San Diego’s Best Mexican Restaurants: Las Cuatro Milpas
On any respectable list of San Diego’s best Mexican food you will find Las Cuatro Milpas. This busy restaurant in the Barrio Logan district has been operating since the 1930s. Las Cuatro Milpas feels like your stepping back in time.
http://www.las-cuatro-milpas.com/
- Type: Taco Stand
- Location:
- What to Order: Taquitos, Tamales, Burritos, Rice and Beans
- Salsa Bar: 1 star
- Drinks: canned and bottled soda
- Prices:
- Fish Taco: N/A
- Burrito: $5
- 2 Beef Taco Plate: N/A, $1.50 for an individual taco, $3 for rice and beans
Las Cuatro Milpas was opened in 1933 by the Estudillo family. The family continues to run the restaurant today. Most menu items (and the décor) has remained through the generations.
The location is in Barrio Logan right off Interstate 5 by the Coronado Bay Bridge. You can check out our full guide to the historic Barrio Logan neighborhood, one of San Diego’s classics.
The name Las Cuatro Milpas translates to four cornfields in Spanish. The restaurant is definitely known for its tortillas. However, despite the name, the flour tortillas earn just as much recognition as the corn ones. In 2019 Bon Appetit magazine did an entire article praising the flour tortillas at Las Cuatro Milpas.
The exclusive Michelin Guide website highlights only 23 restaurants in San Diego, Las Cuatro Milpas makes the list (this is not the same as a Michelin star, Addison received the first such star for a San Diego restaurant in 2019)
The secret is definitely out about Las Cuatro Milpas and the lines definitely reflect that. We try and only go on weekdays at either mid-morning or after the lunch rush.
It took years for us to take our kids to Las Cuatro Milpas. The restaurant closes at 3 PM and is not open on Sundays. I try and avoid it on Saturday and during summer time so it wasn’t until October 2019 that our daughter insisted we take here there.
Our daughter actually did not mention Las Cuatro Milpas by name. Instead she tried some leftover beans in the refrigerator and demanded we take her to wherever we got those beans from. Of course, it was Las Cuatro Milpas.
So, on one of her days off school, we took her down to Barrio Logan. I think she was impressed even though there was a long line (20 minutes) and the restaurant is more run-down than her typical teenage haunts.
For visitors from out-of-town it is important to note that Las Cuatro Milpas may not be your best bet for a Mexican experience. It is unique but it is definitely not fancy.
You wait in line, grab a tray and order at the counter. Your food is delivered faster than at your average McDonald’s. You pick your soda and pay at the end of the counter. It is cash only.
The seating area is very large with several rooms. This includes seating basically in the kitchen by the machines for making tortillas.
The menu is bare bone and everything is very inexpensive. Supposedly they have beef sometimes, but the only two proteins we have tried are chicken and shredded pork.
Basically, you can get a burrito for $5, a tamale or taco for $1.50 or a rolled taco for $1. They also have a chorizo con huevo and menudo soup on Sundays.
The rice and beans are served in a bowl and are a must try. Just ask my daughter! For $5 you can get rice, beans and a tamale. The tamale is placed in the bowl with the rice and beans.
There is no salsa bar and instead you can pick small containers of hot sauce from the counter. This sauce is hot! I love hot sauce but to me this was almost overwhelming. I use it sparingly.
Personally, I love Las Cuatro Milpas, but am hesitant about taking people from out-of-town here. I am not a fan of the trendy taco shops popping up all over. I also do not like the touristy sit-down restaurants in Old Town. However, I can see people being put off by Las Cuatro Milpas.
If you are the adventurous type definitely give Las Cuatro Milpas a try. Just bring cash and remember it closes early. If the line looks too long you can head down to the street to excellent Salud! This is a trendy, modern place but the food is very good. We have ended up here several times when our original attention was Las Cuatro.
Be sure and check out our regularly updated guide to the best Mexican places in San Diego.
