Red O Mexican Restaurant Reviews

Yummy Mexican food great service fabulous atmosphere Thursday nights there is music in the bar and very well attended

I had dinner at Red O La Jolla, my first visit there and plan to be back! The salsa is pretty dynamite, fresh tomatoes and just the right amount of onions, generous portion with chips, a great start already. I could drink this stuff! This paired nicely while I enjoyed their Signature margarita. Yowza, that was fantastic! Okay, I don't usually get margaritas much, but their Signature Margarita will be my "go to" drink when I go to this restaurant. We tried the carnitas empanadas, it was a good starter, wish it had just a little more carnitas. I ordered the chile relleno filled with prawns and lobster. I would order this again, very enjoyable. We also had the fried plantains with our entrees, that was a winner. We took the leftovers home and it was even better the next day. Nicely decorated restaurant, service was spot on, using the valet may be overkill, definitely will return, now I am curious about their steaks. Still dreaming about the Signature Red O Margarita...

Red O has fabulous food, and a great environment. Food here tastes good, but portions are small and very expensive. If you want good tasting food, this may be your place, but you will pay a lot. If money is an issue, you might want to pass on the Red O.

We attended a group presentation at the Red O. We were treated as regular guests by the staff, with more than adequate personnel to provide individual attention to all 25+ attendees. And, yes, the restaurant was open during our visit. All food was a fancy presentation of traditional Mexican food. The selections were upscale versions, with full favors and spicing. The portions were generous, but not overwhelming.

Finally found a Mexican restaurant with quality enchiladas, rather than the typical tourist food. Very nice atmosphere, excellent bar, service was excellent. Valet parking $5.00. Recommend

This is not your typical Mexican restaurant - it is more of a classy seafood restaurant. The decor is lovely and the food is delicious.

Great change from regular Mexican. Have been to his restaurants in Chicago and this didn't disappoint. Service was very good, fajitas were excellent. A little noisy but not that bad.

Tucked in behind one of the large professional centers of UTC-Red O has revamped an old previously occupied Restaurant space into an elegant destination. The setting could not be much prettier than this and it reminds me a bit of something you'd experience at the Wynn Resort (when money is no object and you want to do it in a big big way). We purposely went early to avoid the crowd and also take advantage of Happy Hour. It seemed the best way to sample quite a bit of what's on the Menu without too much cheek. Valet service is super slick and convenient. The guys get your name and phone number so they can text your "ticket", and when you're done dining you text back and your car is waiting curbside. Nice! Everyone at the front was nice, welcoming, friendly. Table service did initially start out a bit slow. We surmised they might be light on waitstaff for as full as the Bar was. Our Server showed after a little delay, apologizing and got things rolling along nicely. Since our main goal was to check out the food, we ordered a basic House HH Margarita ($7) which was good and not short on alcohol and better than most. Next up Chips and Salsa which also was very good (complimentary) followed by Classic Guacamole ($5) which looked pretty basic, but very tasty. Crispy Duck Taquitos ($7) were great and an elevated crispy duck filled version of So Cals favorite drive through rolled taco only surrounded by some really really tasty sauce that we all scooped up with some remaining chips. Tuna Tartar ($10) fresh, pretty and tasty with a twirl of pickled onions on top. Queso dip ($6) also did not disappoint and disappeared as quickly as we could load it up in the nice fresh corn torts. Street Tacos ($3) all good-preferred the taste profile of the soft Carnitas tacos over the crisp Barbacoa, but both were flavorful it's just the Rib was less interesting and more like a fast food taco. Sorry!! Tamales-loved loved them and the sauce, loved the slightly sweet compliment to the bleeet bleeet goat cheese. I've had some epic Mexican Food in my many Desert Rat, So Cal and Baja years and I think Red O is a super nice Restaurant, the Staff was kind, friendly and helpful. Happy Hour was very happy and my belly is very happy. I look forward to coming back and checking out Brunch (unlimited drinks-!!!whaaaaat!!!) and maybe some Lobster. Four Stars is a nice rating. Yes, I like this place. I love the garden view off the Patio and the live music is a classy touch. The only improvements (more stars more stars) would be ditch the damn TVs people (argh), figure out a way to soften up the Bar noise level (too many expansive hard surfaces), put some purse hooks on the High-Tops and find something a little more haunting and a little more addictive than the Barbacoa.

The decor was very nice but noisy. The hostess just stared at me with a blank expression when I came in and then proceeded to chat with a coworker. No greeting, no nothing. So I seated myself at the bar since most of the chairs were empty. I waited several minutes for anyone to acknowledge me. I go to a restaurant for food above all else. This place just doesn’t get authentic Mexican food nor fresh ingredients. The guacamole tasted like it was prepared days before (absolutely not fresh, very processed and likely from a wholesale food distributor) and it was bland. The beans were certainly not freshly made- very dense like a thick paste and salty. The rice was oily and salty. It looked like it was saturated in achiote paste. The salsas were certainly not fresh and tasted like it. The corn tortillas may have been house made but probably from a prepared mix. All this for top dollar? No thanks. I really wanted to like this place. I should have paid more attention to the reviews and cooked a better meal for myself at home.

Had a reservation for Friday night for a friends birthday party. Although we were able to sit down immediately, it took about 5-10mins before anyone greeted us. Our drink orders were either wrong or completely forgotten about and never brought to the table (this happened multiple times). Our waitress brought out our appetizers but never came back to take our entrée orders. During our meal, no one came to check on us, not even to fill our water glasses. We asked multiple staff for more water and it took 30 mins for someone to finally bring us some water. They did bring out a slice of cake for my friends birthday but it only had a tiny candle on it, when every other table celebrating had a giant sparkler on their cake. It also took 20 mins for someone to bring my friend a fork to eat his cake with! It took another 45 mins to finally get our checks and of course there were items we didn't even order on the check. When the manager finally came to the table, she was extremely rude and dismissive of us.

Red O serves up a phenomenal brunch, but they had some service issues with the staffing. I am overlooking it in my praise, but it is worth mentioning. The server tried hard, and maintained a pleasant disposition, but Red O is not exactly a cheap restaurant. Therefore, it needs to do the service part better. That being said, the chips & salsa through appetizers, cocktails and entrees was nothing short of the gold standard. I will dine again without question.

This place is more of American-Mexican cuisine. The interior looks very modern and classy. Also when I went was during lunch time on a weekday. It was busy with people, mostly corporate crowd. Food was superb and good modern twist to the usual Mexican food. But if you are looking for the authentic Mexican cuisine, then this is a bit upscale for you. One does not go here just to sample a California burrito or Carne Asada tacos.

Ate here last year, thought I’d try Red-o again. Stupid me. What a mistake! It was even worse than I remember. The gaggle hostesses were nasty, arrogant and rude - totally useless. The food was horrible and overpriced. Interesting menu that was very poorly prepared - totally too enthusiastic for the skill set in the kitchen. The service was tired, lethargic and unenthusiastic - probably beat up from food being returned and dealing with complaints. Everything took forever. The lobster enchilada was so fishy it was inedible. Margarita was good, but $$$$$. Space is gorgeous, what a waste of beautiful decor!

No complaints about the complimentary salad and chips, or the free guacamole we got for checking in on Yelp. The empanadas (3) were a tasty starter. Two of us had skirt steak cooked with two different preparations. Mine was in a mole sauce, black beans, and plantains. As I have not enjoyed all mole preparations in the past, the server brought a sample to try. I loved the sauce paired with the perfectly cooked steak. My husband ordered the carnitas enchiladas with which he was sadly disappointed. He said they were dry and uninspired. The three of us shared the passionfruit butter cake which was a delicious end for our meal, We are looking forward to trying the happy hour in the future. Just a last note - the restaurant is quite noisy and it was a bit tough to carry on a conversation. Service was almost too good, we felt a bit rushed to order and were served our dessert before we finished our wine and beer. Had to eat it before the ice cream melted, we would have preferred to wait.

First time here, liked my food quite a bit however paying over $30. for enchiladas is a bit much. It was good food but not worth the price. Lunch was almost $50 with ice tea and the tip!

Food was very good and the service was fantastic. We were there for a business dinner and had a nice table outside. Our waitress (Emily F) was great with suggestions and the service was fast. She took great care of us! They also had live music which was good albeit a little loud making conversations a bit hard.

This is a great new restaurant in the UTC area where there really aren't any good Mexican eateries. The menu is extensive and I liked the variety. I went with a friend who had eaten there before and she's vegetarian, so there are many options for the vegetarian clan as well as pescatarians and carnivores. I think vegans could probably patch together a delicious lunch as well. The space is large and decor is hip.... it looks good as an after-work gathering spot with a generous indoor/outdoor bar area in addition to the large area for dining. I saw one side area where a private group seemed to be having a business lunch so it looks like it's perfect for businesses to gather for meetings as well. We enjoyed an appetizer of tamales that were delicious (and vegetarian). Two tamales to share were plenty! We both ordered street tacos. The order allows you to select between flavors if desired. I ordered one carnitas and one fish.... both were delicious and it was a generous lunch portion since it included rice and beans. My friend ordered two corn street tacos and she said they were also delicious. Servings are generous and our server was great. Attentive but not overbearing. Funny but not ditzy. I'll definitely be back and I'll definitely bring my family.... there's such a great variety of items on the menu, I want to try more!! They offer valet parking which is essential in the area. There are many office buildings in the area so it's probably rather busy in the early-mid lunch hours. We meet at 1pm and had no problem getting a table. There is a small pond outside and it's a very peaceful setting when you walk up to the restaurant. Enjoy!

While traveling on business my colleague invited me to Red O for happy hour. Very nice restaurant & bar with exceptional service, with a special shout out to Michele in the bar, for great food and drink recommendations. Speaking of her recommendations; You simply MUST get the duck taquitos! They are out-of-sight (is that still a phrase?). The house reds are a safe bet as well. The red blend was my fav for a house pour. The bar and restaurant are nice, open, and airy and very comfortable. And the crowd is an attractive one. It’s also a very popular spot. So, there will likely be a wait but it’s well worth it. My 2 cents. GregT.

Great food and most of all great service. Joey made our evening - authentic and friendly. He’s a credit to the restaurant

We went for dinner and had two different inch lotta dishes, I had the short ribs which were absolutely delicious. We had an appetizer order of guacamole which was excellent. The overall dinner experience was very good the service was outstanding.

Red O hit it out of the park! The decor was amazing, the food was to die for, our server was on it. I love that they don't make your wait for your entire party to sit at your table. We chose to have a drink at the bar which was Delish. Met some pretty cool people as well. Get the sea food tower. Omg yum. Enjoy

Red O has some of the best food in San Diego/La Jolla area. It recently opened. The space is very well done and all of the staff are extremely courteous. We stopped in for lunch and were not disappointed. We enjoyed the shrimp ceviche, ceasar salad, shrimp enchiladas and skinny margheritas. The food and drinks were excellent. If you are in the area this is a must stop.

I have been a fan of Rick Bayless for a long time, but this was the first chance I had to dine at one of his establishments. My family and I went for a birthday celebration and were not disappointed. The service was excellent and we all really enjoyed ourselves. Although Mr. Bayless is known for his Mole, we all ended up ordering steak. Each of us were truly happy with our meals. The sides of mashed yukon gold potatoes and goat cheese tamales were divine. As a treat, we were served a large portion of churros to share. Excellent experience.

Too bad I got in too late, too tired and on a diet. Beautiful front porch and yard. A kind of elegant ambience that somehow fades the Mexican ambience, but honestly food looks great. I had a salad, great size and price, my friend had tortilla soup and wasn’t too happy, but we saw other dishes, saw people’s reaction and really looked good

The lamb mole literally had no flavor. How can that be possible with a mole?? What a rip off. And the other dishes were so overly rich that it was hard to distinguish any flavors. Not what you expect from a chef inspired Mexican restaurant. The quacamolle was so watered down!! The tortilla chips were stale and the red sauce had no fire. No need to go on,.......

Easy to make a reservation. Was welcomed with a glass of champagne at the door. Girlfriend got a huge fried fish and she loved it! Her cocktail also came in a large coconut. Presentation was worth the money and ambiance.

Red O La Jolla is an upscale eatery that specializes in Mexican food. I had a lobster/shrimp stuffed pablano pepper that was excellent. The service was outstanding, attentive without being invasive. We told the waitress that we were celebrating our wedding anniversary and she surprised us with a glass of champagne and a wonderful dessert. The GM Mike also stopped by to welcome us. There is a wide assortment of entrees, sides, and appetizers. The wine list is not extensive, but has some very good wines. A definite yes. We'll be back and soon.

Sat on patio for drinks and apps spent 3 hours w friends. Waitress was super friendly and food was great. Would definitely go back. Restaurant looked dark but didn't sit in there.

I had read great reviews about this restaurant, and it met and exceeded my expectations! Beautiful restaurant, although the bar is quite noisy, if that bothers you. The dining room is quieter. I ordered the skirt steak which comes with your choice of sauce, so I had the creamy chipotle and yukon gold mashed potatoes. The steak was done perfectly, tender and moist, and the sauce was unbelievable! My husband had the sea bass with a guajillo chile and chimichurri topping that was to die for! It held all the moistness in, with a slightly crunchy outer coating. He had it with faro, and he said it was the best sea bass he's ever had! We both shared the Red O Caesar salad, which is PLENTY for two! It has the most amazing smoky pepitas in it, delicious! The cocktail menu is interesting - I ordered the Tropical Mist and it was YUM! After eating the chips and salsa (which are also amazing) and our dinner, we were too full for dessert. Too bad, the dessert menu looks awesome, too! Friendly staff - our waiter Matt was excellent.

Conveniently accessible from the Westfield Mall via a footbridge. This offers 2 hours free parking. Located next to a lake with sun loungers. Spacious very high ceilings - stylishly and tastefully decorated. Good choice menu. I went for the especial - a mixture of tortillas. 104$ for lunch - excluding tips - is fine for the quality and overally experience.

I have been wanting to try this place since it opened. It is nicely decorated (minus the flooring) yet a bit difficult to get to with valet being the forced parking option. I had a reservation so I was seated right away. The waiter was friendly however I was looking for drink recommendations but he was unable to provide suggestions. The first drink was smoky and pungent which was not what I was looking for. He disappeared after the drink order then came back smelling of cigarettes. The chips and salsa were fresh but that is about all I can say about their food. I ordered the empanada appetizer which came out fast but had undercooked meat inside. I decided to cut my loses and leave, all in all was $40 for a less than desirable experience.

I've come here several times for dinner/happy hour, which should have its own great reviews, but I recently came for brunch and it was excellent! The decor is beautiful, with relaxing tones and contemporary chandeliers. Service was very good; friendly, attentive. They offer the regular menu, but have a number of options on the brunch menu that are a step up from other places around town offering like items. We had the tasty duck taquitios, flavorful chilaquiles, and the lobster benedict. We also shared a margarita pitcher, which was a nice alternative to the traditional brunch mimosa option. Whether you're entertaining family or friends, or just feel like elevating your brunch experience, this place is a guaranteed winner. If you haven't been here yet, you are missing out!

Fantastic restaurant , beautiful high ceilings and very well decorated , the tamales were delicious also the ahi tuna , ceviche and empanadas appetizer . Drinks were good and the ambience was great , they had live music .

Visited this place during a business meeting for dinner and was surprised at the level of presentation for the dining experience. Everything that we ordered was exceptional and I do recommend ordering the Ox Tails.

Great decor & space....that you are certainly paying for in tge overpruced menu. The dishes all had quality meat , decent flavors (rice was dry) , but small portions with high prices. If you are in the area it is a nice stop but the only thing memorable was the airy landscaping and nice indoor spacious interiors

We visited Red O for Happy Hour on a Thursday. There was an excellent guitarist playing. The bartenders were a lot of fun, and very attentive. The place is glitzy-cheerful, with lots of young people. We had Moscow Mules, with very good ginger ale. We ordered queso fundido, thinking we would then order tacos. But after the queso fundido, with six excellent tortillas, we were full. We will be back.

We've been looking forward to try Red O since I used to watch Rick Baylee's on PBS. The space is pretty but you could hear the bar noise and band before even getting to the entrance so I was a little concerned we wouldn't be able to talk over dinner. The dining room is a little quieter but still louder than I would prefer. We made dinner reservations for my father's 73 birthday. We passed the bar that was packed for happy hour. They had a live musician and it looked like everyone was having a good time. Important to note that happy hour prices on food and drinks are only good in the bar. We ordered four entrees and everything was great. We are definetly sauce people and they were all amazing. We had the enchiladas suiza, adobo chicken, fish and filet. Everything down to the street corn and black beans were good. We also had the guacamole with the complimentary chips a salsa which was also good. Overall we loved it and my Dad and his girlfriend already want to go back. I would definitely go back for the appetizers and shared sides as there were many I would love to try. I also had a tequila drink which was strong and not watered down. Service was a little slow but the place was packed. We appreciated that there were a group of waiters taking care of us so you always felt taken care of. Everyone even the valets were very pleasant and accommodating. Prices are a bit high but a lot of the dining room clientele had more Botox and plastic surgery than one human needs so I doubt they cared. Bar crowd was younger working socialights. Overall I would go again, though I would go at lunch or wait a bit for the 'cool' crowd to get bored with the place. We needed a more upscale Mexican place and it's nice to get another chef's restaurant in town other than those owned by Richard Blais.

I really have no words to explain how absolutely GORGEOUS Red O in La Jolla really is. My friends and I went for happy hour for my friends birthday and I was BLOWN AWAY by how stunning this place is. This looks NOTHING like the old fashioned Donovan's that used to be there! We got a bunch of small plates and loved everything we got. Starting with drinks (great local beers on tap) and delicious chips and salsa, we ordered a number of appetizers. Our favorite thing we ordered was the Queso Fundido but we also liked the Duck Taquitos, Tamales, Ceviche and Empanadas. Dessert was really, really good...the churros and Tres Leches were delicious (Tres Leches cake was on the house for my friend's birthday - so nice). Inside and out this restaurant is SERIOUSLY IMPRESSIVE. If you want to impress anyone - a client, a date, a spouse, a friend..bring them here. I took a bunch of pictures that I am adding to this post because the pictures do Red O more justice than words. I can't wait to go back. Rick Bayless rocks.

For a Thursday family dinner (party of 6) we decided to try Red O La Jolla. Not a good choice. We were looking to pick 3 appetizers and the waiter highly recommended the Yellowtail Aguachille. As we all like fish/ sushi/ sashimi we gave it a go. Strike 1: a total overtaste of lime juice, very little fish floating in the plate. Strike 2: I got the filet mignon ... for sure not a filet mignon cut, more like a half inch thick steak. My wife ordered the Shrimp Diablo and it was so spicy she had to send it back to the kitchen (she likes spicy food, but this was over the top, I tried it) and that was strike 3. The service was very slow, the waiter was quite unhappy that he had to buss the table himself, about 20 minutes after we finished eating; also that the water carafe was empty when we asked for more water; and made a big deal of the fact that he didn't add to the bill the dish we sent back. Bottom line: we put up with crappy service in "high end" places before just because the food was good. This was not. Save yourself the aggravation and some money and look for a different place to dine.

Even though I booked a reservation and asked to be seated in one of their beautiful circular booths to celebrate a birthday the "hostess" seated us in the dark cold bar that was completely empty. She would not allow us to sit in the beautiful main room. It was obvious she had not read my reservation requests. We were moved to the patio to another booth. Better and warmer. Service was okay and most of the food was good. Beans and rice were almost inedible. No salt; no flavor. The experience was disappointing for an upscale restaurant. I do not recommend Red O for special events.

Fabulous happy hour before a concert tonight. David was a fabulous server. We will definitely be back. Delicious drinks and Queso fundido

I am always looking for good Mexican food and to find some with a twist is a highlight. The Braised Short Rib Enchiladas were both unique and very flavorful. The red guajillo sauce complimented the richness of the enchilada filling. The side servings of rice and refried beans were served on a separate mini-skillet which kept them hot the entire meal which was a treat as those items usually cool off faster than the entree. I started an order of Traditional Guacamole. The serving size was quite large and I was able to use it with both chips and the enchiladas.

As soon as you enter this restaurant with it’s super chic decor and ambiance you know you are in for a super fun time. Usually when a place has a great decor, happening music and yum drink in lacks in quality food but here at Red O you get all in one package including a tasty Spanish food and superb food presentation. As a group we had an amazing fun time.

We had been looking forward to eating at Red O since they opened. There are no other high-end Mexican restaurants in the La Jolla area and this restaurant is filling a hole in the market. So, when a birthday cropped up we decided to go there to celebrate. Unfortunately, the food, ambience, and service were disappointing. I don't expect that we will go back. It was a Thursday night and the place was hopping. You enter the restaurant through the bar area and the bar was packed and oppressively loud. There were three staff at the host station but they were focused more on their iPads than on the guests coming in. We were seated in the restaurant, next to the bar but the restaurant wasn't much quieter than the bar. The acoustics in the restaurant are such that noises from all tables are amplified. We had to lean in to the middle of the small table in order to hear the person on the other side. The waiter was friendly but service was very slow. If the food had been great then I might not have minded about the other things but the food was just OK. My son and boyfriend had the combination plates with a trio of Mexican items and they both said their food was very tasty. I had one of their traditional Mexican items - a plate of shrimp and lobster enchiladas - which were so-so The seafood was chopped into small pieces so I couldn't tell the difference between the shrimp and lobster. There was too much cheese on the top of the enchiladas so the seafood flavor was completely masked. The shrimp enchiladas from my local, hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant are much better and $20 cheaper. On a positive note, I had indicated in the reservation that it was my son's birthday and they brought some a plate with churros, sauce and a candle to wish him happy birthday.

tried the sea food mix (scallop, shrimp, mussels, clam, bacon) in a white broth preparation that was more Italian than Mexican, but it tasted good although was a little too salty for my taste. The house margarita was fantastic

I fines here twice in a recent trip to San Diego. The Tuna Tartare was so great that I had to have it again. I loved the crushed tortilla chips on the bottom layer. Friendly service on the patio. Good salsa and guacamole too.

We went at Happy Hour and had margaritas and a smattering of appetizers and the ate dinner from the full service menu, while sitting at the bar - highly recommend this approach to get same quality food at lower prices. Would go back as often as I could - Chile rejanos unbelievable!

This is not your typical Mexican restaraunt. Yes, they have a few traditional dishes and chips, Salsa and guacomole. But most of the food is gourmet Mexican. My favorite two dishes were the Lamb with Mole and the seafood pabloanao Chili. The lamb was incredible - picture a rack of lamb style dish - very high end lamb with a wonderful mole sauce. The seafood Pablano was a mix of lobster, scallops and shrimp ina pablano pepper - outrageously good. The vibe is more like a vegas style restaraunt that a typical San Diego restaraunt. The bar has live music and food service which is a nice touch. I’ve been back twice already - love it.

We were there for drinks and a quick dinner. There is Valet service, which is really helpful when you're wearing heels. We all shared and loved the food. Servers were all excellent!

The Red O is an elegant, open space restaurant with gourmet appetizers and (though small the selection) happy hour drinks, moderately priced. Easy access, plenty of parking and an opulant, high ceiling, artistic environment both inviting and friendly.

We stopped for lunch on a Saturday at the new-ish Red O in UTC with some anticipation. It was a hot day and we really just wanted cold drinks and good food. To be concise, the service was really poor. No one brought us water for a long time. Our server was forced-friendly and conveyed that she was doing us a favor when she managed to check in. For our meal, our food came out a good 10 minutes before our drinks. The food was good, but not exceptional. And it was certainly NOT a value. Small portions at A-level prices. The cocktails were $16 for a marginal well-drink level of quality. It took a long time to get the bill. Overall, I can't recommend this restaurant in either value-for-quality, or especially service. Disappointing.

This was my first time in Red O, which redecorated the old Donovans Restaurant. The bar and initial entrance are really nice, open, upscale, and airy. The 4 of us decided to order almost all their happy hour appetizers with their recommended cabernet. Very good wine, very good food, terrific service, and the manager introduced himself and was very pleasant. Really a wonderful evening. Also their was entertainment at around 6:30 or so

We arrived at 4:30 pm on a Wednesday for happy hour and the place was mostly empty. We asked for a table and were told by the host that “ALL tables were reserved and unavailable.” Outdoor seating area was almost all empty except for a few couples. We looked around at mostly empty tables indoors and outdoors and sat at the bar. It was difficult to carry on conversations when our group is spread around a bar and not facing each other. By the time we left an hour later, there were still empty tables around the bar and the outdoor seating still had unoccupied tables. We are ladies who brunch, lunch, meet for happy hour and dine out regularly every week. Telling a group of professional women that ALL tables are not available due to “reservations” is tantamount to telling adults that Santa Claus leaves gifts. Early happy hour is a good opportunity to try new restaurants to check out the menu and the service for future dining events. Table refusal and having to constantly flag down bar tenders to take our food and drink orders was not the experience we were expecting. Needless to say, we won’t be returning.

I recently tried this place or happy hour and loved it. We found a table on the indoor patio and it was very relaxing. Everyone was friendly and enjoying themselves. Valet parking was $5 and the happy hour prices were great. It was nice that happy hour goes until 7 pm. The food was really good as well as the drinks. I recommend the empanadas and duck taquitos. The live music in the bar was awesome. The restaurant was packed but we stayed in the bar. I do want to try it for dinner sometime. I will definitely go back for happy hour. The only problem is that there is a lake outside the restaurant and there is a smell that you get every once in awhile in the bar. As the night goes on you do see some interesting outfits which makes for great people watching. I thought the service was great despite the restaurant being full.

The menu on the website sold me - couldn't wait to try exp because it is a R Bayless restaurant. ITs in a weird place - office park -but nice. The restaurant is very nice inside but seems very institutional. Busboys carrying big bins back and forth, clanking silverware on each table, moving chairs and tables - like something you see in a huge resort in the Poconos 25 years ago. Very formulaic - seems like the serves have a script with no ability to answer questions. Food was nice - unfortunately, I went for the tacos but they don't serve them at dinner. I had a combo plate - nothing really remarkable except the corn taco - not shell but roasted corn inside - very good. Also the single best item was a pomegranate margarita - very delicious. Salads were not special at all. Also - seemed very expensive for 3 people ($200) and all I can really recall was chips and a corn taco. If the servers were a bit more professional and the clanking and moving stopped - it might be more pleasant - not in a rush to try again.

We sat outside and had apps and great drinks. Patio is lovely with tasteful fire pits and enough spacing you don't feel right on top of others. Staff was super friendly! It was a a little pricey but very nice. Looking forward to going there with my husband.

Had occasion when delivering our son to university to have a desire for some good Mexican food. Found this restaurant on Yelp and it’s a winner! We were especially intrigued by the Happy Hour menu. The tacos (carnitas,chicken or beef rib) were unbelievable. Shot tuna tartar was out of this world. Shrimp ceviche was spectacular and served with plantain chips. Highly recommend this place. Sit out on the patio. It’s a relaxing and enjoyable setting.

The ambience is excellent however it is at the end of the day aMexican restaurant albeit a high-end one. It seems that the waiters are not exactly happy if you try to order the basic staples of Mexican food such as tacos and try to steer you to order the other very expensive steaks and seafood or grilled platters even if that’s not what you are in the mood for .The margaritas appear to be very good. The tortilla chips taste very artificial and unfortunately the salsa that they come with the look like they came out of a bottle and I request management to really Look at this as it is a terrible salsa.The appetizers including the duck taquitos were very good but extremely small portions. The steak fajitas were way below par and not grilled to perfection-You can get way better Mexican food in San Diego than this. Again if you’re going for the ambience and you want to feel a little cool and enjoy the atmosphere go for it but you are going to spend 3 to 4 times more than what you would get at a much better Mexican restaurant.The desserts also we’re mediocre we tried the churro’s which were dry and a passion cake which was way too sweet. I do not recommend this restaurant

Took the family here during happy hour and it was great! Sat in the lounge area (nice for the kids to run around a little) and we got some tasty dishes: duck taquitos, tuna tartare, carnitas empanadas, and chips with guacamole! Definitely worth a drop in for happy hour, or a nice dining experience if you have the time and can get a date night out here!

Upscale dining, gorgeous restaurant, great service and the food is delicious. You must try the Mexican street corn, sweet plantains side dishes. And my favorite the traditional Margarita

We celebrated our 50th anniversary at Red O Mexican Restaurant, which recently had opened in the UTC area of San Diego. Parking was available through valet parking or nearby on-street parking. The restaurant was busy with a live band playing in the bar area of the restaurant. We were seated immediately in the dining room and the service was superb. We had come to share the tomahawk steak dinner, and we were very pleased with this selection. The food was well prepared, the service was superb and the decor were appropriate for this type of restaurant. The only negative would be that the live band was really loud and it was hard to hear normal table conversation. The price points were high, but the rewards are worth the expense. We would recommend Red O for your dining pleasure.

This was a recommendation from a colleague and I loved the place. You can tell that they spent some money changing this to Red O from the prior restaurant. I went with the suggestion of the waiter and ordered the halibut, which was awesome BUT I’m bummed I didn’t try a more traditional Mexican dish. San Diego hosts numerous top notch Mexican joints. This one is in the top of the pack. Since I didn’t do a traditional dish, I will go back again...this time I see a margarita in my future!

We were going to watch an early movie at the UTC mall and decided to go to red O as it was across the street and we looked and they had a very interesting happy hour menu.We ordered the guacamole as they said they make them fresh as my wife does not eat cilantro they agreed to make it without any cilantro. We also ordered the duck taqueria ,the tuna stack and the cheese fondu They served it with fresh warm tortillas corn and flour. The portions were large and everything was very tasty Ps the also served warm tortilla chips and salsa

Hot dang Red O finally opened in time for Cinco de Mayo 2017, what’s that about 2½ years late. I stopped in for dinner to indulge it all it’s wonderfulness I remember from my visit to the one on Melrose in LA. I was not disappointed, in fact I was thrilled to have ‘em in the area. Red O is branded as an upscale restaurant with Rick Bayless’ signature Mexican inspired influences. Red O restaurants are owned by entrepreneurs Rick Teasta and Mike Dobson, and the name refers to the Red Onion, the restaurant where the two met. Bayless has overseen Red O’s culinary vision and staff training since their inception. The menu is centered around prime steak and seafood with touches of authentic Mexican flavor for which Bayless is known. He was the 2009 winner of Top Chef Masters, on the Bravo cable TV network and also known for his long-running PBS series, Mexico: One Plate At a Time). I had downloaded the menus so that whether, lunch, happy hour, brunch or dinner I pretty much knew what I wanted to try. This visit after my touristy picture taking of the place and visiting with one of the servers, Roy, I was seated near the center of the dining room. It’s beautiful and open and bright and not like the restaurant on Melrose. I started with an ample bowl of chips and their awesome salsa, so good I could drink it, not a tongue and throat scorcher. Now they have a habernero version if you like. For my margarita I had the Alacran made with Sauza Hornitos Reposado, VeeV Açaí Spirit, orange, limonada, and serrano chile syrup with sliced either Serrano or jalapeno. It was served over ice in a Tajín-rimmed wine goblet. As asked my fun server, William, about a starter and entrée combination I had in mind and whether it would be over filling. He said it would not. So I ordered the beef short rib sopes with roasted tomato chile sauce, queso anejo, and onion. My eyes rolled back and I made grunting sounds, it was delicious. I wanted a traditional entrée but decided I could do that next week and, of course, opt’d for the most expensive item on the “from the sea” portion of the menu, the Chilean sea bass with Yucatán white rice, charred lime in guajillo chimichurri. This was a magnificent dish both in flavor and presentation, simply incredible. Red O was all I remember and have been lusting for since the first mention of us getting one in San Diego County. I will be looking for excuses to dine there again.

Amazing food, great service. Restaurant is beautiful. Very friendly staff. Great happy hour and private events as well

Party of ten dinned with fresh made guacamole, salsa and variety of great drinks. I enjoyed the shrimp and crab enchiladas. Absolutely delicious and great service too.

Booked a table here for Valentine's Day Dinner, and could only get a 5:45 seating , ok. Upon arrival so, plenty of tables open until we left at 8pm. We tried some Margaritas, the Casablanca was our favorite. We ordered some apps, the empanadas were very dry, the ceviche was the best and the Tamales were tasty. We had the skirt steak which was ok. All in all, if you crave the ambience, with big bars, tv's and loudness, come here. As far as the food, you can definitely get same or better quality food for a lot less, at many other places. They did have some interesting, but overpriced drinks.

Ate here for the first time. There were 4 of us having lunch. We arrived early, place was very quiet. I have to say, the food was great. I found out after we ate that the menu is a Rick Bayless creation. That explains a lot. I am so thrilled to have another true quality Latin restaurant in San Diego. If you stay to the more traditional Mexican fare, the prices are not to bad. Other steak entres, etc, can get pricey. Definitely planning my next meal there.

Does not disappoint at all. Super fresh, carefully prepared and presented upscale food and drink - even during happy hour. 5 stars - tamales. I had the $48 steak which was great, but the tamales are memorable. - Passion fruit, coconut ice cream, butter cake dessert. unreal. - Happy hour! - $3 tacos?! ridiculous! Carnitas our favorite. - Happy hour drinks - $7 house margarita is fantastic, $5 draft craft beers - service - go on the weekends and avoid the weekday zoo.

Classy place and yummy authentic Mexican taste. Loved cocktails. Must try the guacamole, spicy salsa and shrimp Ceviche.

Been here frequently in the past and the happy hour dood and drinks are always consistently good. The empanadas, tamales, ceviche and tacos and of course m the margarita are my favs. Can be crowded and noisy at times but most happy hour places are!

This is a new restaurant in a fashionable part of town, buzzing with people and activity. I suppose everyone is eager to try it out. The entrance looks out to a large pond which gives the environs some cool air on a hot summer day. Although it is billed as a Mexican restaurant, the menu features a variety of seafood and meat items. The lobster tail I had was somewhat tasteless and cooked on the raw side. It was hard to get everything out of the shell. The accompanying fennel rice was delightful. Our server was friendly and happy to make suggestions. All in all, a good dining experience, but there are equally exciting restaurants in this price range within the area.

I am not a fan of Mexican food as I cannot have dairy products which means no cheese of any kind. That said, this place was terrific. The atmosphere is great - outside setting is lovely and peaceful, the inside is big but did not feel "cold", like so many of the newer, open ceiling restaurants. Our waitperson was attentive and made sure that nothing I ordered had dairy. Both my cousin and I ordered the two taco lunch. We loved both the fish and chicken tacos, the beans and rice accompanying the tacos were perfect. Tortilla chips were warm and very, very good. I hope to return here for lunch next time I am in San Diego.

Very grand surroundings and very noisy - so not the place to pick if you want to talk. The menu was all a bit of a mix up and to-be frank the food was just OK and all a bit underwhelming considering the surroundings. Not bad but just OK. I had the ceviche and tacos with a Mexican beer. I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to go back but wouldn't object strongly if I had to.

My husband and I enjoyed a romantic dinner over the weekend at Red O. Everyone, from the valet to our wonderful server Parker, was super nice and did everything they could to make our experience memorable. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and the food was fantastic! We started with chips and salsa, Horchata Colada and a spicy Bloody Maria. For dinner, we ordered lamb chops, filet mignon and chicken. We also had street corn and mashed potatoes and a super yummy butter cake served with coconut ice cream! Everything was delicious and the portions are generous. A+!

A great night had by all, service, food quality and wine were all excellent! I didn’t have my personal food weighing scales with me, however my best guess is my steak was a little light by at least a couple of ounces ... I didn’t exactly go hungry, however it just did not hit my size expectations of what I thought a 18 Oz steak should look like!

This is a decent Mexican restaurant. It’s seems very “high end”, with the restaurant itself decorated in expensive tile, floors, furniture and lots of windows. The food itself is OK. Not amazing, but good enough to warrant a repeat experience. Prices are correlated with the “high end” first impression.

High end restaurant with a nice cosy ambience. Service was great. My personal preference for Mexican food are those from traditional mom and pop, street food style Mexican restaurants. You will not find that sort of flavors here. With that in mind, the chefs at Red O have added their own culinary creativity to traditional Mexican cuisines which turned out to be quite enjoyable. Overall a very good experience.

Went to Red O for a family dinner, food was very Rick Bayless good and the bar was awesome and beautiful. We were lucky to have an excellent server with good people skills. The one thing that spoiled a great evening was the valet parking. When we exited our car, I left an expensive pair of sunglasses on the console, I never leave objects within sight on valet, but at arrival, we all exited the car and I left my sunglasses last minute to not bring them into the restaurant, big mistake, GONE. Moral: don't valet, walk a little bit and spare the aggravation.

Went here with some friends and it was very good. Atmosphere was really nice and had a live band playing with great music. Young kid signing and was sining all types of music super good voice lots of fun. We were early so we actually found a table in the Bar area and had a great view of outside. Waitress was training so we had two waitresses and they were both super knowledgeable about the menu. While were were there a Manager came by and asked if we wanted another table inside the restaurant if we wanted or we were fine if we wanted to stay. CS great. Shared an appetizer some Ahi Tuna and it was good. Salsa they bring was very tasty as well. Meal was very well done and melted in my mouth. My wife ordered the filet and you could cut it with a fork so tender. It was a great night and very enjoyable.

All I can say is Wow! Our service w/ Dillion was an experience! The remodel took my breath away! Our night started at the bar w/Kevin asking our names & giving great suggestions! We were escorted to our table w/a beautiful tree behind us, adorned w/ lights! Then Dillon arrive, calling us by name the whole evening & offering superb food & hospitality. It was my girlfriend’s bday & she was thrilled. Their Fish Ceviche, Guacamole, Fish Tacos & Steak Fajitas, medium rare, perfection! We valeted which is only $10 but if you don’t like to Valet they have self parking & they validate on the way out. This restaurant is for everyone & did I say reasonable! I can’t say enough about Dillion & Kevin! You don’t find this in many restaurants anymore. Thank you for making us all feel special!

It's very good and different in their food preparations. It's kind of tricky to get there but there but easy to park your car. A little pricey but it's worth it. Try the Tamales, the Black Ceviche at least.

We were anxious to try this fairly new Mexican Restaurant just a few blocks from our condo. There was ample parking in front of the restaurant on a Sunday evening.Valet parking and a parking structure are in the back. Get a ticket and have it validated in the restaurant. We arrived at 6pm and Happy Hour was in full swing at the bar (3-7pm everyday)...offering Street Tacos $4,Tamales $8,Shrimp Ceviche $8,Empanadas $8, Quesadillas $8, and much more along with wine for $8, draft beer for $4 and cocktails for $8. We by-passed the bar and were seated in a comfortable table in the back. I ordered the delicious Butternut Squash Soup $10, which was poured into a bowl of nuts along the inside rim.My main course was the Enchilada Trio, (chicken, short rib and lobster and shrimp),smothered in a smooth cheese and served with Mexican red rice and black beans,$33. The meal was huge and really outstanding. My husband had the Caesar Salad, and loved it.His main course was The Mix and Match trio of Shrimp Scampi, one half a Maine Lobster tail, and a Lamb Chop in Mole Negro sauce.He said the flavor was wonderful, but the portions were quite small for the price of $38. For dessert, we had the hot, freshly made Churros (4) that we really enjoyed, $12. The atmosphere is elegant, with a large light fixture with individual glass drop lights in the middle of the room, white table cloths,comfortable chairs and attentive service.The only thing we disliked was the House Margaritas $10 each that were extremely bitter and probably the worst we have ever had.They were probably 6 oz. each, and in my case, with crushed ice, very little Maragrita to drink.I did complain about the bitter taste, but the waitress didn't offer to replace them. There are side rooms for partial outside dining, with a fireplace and heaters.

We were there near the end of a busy Brunch. Tim, the waiter did his best to serve us on a timely basis

Fancy, fancy, and yummy. It’s a gorgeous spot, with high ceilings and beautiful surroundings, including a surprising pond and waterfall out front. But, even better... they have great tequila selections. If you like your tequila for sipping, this is a great spot. And, you’re in luck if you like it for margaritas because they sure know how to make those. They even make some of them table side, like guacamole, but better (and with tequila). I ordered the chorizo empanadas app for an entree and loved every bite. They were cheesy, meaty and fried. Everything I love. Happy camper right here.

We just came for the Happy Hour - which gave us a chance to experience the restaurant at a much lower cost, and decide if we want to come back. I think the answer is an emphatic YES! We ordered a bunch of things off the happy hour menu and were only disappointed with one (the CGC Tamale). Everything else was damn delicious but the real stunners were the cocktails. I had a HH Marg and the HH Blackberry Bramble. Honestly both cocktails were some of the best I have EVER had in SoCal (and I've had a metric ton trust me). I hate when restaurants give you a sour margarita, all ice and no buzz. Not Red O. Their margs are legit, as good as I've had anywhere even Vegas. We sat in the massive front lounge area, which also has an "outside" patio type area with a lot more light. We sat on the "inside" area, which had both high-top tables and booths. Plenty of comfy seating. The ambiance, mood and styling of the place is very classy, dark and I bet this place rocks on Fri/Sat nights. Queso/Chorizo dip ($10) - so good! Eat it fast before it gets cold. Tuna Tartar ($13) - so pretty, and very tasty. Solid dish to share. Wings ($11) - unique flavor and one of our favs so far. So good! Steak Quesadilla ($11) - anyone would love this dish, including kids. Corn & Goat Cheese Tamale ($9) - umm, no. Too much masa. A waste of $9 TBH. It's a bizarre dish when everything else is so good (!?) We stuffed our fat faces to the tune of a whopping $103.44 before tip. That's a steal for what we got if you ask me and we will most definitely go back to try the regular menu, or even just happy hour again. Damn. One of the best in San Diego.

For the prices of he food and drink, I expected to have an amazing meal. The food was good, not great. Everyone in out party enjoyed their dishes. I had the fajitas; I've had better at less than half the price. The drinks were OK, nothing special. The skinny margarita was better than the house margarita. The desserts were fussy, but good. The place is noisy. Lighting in the booths is poor and the booth tables are too wide. I would go back on someone else's tab.

Meh! Overpriced, below average, Latino influenced American food. I found the small plates to be bland and a bit greasy, but they were all garnished with some throw-away greens on top. I'm glad that I stopped in for happy hour and didn't pay full price or go in for dinner, it would have been disappointing. I would say the only thing Rick Bayless has to do with the place is they pay him to use his name. I doubt I will return.

Modern but stunning decor, with valet parking. Very attentive staff with excellent mexican style food..

We arrived on a Tuesday which is Taco Tuesday. The food was good. My Caesar salad was nicely done, as were the tacos we ordered. However it seemed to take an awfully long time for our lunch to arrive. Everything was fresh and tasty.

This place is over-the-top. A very glam take on a Mexican restaurant, and while they will serve you the staples (who doesn't expect a bowl of tortilla chips & salsa?) they are aiming for a lot higher standard than the usual refried beans and hot plates places. The room is quite impressive, very high ceilings, nicely decorated. If you've been to high-end restaurants in Mexico you won't be surprised - done with taste but a tad grand. We ordered a pitcher of the house Margaritas. Hold the phone. I don't know what magic they do in the bar here but I've had untold numbers of Margaritas in dozens of cities, in bars, restaurants, private homes. This is the best I've ever had. Wow. We ordered guacamole and another appie - should not have done that. While they were good - we weren't prepared for the feast that arrived when we ordered the Pescado Zarandeado. Oh yeah! A platter with a perfectly roasted butterflied striped bass took pride of place on the table. Around it little bowls with more guacamole, mango salsa, pico de gallo, cabbage, really really good refried beans, white rice and then containers of both corn and flour tortillas. Three of us couldn't finish it...at least in part because we had also ordered dessert (it was my B-day so...) Now, I would order the Pescado Zarandeado again in a heartbeat. And that pitcher of magical Margaritas. But we really didn't need the first bowl of guacamole or the appie. But save room for dessert: excellent. That said, I'm longing to try the lamb in mole which I've heard is outstanding. If you know mole you know: it's either magical or really, really not. I'm ready for some magic.

Snotty hostess, cavernous space, pretentious, boring, bland food made from low quality ingredients, slow and disorganized. You are not paying for a good meal, but paying to sit in an overly designed, overbuilt space next to a mall in an industrial area - SERIOUSLY - San Diego is smarter than that. Happy to pay for good food, not for a shrine to an ego. If the food is blah, nothing else matters. This place is a zero....

I chose Red O for a business lunch, which wasn't very smart, in hindsight. I really just wanted to give the food a try and figured the ladies I was meeting with would enjoy something different. And while we did enjoy the food (them more so than me, but more on that in a second), the atmosphere made actually conducting our business meeting an impossibility. The space is LOUD. L-O-U-D. It's all hard surfaces and chatty people from the second you walk in. I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that I left the restaurant with a raging headache. The free chips and salsa were great, and much appreciated by me once I saw my meal. The chips were perfectly crispy and crunchy, and despite the fact that the salsa was way more watery than I like, my colleague and I had no trouble finishing off the basket of chips that was set in front of us. We like chips. Okay, so the food. I went with the lunch combo of Vegetable Enchilada Suiza and Goat Cheese Tamale. Because it was a combo, it came with rice and beans. The ladies in my group ordered things ranging from the Ahi Tuna Tartare to salads to soups to full entrees. As I say, they all seemed to enjoy their meals. I, on the other hand, was underwhelmed by mine. First, let's talk about portion sizing. I'm including the one picture I took during our lunch outing, which is a picture of my plate. My sad, disappointing plate. The biggest thing that disappointed me was the tamale, which also happened to be the tiniest thing on the platter. I mean, it was tiny. It was half a tamale if that. Nowhere on the menu did it say that if you choose that for your combo platter, that it'd be less than a full serving of a tamale. And that stinks because the flavor of the tamale was outstanding. But I didn't order a tamale bite and would've liked to have known that that's what I was going to get. The enchilada (highly recommended by our waiter) was decent. It was mostly sauce, with a bit of roasted vegetable in there, but it was at least bigger than the tamale-ette. The black beans were a little too dry for my taste, and the rice was clumpy and crunchy. I pushed most of the food away unfinished and promptly polished off the rest of our chips. Our waiter was friendly and efficient, at least. He took the time to check in on us as we waited for our meal to arrive, and made sure we were topped off with our drinks. I just don't think there's enough to draw me back. Unless, of course, I have to have another business meeting there. Note - if you're parking yourself, turn left after entering the driveway and enter the parking garage there, and have them validate your pass. Otherwise, the restaurant offers valet service.

This does not measure up to Rick Bayless' places in Chicago. The food is just OK. The bar is packed and hard to get service. The restaurant is expensive for what you get. I was very disappointed on both my visits.

This was a delightful surprise because I didn't realize it had Mexican cuisine until I saw the menu. I recall it was a bit difficult to locate from the signage but once we got there they offered valet parking. One of my adult sons ordered an exotic cocktail that had smoke coming from it! The appetizers and entrees were delicious, service was great and the wine list had ample decent selections to choose from.

Nice atmosphere- live music good food and great food. Street tacos and tamales are pretty good. Service was friendly and attentive.

Meal was very tasty. Excellent menu made it hard to choose. Appetizers were all a hit at the table. My dinner was very good but not very large. That made me all the more happy about those good appetizers. Wish I wasn’t driving and could have explored their tequila menu a bit more.

I went to Red-O with 6 colleagues to celebrate a big work week and a special birthday. The service from our waiter Thomas was shameful. He forgot to serve someone in our group, chastised is for not ordering what he recommended and proceeded to insult us when we split the check by saying we should have told him and he only does that for “my good customers”. Our group has lived and dined all over the world and this was honestly one of the worst dining experiences for every single one of us. To shame people for ordering tacos at a Mexican restaurant is ridiculous. The food was ok but the poor service from Thomas and him attempting to humiliate us was unnecessary. If you have him as a waiter, switch tables or restaurants. It’s not worth it - especially if you’re wanting a fun night.

Enthusiastic staff, beautiful setting. However, portions are sometimes WAY big, and others, just about right. Menu seems a bit all-over-the-map as far as portion size. If I were doing this again, I would treat like a tapas place, order all the starters with drinks. (by the way, the empanadas are EXCELLENT). I had fish tacos, my companion had Chicken Milanesa Torta; I loved mine, he found his unimaginative, "on the bland side" and far too big (he commented to the server that the portions were generous, then told me when the server left, "that was not a compliment!"). Margarita is quite good, and there is a decent wine selection and beer on draught selection. I'd go back, but I'd plan on just drinks and starters...treat it like a tapas spot.

The food was good just not overly memorable. Service was ok and the surroundings were beautiful but the food was just ok/ good. We had queso fundido, scallops, avocadoand bacon dinner which was pricey wait service had to be reminded we needed more water and chips.

This is not your typical Mexican place by a long shot . several of the offerings my seem like it on the menu but each are made to a higher level. yes it is a bit more expensive than typical but the place and food earn the price level, Duck and oyser make it to the menu here just to give you and idea. A good way to give this place a try is the daily Happy Hour till 7 PM, A nice outdoor patio with comfortable seating is a good place to start. Nice selection of food and drinks to select from. Parking is valet at $8 but when going up the driveway turn left and look for the small sign to the self parking in a structure. They will validate for 3 hours , A great place for a business lunch , dinner or that special occasion,

ambiance, atmosphere & food? All three at the Red O! We first found this place while in Newport Beach, Ca.. only to learn one was being built in San Diego. Couldn't wait to go!

The interior of the restaurant is beautiful and the service is attentive and friendly! The cuisine is not your standard American Mexican food - it is very authentic and represents many different regions in Mexico.

Red O was recommended and the website noted a collaboration with Rick Bayless so we went for dinner with high expectations. Surprised to find this very large, very loud dining space, much like a modern "box-store restaurant." Staff seemed rehearsed and I found the food to be pretty much that way as well. Tortilla Soup was nicely presented yet thick and a bit gummy to my taste and Mary’s Duck Taquitos were good until the "pin bone." Red O is very expensive and my guess is that there's better Mexican food to be found in San Diego.

What a gem of a restaurant! This is by far one of our favorite restaurants in San Diego. We visited two times in one week. The food is fresh with a nice presentation. The chips and salsa are some of the best we’ve ever had. Nice and chunky and not watered down. The customer service was impeccable. Maurice and Mel went above and beyond to make our visit a pleasant one and that they did. We appreciate you both very much. We also enjoyed chatting with Michel Martinez, the General Manager, whom has done an outstanding job with this restaurant. He was both personable and professional. We commend him for a job well done. The decor is over the top beautiful creating wonderful ambiance. Whomever designed this restaurant did an outstanding job. The lights are very unique and beautiful. There is a lot of outdoor seating, and the indoor seating area is quite large. We felt very safe dining here, as we were spaced out quite well during these crazy COVID times. Excellent food, Excellent service, Superior Ambiance = 5 stars in my book. I highly recommend. We will be back!

Love this place Great Mexican food, a bit pricy Very nice staff though Easy to access Large area, wide space Indoor and outside sitting I recommend the fish tacos

Arrived to find that while we had called Wed morning to make a reservation for that evening, they listed it for the night before which made no sense. Luckily they weren’t busy so we got seated with our party. Service was good and the food was wonderful. Loved the atmosphere.