On The Border

Dark and stormy night. The winds were howling. What was being craved that was both hot and pleasing to the palate? Somehow we decided fajitas. On the Border and its Tex Mex to save the day?
Well maybe not save the day but kept the ever present enemy of hunger at bay for another night. Everything came out hot and sizzling with all the fixin’s. It was decent if not a little on the expensive side for what we were getting in my opinion. It’s easy to fill up on chips and salsa. Don’t do it!

Obviously not the most authentic Mexican but sometimes Tex-​mex is what you’re craving. This place has all of your typical Americanized Mexican fare from Fajitas to Enchiladas and Burritos. I usually stick to the fajita here since its one of their signature dishes. I’ve probably tried them all but my favorite would have to be the steak fajitas. One of my favorite things about OTB would be their chips and salsa. You can tell their chips are made in house but at times I have had chips that reeked of old oil. Not the best smell/​taste to start a meal off with.
Service is always quick and friendly. They do have taco tuesdays here but it’s usually only available in the bar area. Overall a decent place to get some quick Mexican or a place to hang at for some drinks after work.

I concur with most of the four star reviews. nice and friendly atmosphere for family on a Sunday afternoon and not too busy. Good food for a chain style restaurant. Reasonable prices. Friendly staff.

Came here after an hour wait at The Cheesecake Factory. Got here at 5:50 on a Saturday night and got seated immediately. Our food was brought out less than 15 minutes later. Not «authentic» Mexican food, but still very good! Definitely coming here before every movie! Easy walking distance after one of their delicious margaritas!

I had a bad fall out at on the border. Was charged $ 75 twice on my credit card. The manager said he was sorry but that was not good enough to get me to ever come back. Also the manager wrote me and wanted my address so he can send me gift certificates so I wrote him it’s been over a month and I never heard anything back or received anything back you would think they want customers and great customer satisfaction but if I feel like that wasn’t important to them. That’s a shame because me and my friends ago in once a week

I went to this place a few years ago. Not to drink at the bar but to eat.
I had a piece of dried out Fatty, over baked pork, that they called «Carnitas».
I promised never to go back. The meal was disgusting. And I am being kind in saying that.
I write this after spending most of Late Sunday evening and Early Monday Morning puking my guts out, as well as other things that we will not discuss in this venue. I surfaced at no0n on Monday. After 16 hours of Misery.
I know Mexican food. I have spent a lot of time time in Tijuana, Rosarito, Ensenada, Cabo, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulcio and numerous dives here in San Diego. This is NOT Mexican Food. You get my point. AND!!!, I am a chef.
After watching a movie with friends we were looking for a place close to the EDWARDS and my friends convinced me to give it another try.
I was craving Enchiladas. I went with an order for a plate of shredded beef Enchiladas. I envisioned a plate of steaming hot soft Enchiladas. fresh out of the oven .with a delightfully seasoned and shredded beef content… smothered in cheese and perhaps some guacamole and sour cream on the side. A bit of fresh chopped Pico De Gallo. I was salivating in anticipation. Perhaps a few sprigs of Cilantro for presentation?
What was served was almost inedible. I did not want to create a «scene» and decided to go with the flow of the group, who apparently thought the food was «Great». No more comments on those opinions.
I was served a plate. On the left was a scoop of overcooked rice and on the right was a scoop of Black beans that looked as if they were fresh out of the can. In the center I saw three wrapped objects that I assume were the enchiladas (???) .I could see the dried out yellow wrapping and some sort of red/​maroon/​burgundy shiny sauce covering part of them. There was no presentation… no Guacamole… no sour cream… nothing, After turning them over I found a trace of melted cheese.
I explored with my fork and found a few chunks of diced tasteless beef (???), The pieces were actually cold in the center as the «Chef» did not even have the patience to microwave them properly. Whatever sauce was included in this nauseating mix was also equally tasteless. The cheese on the top was non existent.
This was not an Enchilada, this was a tasteless piece of garbage that I would not feed to my dog, but apparently what Borders considers to be an Enchilada.
Rather than send it back to the «workers» in the kitchen… as I would not venture to call them chefs or even cooks, I doused the portion that I ate with a hot sauce and washed it down with a Negra Modela.
In summary, it is obvious that the staff in the Kitchen take absolutely NO pride in their
is equally clear that the quality control person has no clue about food.
I would NEVER return t0 this place and suggest that anyone looking for Authentic Mexican food avoid them as well.

Do yourself a favorite and go across the street to El Patron and get better service. My boyfriend and I had queso as an appetizer which did not taste good — how can you mess up melted cheese? I had the shrimp bowl which was not bad, but was too salty. My boyfriend had the Ultimate Fajita which looks incredibly large on the menu but doesn’t live up to it’s photos. We both felt like crap after eating here. We ran out of water and never got refills because no one went to check up on us at our table. I swear I could’ve went across the street and bought water and came back and our server wouldn’t have noticed. Defenitely would not come back. Good try On the Border, but I’m just not a fan.

I’ve never tried On The Border but this place is pretty great! Open and spacious restaurant with patio seating as well as a bar, On The Border offers warm chips and spicy salsa upon being seated. The menu is expansive and yet, somehow all the different dishes seem to be made with different combinations of the same set of ingredients. We’ve only ever gone when there isn’t a rush, so service has never been a problem for us.
Our servers have always been friendly and attentive and our food has always arrived warm (or HOT if we ordered fajitas!), and drinks always refilled. The Ultimate Fajita has been my favorite so far, because lately I’m not a fan of food covered in sauces. Fajita plates are extremely well seasoned, well cooked, and the meats have a delicious soft and tender consistency. The shrimp is deliciously mildly charred and is juicy when bitten into.
The Superior Dinner had great variety, so if you’re looking for a plate that encompasses many different types items, it gives you two flautas, a taco, and two enchiladas (chicken and vegetarian). It’s a great combination for you to savor a sample of what OTB offers. Border Sampler also offers a great variety of food for the table. I absolutely loved the steak nachos — the chips itself were topped with the right proportion of steak, cheese, and jalepenos for the perfect bite.
I’m looking forward to coming here in the future. I wouldn’t call it the best I’ve ever had, but they do offer delicious Mexican food that hits the spot.

Decent food. Average margarita’s. Sub par service. Overall average place to eat. Prices were little pricey. Prably won’t go back but was ok.

Better than some authentic Mexican restaurants that are here in San Diego… and way better happy hour.
On the Border has a much better setup then most Mexican restaurants that are supposed to be authentic. The food is what one would expect from a Mexican cusine. I have visited high rated authentic Mexican food restaurants and know how the food should taste. Some dishes from On the Border is superb, and some are generic. But they are not bland from those dishes that I have ordered (enchiladas, chimichangas, nachos, etc.).
I mainly like to visit On the Border with a large group of friends, and/​or right before seeing a movie at the nearby edwards. It is also a steal here if you were to visit during happy hour. Cheap appetizers, cheap drinks (cost wise, quality of the drinks is a lot better than most restaurants), etc. The stacked nachos are enough to feed 2 to 3 people and is under $ 10
There is also a patio are if preferred!
(+) Good drinks
(+) good food
(+) friendly & accommodating waiters/​waitresses
(+) happy hour menu is excellent with great appetizers and drinks
(+/​-​) service can get a bit tricky sometimes when the place is packed

What keeps me coming back here is the Pina Colada! Virgin or alcoholic (depends what mood I’m in), love it! Don’t forget the whip cream.
Awesome lunch specials at great pricing. Bye bye Olive Garden & TGIF, this is the place to be on a Friday night! Packed to the gills I’m saying! Restaurant, bar and patio seating is available. Bring your friends here! It’s seriously a party.
Favorites:
Brisket Quesadilla, Queso Cup, Pina Colada.

Visited this location on a Thursday night around 7 and found it relatively empty. Sam was our waiter, and he was great! The night wouldn’t have been the same without his humor and sass. The food was good, and the wait to be served wasn’t too bad. I got the carnitas fajitas and they were terrific. We ordered the table side guacamole, which was an interesting experience and absolutely delish though it was also a bit awkward when the guy was making it. I am really struggling between 3 and 4 stars because though it was a good place to eat, it was just that… A place to go if you’re hungry and close by. There are other Mexican places that are A LOT cheaper in the area that will give you just as good of food or better. In the end giving it 3 stars due to the ambiance being so off inside. There were a lot of lights on, but the windows were weirdly shuttered and the vibe wasn’t great.

I have been to this restaurant a couple of times now hoping that I have just ordered the wrong thing. The food is awful. I have had the queso appetizer, tomatillo enchiladas, chicken fajitas, and the chicken tortilla soup. All have been no better than fast food. The only positive about this place is the service.
When I go to a chain Mexican restaurant I realize that I will not get anything close to actual Mexican– but this is worse than «tex mex». No flavor or way over salted.
In what area of Mexico do they serve ranch and cheese covered in bacon, chicken fajitas?! Answer is they don’t.
Save your money and do some searches for a little place that is authentic.

We had a fantastic experience. Our waiter, wished I remembered his name, was the perfect people person. He wasn’t pushy, very helpful, especially with the drink names.
We basically came for drinks and appetizers. First drink was tasty, not too strong — enticing if you will. The second drink was STRONG. I do mean that in an awesome way! Our appetizers were tasty and light. We even had room for desert.
It was fantastic! We stayed there for two hours just chatting and munching. Our waiter did not rush us to leave and neither did management. I appreciate that.
Come here, you’ll leave happy.

After my most recent visit to On the Border, I’ll add an extra star but I still think the Mission Valley location is better.
After having a great experience at the Mission Valley restaurant, my boyfriend and I decided to give the Mira Mesa location a shot. The food was just as good as in Mission Valley but the service here was lacking. Our waiter disappeared for long stretches of time and he wasn’t the most personable.
We each ordered a three item combo. I chose the sour cream chicken enchilada and chicken empanadas with a side salad and he ordered the guacamole tostada, spinach and mushroom enchilada and fish taco.
My salad was huge and I was almost stuffed with that and the chips and salsa before the rest of my meal arrived. I managed to eat half my enchilada and one of the two empanadas before I’d had enough. The leftovers made a great lunch the next day though! The empanadas were delicious and I loved the cheese dip that came with them. You can never have too much cheese, right?
I love the chips and salsa here! The salsa has just the right amount of spiciness and the chips are thin and crispy.

Great food, good drinks and good for happy hour. Friendly staff. reasonable price, meal is decent. endless supply of chips and salsa. always fresh when it gets to your table. :) drinks are awesome, expecially their pineapple vodka.

I never really ate here because I heard negative things about it in the past.
But randomly decided to go here with family on a Sunday night.
I have to say that its pretty good.
All the servers here at this specific location were all men, first of all, and I was surprised at how great their etiquette performance was. They all smiled, opened doors, checked to make sure we got everything, and were professional. Good job.
FOOD:
Create Your Own Combo
I chose 4 options combo for $ 12.99
You can choose between tacos (soft/​crispy), tostadas, enchiladas, or classics.
The grilled fish crispy taco seemed tasty the first two bites, but as I started getting into more of the fish, the fish seemed dry and old. The ground beef tostada was really simple. The ground beef seemed dry as well. Didn’t have much flavor. The spinach and mushroom with sour cream enchilada was good. Filled up with veggies and had a light flavor. Lastly, I also had the beef empanada. It was my absolute favorite. The outside crust is very crunchy and flavorful. Inside filling reminded me of a taco pocket. They also serve you a side of queso cheese which was good as well. This dish was also served with a side of mexican rice and refried beans. The mexican rice was a bit hard. I prefer my rice soft.
Seasoned Sauteed Shrimp Fajita $ 15.99
Their grilled shrimp was juicy and flavorful. They gave very generous portions of sauces, toppings and tortillas to make our tacos. It was good.
Complimentary Chips & Salsa
The chips were good. Large pieces of tortilla chips that were crunchy. The salsa was not spicy at all.
Coronarita
My first time ever having a coronarita! The margarita blend was good. Tasted like light lemonade. The corona slowly dispenses into the mix and did not over power the drink. I would recommend it.
Overall, I believe that this place has good portions worth your money and you will go home full. Some items are better than others and generally tastes a lot more healthier than authentic mexican restaurants but you just don’t get that same satisfaction. Would probably come back here again one day for the happy hour specials.

Happy hour on Saturdays — already a winner in my book. But actually, the happy hour deals were great and the food wasn’t crappy for being so inexpensive. We went at around 4 or 5, which I thought meant for sure we’d have to wait, but nope. Their bar area looks kinda small, but they have ample outdoor seating and heat lamps. The server was really nice, and helpful when we couldn’t make decisions. The standout: California Tacos, which contained steak and french fries. Sooo good. And margaritas were big, and not mostly mix like you’ll get at some other places. At only $ 4, those were a pretty good deal.
Also went on Taco Tuesday — good deals, yummy tacos. Just got a crispy chicken taco, with rice and beans on the side, and it left me stuffed. Boyfriend enjoyed his steak and carnitas soft tacos. And we both love how quick they are to come out with warm, delicious chips and salsa for the table!

Food is nothing special, I would probably only come here for the drinks. Their happy hour menu is decent, and margaritas are big! 4−7PM every day including weekends, which is nice.
I’ve ordered their chicken tortilla soup here before, and that was really good. The complimentary chips and salsa they bring are always hot and fresh.
Parking is tough on a weekend because of the movie theater, so beware. The restaurant clears out pretty quickly once the dinner rush is over though!

It was my brother’s birthday this past weekend, and we wanted to go somewhere that was outside of our usual birthday selections. So, since we hadn’t been to On The Border in a while, here we went!
After noshing on the free HUGE tortilla chips (which look like they’re made up of cut up corn tortillas) and salsa, we went with the following:
My brother, my mom, and I got the Create-​Your-​Own-​Combo (three-​item option at $ 11.49 each): in particular, mine was the Shredded Beef Tostada, the Pork Tamale, and the Roasted Pork Enchilada with Tomatillo Sauce, with a side salad, Mexican rice, and refried beans. Maybe it was the chips and salsa — or because a lot of my order was a bit on the overly salty side — but the only things I could finish were the enchilada and half of the tamale. There was something missing with the salad… in retrospect, I think it was the dressing (a mango citrus vinagrette) that just made the salad feel off.
My dad had ordered the Brisket Tacos ($ 11.99) — while these three tacos filled with smoked beef brisket, crispy onion strings, jack cheese, and jalapeño-​BBQ sauce looked good, he felt that it needed more flavor (and ended up using one of the leftover salsa bowls to flavor them).
In terms of drinks, my dad ordered a Corona Light, my brother ordered a Fireball Lemonade (which he felt had a bit too much Fireball Whisky), and I had a sangria (which actually wasn’t all that bad). I’m a bit disappointed in the beer selection — barely any craft or microbrews!
While we were placed at a somewhat small table for four, at least the service was nice and accomodating. Despite them singing the birthday song four times during the course of our visit, once my brother requested that they sing it for him (and also with the server in the taco costume), they were happy to oblige! (Although, I had no idea why one of the other customers was videotaping their performance…) At least he got a free dessert of two sopapillas (Mexican pastries dusted with cinnamon and sugar) out of the deal.
Although I like El Torito over OTB, I wouldn’t mind coming back here for the Happy Hour and Taco Tuesday specials. 3.5 star overall…