San Diego-Old Town Outdoor patio restaurant still there-Good?

[nini]

We will stay in San Diego overnight before leaving on MR cruise in December. On our honeymoon in 1976, we went to Old Town in San Dieggo for lunch and ate outdoors at the restaurant in Old Town. What is the name of it, is it still good? We want to take our two daughters there. Or are there other suggestions? Thanks!

[iamirish]

Do you remember what type of food?

 

Can you tell me something about the Restaurant?

 

Tom

[Splinter]

Vitually none of the restaurants within the park that were there in 1976 are still there. The Old Town Mexican Cafe is actually outside the park, and has been there that long, but I doubt you are describing their patio, which is fully enclosed.

 

I suspect you are talking about the former Casa de Pico (now in La Mesa) within the Bazaar del Mundo (now the Casa de Reyes in the renamed Plaza del Pasado), or the Casa de Bandini (now called the Cosmopolitin).

 

Both closed when Diana Powers lost her lease to run the concessions inside the park, and it was given over to New York's Delaware North megacorporation instead which has ruined the former fun, ambience, style, good service and food. You can still eat outdoors at the Casa de Guadalajara (just outside the park and owned by Diane Powers) or at the Delaware Corp's replacement restaurants above, but the food/service/ambience is not what you will remember.

 

You can find information about most of the restaurants in Old Town here:

 

http://www.oldtownsandiegoguide.com/restaurants.html

[nini]

To iamirish- The restaurant was Mexican with great margaritas.

Splinter- It probably was in the Bazaar del Mundo. I believe you could eat inside, but most people ate outside under umbrella tables. It was still there in the 80's because we visited there with family.

For both of you--- Any suggestions? We will be staying at the Marriott at Liberty Station for our pre-cruise night; will not have a car, but can use public transportation. We are more a rum and vodka family (mojitos, mai tais, pina coladas) but when I was able to drink tequila, we sure enjoyed that restaurant. Thanks!

[iamirish]

Casa de Pico or Casa de Bandini --- do either of them look familiar?

 

Tom

[Splinter]

If you are staying at Liberty Station, I would probably just recommend Miguel's in the Shelter Island area for a decent Mexican meal. They do have a patio and a view of the boats in the marina on Shelter Island.

 

Old Town Mexican Cafe has fine food and big margaritas, but its patio does not have the ambience you will remember from Bazaar del Mundo.

[nini]

It is difficult to say......... however, Casa De Pico looks like that may be it. I appreciate the help!

[yogi2929]

It wasn't Casa de Bandini. This was (is?) located in a building outside the Plaza del Mundo area.

[LuAnn]

La Pinata in Old Town on Juan Street...it has been there for years and is our favorite...just down from the area in the state park where you ate before...LuAnn

[nklpikl]

Casa Guadalajara has the absolute best mexican food I have ever had. It is in old town. bazaardelmundo dot com /guad2006 dot shtml

[CrabbyHarper]

We ate at the Fandango restaurant in Old Town on Oct 29, 2008. We ate in their outside patio and enjoyed it very much. I thought the margaritas were superb!

 

We also ate at Old Town Mexican Cafe, and Coyote Cafe. Both of these are just outside of Old Town and have great food, but I thought the margaritas and the ambience were better at Fandango.

[nini]

Thank you to all of you. I know we will recognize it when we go to Old Town. I appreciate all responses, it gives me a good idea of what to look for, especially if we are bewildered when actually looking for the restaurant. Then we will have excellent recommendations. It is special for us; I was born in San Diego and honeymooned there and now we can take our grown daughters there.

[jenphan]

I went to Old Town to celebrate my 21st birthday 3 months ago ... the restaurant had outdoor patio with shade. there was delicious mexican food especially the mexican pizza. and i had my first and best margarita yet! it was called the Cafe Coyote just a few blocks from the shopping center.

[Splinter]

This is the Cosmopolitan Hotel (formerly the Casa de Bandini):

 

 

This is the old Bazaar del Mundo where the Casa de Pico restaurant was (now the Plaza de Paseo):

 

[Splinter]

Let's try this again: Casa de Bandini: