife and family enjoyed. The tacos, nachos, surf and turf burrito are all excellent! Would recommend. Enjoy!!

Not local. Found this place by accident. Was amazing from the start. Great service by Taylor she was great and the food was great happy hour margaritas were fantastic. Don’t miss it.

We really enjoyed this place. We didn’t have reservations, but got seated immediately. It was busy, New Years Eve. Possibly having reservations is a good idea, not that many tables there. You have to enjoy loud music and dim lighting, fine for us! The waiter was great, he knew how to upsell his products without being rude or tacky. I was impressed with service. We had a round of sample margarita flavors, all pretty good! We ordered Enchiladas and surf & turf tacos. All really good, flavorful, spicy, what we were hoping for! I appreciated not being rushed along with many guests awaiting to be seated. The bar crowd, nightlife here is not my typical scene, but we sure enjoyed everything. Seated pretty tightly, but a nice space, conveniently located.

Try this place for the first time four days ago. Great service as the bar tender was very helpful in explain some of the drinks he was making we had never seen before. The food was delicious. It was better than I had expected and it was prepared quickly. The music and environment was very relaxing for a Saturday afternoon. We sat upstairs at the bar. Great crowd. Will be going back here again.

What a great and unique place! Delicious authentic Mexican food. Lots of meal ideas to choose from! Great and fast service! Highly recommended!

Great customer service by Itzel! She is fantastic, very personable, friendly and warm welcoming. Very impressed by her and the rest of the team at this chik spot! Thank you Itzel!!

My fiends and I visited from Bakersfield yeah long drive I know, we came to have king and queen as our last dinner before heading back home. We waited 1hr 1/2 to get my drink spilled on me!!! I was so embarrassed, he didn’t even really say sorry he just said “this has never happened to me before” I didn’t have a change of clothes, I was sticky and soaked by the drink, and ALL they offered was to replace the spilled drink “on the house”. I lost my appetite, I just shared a plate, I couldn’t leave bc my friends were hungry and we didn’t wait to just leave. Big disappointment in this establishment. The waiters pass by and take the plates off the table without saying “are you finished with that” or they don’t say excuse me. That’s so rude. Attached is the remake of spilled drink, didn’t enjoy that either.

Would avoid - I reserved a table for a group of 6 for dinner, and when they rang to confirm the staff were insistent about how the table would only be held for 15 minutes so I needed to be there on time. So I made sure I was - only to then wait 45 minutes for the table we had reserved. Told to wait at the bar (where there was no space). Told repeatedly that our table was being cleaned and then eventually seated somewhere else. Worst margaritas I’ve ever had. Super noisy pop music blaring. Food was ok, but really not a nice experience overall- so many better options in San Diego. I would definitely avoid.

Stopped in for a late lunch. There was no wait since I was solo. I went to the bar upstairs. I ordered fish tacos and a drink at the bar. Service, food, and atmosphere were great!

This is a great spot in San Diego!!! The steak tacos are outstanding and delicious. Great atmosphere and excellent service!!!!!

Amazing food and great, unique drinks. Even our kids loved it. Definitely worth a visit. We visited for happy hour and got a selection of appetizers because we were looking for a light snack. Walked away full and happy!

Great variety of Margaritas and the pork belly bites were to die for! Great service, friendly staff. Other food and drinks all looked fantastic. Would come again.

Food is decent, service is good, margaritas were horrible and very pricey! We had two different types and both were awful. Plus my glass was very sticky. Menu is online only and takes a quite a while to go through. Overall this place is too expensive and not much ambiance.

Over-hyped food with many of the dishes tasting more or less the same or lacking the key ingredient. Tuna tartare (the tostada) was drenched in soy and teriyaki (or something similar), trio of ceviche lacked fish/seafood, and VIP and house taco set all tasted nearly the same. This is one of those unfortunate places were style is prioritized over substance. On the positive side, once you get past the so called maitre d who wasn't particularly friendly or helpful, service at the restaurant was generally friendly and very quick, although a little unprofessional at times.

We stayed at a hotel nearby and came across this establishment. The place was packed. We waited a few minutes and were seated outside on the patio. As it started to cool down a bit, the heaters were a good idea. Very friendly service. We started with the nachos and guacamole and a very good salsa. We had the ceviche combo (fish and shrimp), the stuffed oysters (excellent) and the shrimp diablo (lots of shrimp in a creamy tomato sauce). This dish could have been a bit warmer though. My wife was served the ceviche first and I had to wait five minutes before getting my food. This could have been planned better. A glass of sangria and a dark beer helped the food go down. Overall very good experience. Recommended.

I enjoyed a sidewalk table for dinner and had the nachos… they were delicious! The service was quick and attentive. This seems to be a rockin’ cantina with plenty of loud music, big drinks and twenty-somethings. Make sure that is your vibe before making a reservation here (I just walked in without one and was seated immediately).

There are so many warning signs: menu layout so overdone it is difficult to read, 90 min table limit, dishes with too many ingredients that don't work together, waiter trying to oversell. Actual food: guacamole test fails (tasteless quantity over quality, few chips provided), margaritas (expensive, cloyingly sweet), seafood tower (large quantity, little flavor, swimming in a brown sauce that maybe belonged on a beef steak). This place is for gimmicks, not quality dining.

Stopped in this two-story Cantina for a quick Icy cold adult beverage before boarding the train. Lots going on with birthday parties, and traditional music, everybody seemed to be having a fun time. We asked the hostess for upstairs seating as we thought that it might be cooler, she found us seats at the bar, where the bartender kept us amused and our drinks topped up. The Margaritas were large and full of alcohol, unfortunately my Pina colada was very strange and coconut milk-less so i changed to the Margaritas and soon caught up. TIP: Monday is all day happy hour.

We went there thinking it would be a special Mexican food experience being so close to the border in San Diego. To get directly to the point, with three margaritas and two ginger ales, our bill came to $196 before tip with food being two plates of 3 beef tacos and three plates of single but large chicken burritos Excellent guacamole and margaritas, but the rest was down hill--no rice or beans on any plate. They brought an unimaginably small number o f chips and when we asked for a refill, it was another $6 for a small portion of chips again. The first guacamole and chips were $16. Not one dish was as good as the typical "mom and pop" Mexican restaurant where you might pay $70-90 maximum, and to most, it would taste much better. The service was adequate, but hardly what you would expect from a restaurant such as this. My advice: Hesitate and don't go!

Our last night in San Diego and we wanted a happy hour and Mexican food. Couldn't have found a better spot. I had a pomegranate marg and my wife had a cucumber marg to start off with. Both were fixed perfectly. We started out with chips and salsa and the Tinga Taquitos. The salsa was very good, but the Taquitos were the bomb. My wife got the surf and turf burrito which was very good. Not filled with rice or other fillers like most other places do. I got the house taco selection. 4 different tacos - surf & turf, Korean pork belly, chingon (octopus and tripe), and short rib mole. Oh my.... all 4 were fantastic. Our server (or how my wife referred to him....Mr New Jersey or Mr Blue Eyes) was very nice and attentive.

My husband and I were walking back and forth from our hotel through Little Italy to go to different restaurants and we saw this restaurant very busy one night so thought we would give it a try for dinner! We are both so glad we did!! We went on a Wednesday night and got a table right away. We sat downstairs partly inside/partly outside. Our waiter was awesome! He gave us plenty of pointers about the menu and provided us with great service and a relaxing evening! We started off with the chips and fresh salsa which were delicious! For our meals, I had the chicken dinner which was two huge grilled pieces of chicken with rice, roasted veggies, salsa, guacamole and a few other toppings. It was so delicious that I ate it all! My husband did the 4 taco sampler and so glad he did! The tacos were all so unique yet so delicious! His favorite was the surf & turf taco! Our waiter was so awesome he brought us some churros for dessert which were also delicious! So glad we stumbled upon this restaurant and would definitely return if we were back in San Diego!

We went here on our road trip around California. Exelent service on saturday evening, most busiest time of the evening, and still the service was excellent and amazingly fast. Special thanks to our waitress Viridiana for great recommendations. Also big shoutout to surf'n'turf burrito The best mexican kitchen in our trip so far. Also recommended: enchilladas and pork belly. Price was also reasonable for the quality.

Hands down the best taco/mexian food i have evner tasted. Had the surf and turf burrito, my wife the taco mix. Both where excellent. We had the smoked margarita drink which was very good you could actually taste the smoke that was filled into the glass before adding the actual drink. They make it by your table so it’s a bit theatrical as well.

We live in the area and finally wandered down for a Sunday brunch. So happy we did! Great service and helpful with our kiddos. The menu has so many choices and varied options. My plate was delicious and we will be back!