10 Best Restaurants in Tijuana

Located just 3 km from the border, Marenca Restaurante offers diners a vibrant culinary experience that blends Latin American flavours with haute cuisine. With a welcoming ambience and a warm, family-style atmosphere, the restaurant serves a range of dishes, from traditional savoury tacos to original seafood platters.

Visitors will appreciate the fresh, locally sourced ingredients and cocktails served at its full bar. And vegetarians and vegans won’t be disappointed either. Marenca Restaurante is sure to provide a taste of Tijuana’s rich and diverse culinary scene. Save room for dessert and order a dish that looks as incredible as it tastes.

A landmark of the Tijuana culinary landscape since 1924, Caesar’s is a historic restaurant offering a range of lush dining options. The dishes can either be prepared tableside or brought to your table. At only 0.5 km from the California border, day trippers from the USA can even enjoy a meal, sample a cocktail, soak up the history to an Art Deco backdrop and return with ease.

Sample the iconic Caesar salad, which was invented by one of the founding chefs, Caesar Cardini, in this very restaurant more than a century ago. Alternatively, choose from their range of traditional Mexican dishes and Italian classics.

Visitors to the Lion Fish restaurant can enjoy an assortment of seafood dishes and traditional Mexican platters, including ceviche, tacos, tostadas and several grilled specialities. Selected as the best seafood restaurant in the city for 3 years in a row, Lion Fish has been serving customers for 33 years.

With a range of bold flavours and local ingredients to delight your palate, the Lion Fish restaurant also offers a selection of cocktails, wines and traditional drinks such as micheladas, a uniquely Mexican cocktail made using sauces and chilli peppers which adds to the authentic ambience. If you’re short on time, you’re welcome to place an order online and pick it up yourself.

With its location in downtown Tijuana just 1.6 km from the border, the Cevicheria La Mas Nais offers an array of Mexican and Latin American food. Of special note is its namesake dish: ceviche, a traditional food made using fish or shrimp cured in lemon juice and served with an assortment of diced vegetables.

The restaurant also serves unique craft cocktails that can nicely be paired with its other specialities, including its red snapper served on crispy tostadas. Sit on the funky outdoor patio if you can and enjoy the sunshine with your meal.

Serving a wide selection of traditional breakfast options as well as tacos, burritos, enchiladas and other Mexican favourites, La Espadaña restaurant offers many choices for even the most discerning palate. The restaurant has been frequented by both locals and tourists alike ever since it first opened its doors in 1990.

La Espadaña also offers beautiful colonial-style decor as a backdrop for signature cocktails and hearty dining options, including an assortment of desserts to tantalise any visitor who may have a sweet tooth. This restaurant’s facade has a beautiful chapel-style gate, so be sure to take a picture.

First opening its doors as a pizza restaurant in 1969, Giuseppis quickly became an integral part of the Tijuana culinary scene. Serving traditional Italian dishes such as bruschetta, pasta and spaghetti, this chain of restaurants also offers diners a cosy atmosphere to enjoy their meals.

The restaurants are also unique in that it serves traditional Mexican desserts such as chocoflan and corn cake alongside Italian classics like tiramisu. Giuseppis also boasts a large selection of both domestic and European wines for you to pair with your food.

Telefonica Gastro Park is a landmark on the Tijuana culinary landscape. Your mouth will water at the span of food truck options and stands from which to choose, ranging from signature pizzas to vegan dishes to one-of-a-kind tacos.

The establishment features a laidback atmosphere along with live music and outdoor seating, making it a great spot to visit with family or friends. Don’t miss out on the wide selection of craft beer and cocktails, including sangria and micheladas, which put Telefonica Gastro Park on the map.

Dine at the Norte Brewing Company and you’ll enjoy your meal at a restaurant that’s casually known as Tijuana’s Penthouse because of the prime location of its dining rooms. It’s well known, in particular for its craft beers and features its own brewery and tap room.

The restaurant and brewery also regularly showcase music and other events to add a bit of ambience to your meal. With views over Tijuana and a range of culinary options that are a blend of Mexico and the United States, the restaurant is a sure bet for those looking for casual, yet delicious dining. Try a glass of the Coco Club or the Green Ranger for a unique taste.

Mission 19 is a true culinary icon on the Tijuana restaurant scene. It offers dishes that bring together influences from all over Mexico and Baja California and stretching as far as the Mediterranean and Japan. 

Featuring dishes as varied as foie gras, tuna parfait and duck confit, the restaurant also serves unique takes on traditional Mexican dishes such as tacos and ceviche. You can also pair your meal with a refreshing cocktail or glass of domestic or imported wine set against an elegant backdrop that will add that extra touch to your experience. If you’re not sure what to try, order a tasting menu to sample the chef’s best.

Cabanna Restaurant offers guests a unique fusion of both Mediterranean and Mexican flavours. With seafood options, mouthwatering meat dishes and vegetarian platters, you’ll want to come time and time again to try it all. 

The restaurant serves traditional Mexican dishes influenced by a touch of European, including tacos made with powerful flavours. Plus, it features a stylish outdoor terrace along with a chic indoor setting to make your culinary experience something special. Cabanna is located next to one of the biggest parks in Tijuana and within the Paseo Chapultepec shopping centre.