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Inside Bar  - El Sueño, San Diego, CA

El Sueño

4.3 (245)
$30 and under
Mexican
2836 Juan St, San Diego, CA 92110-2713

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 63 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Charming
  • Good for groups
Coming Soon to Open Table!

Vibrant Mexican Food and Craft Cocktails.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican, Sushi
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–11:30 pm Happy Hour Mon, Wed–Fri 3:00 pm–6:00 pm Tue 11:30 am–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual

What 245 people are saying

El Sueño reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.3
4.3 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.2Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
El Sueño offers a vibrant dining experience with "great food and atmosphere." The restaurant is praised for its "amazing service" and "delicious" tacos. Guests love the "cool atmosphere with a floral outdoor patio" and "energetic" music. Some concerns include service inconsistencies and seating arrangements, but many diners plan to "definitely come back."

245 Reviews
  1. Alyssa

    Dallas1 review

    5.0

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was amazing, our server was so kind, we loved the vibe!

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  2. Danielle

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our waitress was also the bartender, Maile. We had a great experience thanks to her. She knew the menu well, had great recommendations and the food was tasty! Ambience is super cute and Malie is an amazing bartender! Will definitely be back!

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  3. Crystal

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 27, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    There was fast service and amazing food. I enjoyed it very much and price was worth it. They have the best enchiladas ever.

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  4. Maddie

    San Diego3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was great, fresh and fast, music was amazing, and the drinks were so yummy! I will definitely be back!

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  5. Ayah

    Los Angeles2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 20, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 2
    Service was good but food wasn’t anything special. The music didn’t match the vibe & the seating was awkward. Wouldn’t really come back

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  6. Emely

    San Diego1 review

    1.0

    Dined on April 16, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    it was ok but will not be coming back . It seemed like everyone there had attitudes , no music at all

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  7. Elizabeth

    San Diego2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 14, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Loved the ambiance on a Sunday evening. The food was delicious as were the drinks. Will definitely go back so I can try a different dish.

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  8. April

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I loved the food, the decorations, the staff was super friendly, food was a bit of a wait because they are very busy. However, wait time is definitely made up by the amazing service of the people who work there. They care about your event, they ask what you’re celebrating and they make it fun and unique. Don’t be afraid to ask for drinks that are not necessarily on the menu! Loved it! Will be coming back soon!

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  9. Steve VIP

    New Mexico5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and atmosphere, however a little pricy for what it is. I had the mole wings and Waygu burger!

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  10. Phil VIP

    Los Angeles13 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on April 12, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    Disappointed Doesn’t Even Cover It. We were seated early—which was the highlight of the night. Unfortunately, it went downhill fast. When we asked if the kids’ burrito could be made with black beans instead of pinto, the waiter flat-out said no—even though black beans were clearly listed on the menu. What the actual hell? When my wife said we needed a minute to look over the menu, he took that as a cue to disappear for twenty. We never got our drinks. To make matters worse, they sat us directly under blaring EDM speakers. Not only was the music objectively terrible, but putting young kids right under pounding speakers? Come on. When I finally went to ask the waiter what was going on, he gave a weak apology and basically told us we could “just go.” So we did. The fresh guacamole and honey butter tortillas were the only bright spot—two stars for that and that alone. But everything else left a bad taste in our mouths. We were really looking forward to this spot, and we walked away annoyed, hungry, and totally disappointed.

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FAQs

El Sueño is rated 4.3 stars by 245 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Diego
  4. San Diego
  5. Old Town

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 63 times today
Google Map for El Sueño

2836 Juan St, San Diego, CA 92110-2713

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Old Town
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–11:30 pm Happy Hour Mon, Wed–Fri 3:00 pm–6:00 pm Tue 11:30 am–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican, Sushi
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Wine
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