Emiliano’s Mexican Restaurant

Fun place with an AMaZIng Happy Hour!
It is an American Mexican food place with lots of crazy decorations on the wall which screams you are in a Mexican restaurant.
Great complimentary chips and salsa. Portions are huge and plentiful.

We stopped in lunch, 4 of us, and we all really enjoyed our dishes. Great Mole sauce, Ranchito burritos, and their salsas are great. Ambiance gave a nice touch of Mexico.

This place is nice, the staff is awwsome– welcoming and friendly. The food to me is okay. During the day the view in the patio is nice and refreshing. I come for the drinks and the salads. The margaritas are deeelishhh.

I have to say, I was disappointed — everything was just «okay.»
I had a shrimp enchilada and, while my shrimp were nicely cooked, there were just a few of them, and the rest of the enchilada was kind of nondescript, with just a mush of red sauce and cheese. Nothing else in it. The beans were bland. The Guacamole was good.
I went with a group of five women, and we all left unimpressed. Since I had recommended we go there, I felt a little bad. It was much better in its previous incarnation. Too bad…

We just went to this place and it was great. All of the guys there were super attentive with a few different people coming to check on us, make sure we didn’t need anything and keep us updated on new items they offered and specials. The margaritas are great and they have several different options! I would definitely go again!

I enjoy this place been a few times. Probably the top 3 sit down in mission valley area with tio Leo’s. Parking kinda blows is the only drawback really. I would recommend to those who are in the area and want sit down Mexican food and drinks

Have been here a few times and each time has been good, but not great. San Diego is filled with great mexican food and I would easily rate this place in the middle. on our last visit the carne asada burrito was a little dry and came with the tiniest dollop of guacamole — pretty much to the point of questioning why it was even there.
Service is usually good but can be hit and miss on busy evenings.

Great authentic food, fajitas best I ever had, have to ask for the Diabla sauce for chips if you like heat, and Cesar Agustin are the best waiters there.

I was so upset the last time I had dinner there! I ordered the albondigas soup, and when it arrived, the meat was completely raw inside. I told the waitress the food wasn’t completely prepared, and she told me the food was supposed to be like that. I had that type of soup many times in my life, and I know how it is supposed to taste! After that, the waitress asked me if I wanted something else and I ordered the beef flauta dish. Well, she brought me chicken… and I hate chicken! The worst part is that they charged me for it, even thought I didn’t eat it.
They lost a client that night.

Spent my 60^th B-​Day there with Hubby, and Mom (yes she is still kicking). Had a wonderful time. Great service, great food, and the Sunday Brunch bubbly was delightful. Thank you Emillianos for the groovy b-​day bunch! This place has so much more ambiance than Chilis.
Highly recommend. No complaints, No worries. Chips and carrots were a treat. And this place is close. Mom lives in Santee. Santee has no really groovy Mex places. Oh forgot to add, the owner gets in there and works too. Nice lady!

I’ll give this place an overall rating of 3 stars.
I’ll give the food a rating of 3 stars because I had the chicken, steak, and shrimp fajitas and they were better than at other typical Mexican restaurants in San Diego of the same caliber
I’ll give the fried ice cream 1 star if that… I was not fried and it was soggy. Such a disappointment. I worked at Mexican restaurants my entire life and I know that yea, it’s kinda annoying to make fried ice cream but you can’t really go wrong w it, unless of course you don’t really fry it.
The ambiance is about 2 stars. Unless it’s your first margarita and you want to be loud and obnoxious.
The service was also around 2 stars. I mean, they were not rude… but if 5 waiters walk past an empty glass or see that we are finished w our meal but don’t pick up our dishes. That’s pretty bad.

Came here for lunch cause hubby had a coupon for buy one get one free. Trying to save some money. It gets expensive going out so much!
I had mixed feelings about this place. The good was there was air conditioning inside and the people working here were super nice. Service was slacking. The waiter even told us they were busy. I figured that when our water glasses were empty. It took them awhile to notice our glasses were empty. I was thirsty.
We got free chips and salsa to start. The green salsa was good. I ordered the two taco combination plate with rice and beans. I also got an iced tea for the coupon for buy one get one free. My iced tea came out after I had eaten my meal. Where was my iced tea when I needed it?! Food took so long to come out. Really?! I got shredded beef tacos. The taco shell tasted fresh and the meat was good. The rice and beans were okay. There was cheese sprinkled on the beans. The meal wasn’t the best I’ve ever tasted. I was just hungry and thirsty. I managed to finish up my food but was not impressed.
The waiter was super nice but service was slow. I felt like we waited for an eternity for our food to come out. The lady managed to come by with water refills. I don’t think I plan on coming back. Food was not impressive and tasted ok. Service was also slow for a Saturday afternoon.
There’s a small parking lot adjacent to the restaurant and spaces were limited.

What a fun place! I found the restaurant on Unilocal while visiting San Diego. The kids wanted Mexican food, and this place seemed like the best suggestion due to the ratings. I also saw photos of the view from the restaurant, which I thought was pretty cool. They have tables that overlook parts of the valley, and it’s really unique. The food came out fast, and their complimentary chips and salsa kept the little mouths happy until their food arrived.
I ordered the chicken chimi, and it was so much food I coudln’t finish it… maybe it was from all the margaritas? ;) Because, holy guacamole, the margaritas were to die for!!! They’re big enough to swim in. The waiter had no problem keeping them coming.
For dessert, we shared the Apple Cinnamon Burrito with Ice Cream, and the kids enjoyed the Churros. Our waiter was great at checking up on us every few minutes, and he kept us laughing by asking the kids if they wanted a shot of tequila. It was cute and we appreciated the effort he put in.

I love Margarita Mondays. Be careful with them because they’re cheap and good. The food’s good too. Complimentary chips and salsa (the bomb dot com). My go-​to is the appetizer platter or any combo. There’s usually just 2 – 3 servers who are on point despite being overloaded, so hook em up. See you Monday!

How on EARTH is this place rated so high?
Ok, ok – maybe if you are a family with a bunch of kids or babies, or maybe you are coming here for happy hour after work for margaritas, I can understand.
But any other time or occasion is not ok.
My eating partner got the shrimp burrito and he said there was very little shrimp in it – it was mostly peppers. He said it wasn’t good.
I got a grilled chicken salad in a crispy tortilla «bowl» with avocado, lettuce, tomato, and cold beans. My dish was just meh. The grilled chicken was the best part and it was ok, but the cold beans were an unpleasant touch. They may have been poured right from a can. The dish was not good – although it was edible.
What additionally makes this place a poor choice is that the prices are not as low as you might expect. Entrees average around $ 13. I could go to El Zarape and get much better food for much cheaper. I guess you are paying for the ambiance??? (Which is tacky Americanized «Mexican» restaurant, complete with stereotypical «Mexican Restaurant» tchotchkes and art on the walls.)
There were photos of many of the dishes on the menu and most looked like they were completely drenched in sauce or cheese.
The place was packed when we went, so service was curt. Needless to say, we won’t be back.

The salsa is very tasty, the view is beautiful, the food is delicious and the service is great!
What a cool little place. I will be back!

Emilianos is *nearly* walking distance from my office so while I’ve only been during week day lunches, I’ve been often! And for good reason!
The complementary chips aren’t your typical stale and old chips you may find in the area, especially considering some days this place is nearly empty. Uh hello — private dining! The salsas (two choices!) are yummy, spicy and accompanied by spicy carrots.
The key is that while the building is off a busy road in a small shopping center, it has a back patio that swifts you off Mission Gorge Road straight into the feeling of vacation. Sitting on the back patio with a 270 view from the back of the restaurant over looking a golf course with a *virgin* margarita is the perfect way to break mid day from the troubles and turmoil of work.
Come to think of it, I’ve never actually sat in the interior of the restaurant but it’s decorated like your typical so-​cal Mexican joint with tile accents and heavy wooden stools. I can’t imagine it’s as satisfying as the patio, but I’m one to always choose to eat al fresco — or as close as I can — whenever possible.
I could easily make a meal of the spicy carrots, chips, salsa and a margarita and leave happily, but the good news is there is no need to! The food is your typical Mexican fare, and proportionally more expensive and higher quality than your typical taco shop. I swear that’s not just the margarita talking. I’ve had the flautas, the shrimp burrito and a few other items, but the kinds of work weeks that end up with me at Emilianos are typically nacho eating kind of weeks. Piled high and covered in cheese, beans, sour cream and guac they aren’t anything mind blowing but they are darn satisfying.
The staff is friendly, helpful, charming and always quick to offer a second round of drinks, shots if you dare, but also to ensure you are out the door quickly if have to get back to work. They’ll also sing you a song if you come in to celebrate a birthday!
I’d be interested to see the crowd that actually makes it to their advertised «Margarita Mondays» but by the time 5pm hits on a Monday I’m already sailing past this place on my way home too quickly to stop. Maybe another time!
If you’re in the area and want to escape the boring Grantville redundancy, I recommend stepping out on to the patio and being whisked away to a brief Mexican vacation overlooking the golf course below.

I met some friends for lunch here the other day and it was my first time in the place after driving by it for years. The things that impressed me were definitely the drinks and the view, I would come back for both. I tried the Carmel martini, very original and tasty without being too sweet. We were seated in the patio type area, which is situated above the golf course and provides a beautiful view.
For lunch, I ordered the tortilla soup, which is served with rice and beans. The soup had a generous amount of chicken and a nice flavor to the broth, but would be better if the tortilla strips weren’t so soggy. Everyone at the table seemed to enjoy their meals, but no one was blown away.
The restaurant looks like it could use a facelift and parking is a bit tight, but I would suggest stopping in if you’re looking for a nice view and good strong drink.

Came here after the Chiefs v. Chargers game for a quick dinner before the drive back to Orange County and it’s A-​Okay in my book
Right when we walked in our server was very fun with us and cheering since the Chiefs won the game! He was very friendly and personable the whole time. We were seated and got our drinks immediately. There’s a pretty extensive menu which is a good thing.
Chips and salsa are good! Nothing fantastic or over the top, but I liked them. I ended up ordering the carne asada burrito and I thought it was good. Also nothing fantastic. It had a good flavor and I loved the guac and pico de gallo, but I was expecting a wet burrito, I guess. I still enjoyed it though.
Everyone else we were with enjoyed their meal. I didn’t get any drinks but if I find myself here again I’ll have to try the margaritas. Good place to eat with quick service!

Found the restaurant to be subpar compared with the reviews on Unilocal.I came here, based on the 4 star average review and it was quite disappointing. If the food was good, maybe I would have felt different.
First off, parking is a little tight and it seems to me most architects who designed there layouts for California didn’t take into account larger vehicles or SUV’s, so parking was an issue. That annoys me to find have to find larger accommodating parking.
Secondly, I ordered Tequitos Rancheros and it was not pleasant. My taquitos were overcooked and I couldn’t convince myself to finish it. The rice and beans tasted plain and it had no originality to it. The enchiladas were bland and it didn’t have original flavors. I probably wouldn’t come back.