Tapanco

I really really like this place. The owner Alfredo is incredibly friendly and will at some point come to your table to say hi and make sure everything is OK. If not… bada-​bing, «Why Not!?» he will exclaim and go to the ends of the Earth to make sure you enjoy your meal. Nothing is out of the question — off menu orders are celebrated! Their fire-​roasted molcajete salsa is made table side from grilled tomatoes, garlic, onion, cilantro and chilis and is to die for. Wrap that up in their handmade flour tortillas with some guac and that could be your dinner. Their lazy-​Susan salad bar comes with every entrée and is a nice, fresh option. They serve it with cilantro/​jalapeño olive oil dressing and a tequila/​basil dressing which are both phenomenal. The fish is great, the meats are bomb… it’s hard to go wrong here. Very very cool design and architecture as well… I like to sit up top in the summer and watch the sunset while I enjoy a beer and that delicious salsa. Oh, and please try Alfredo’s homemade ice cream… he makes funky flavors like strawberry-​basil and tres leches but all of them are GREAT!

A pretty disappointing experience, overall, but I might try again.
The highlights: parking attendant made life simple. We ate upstairs, which has an amazing view of the ocean, a bar and a lady making fresh tortillas. The squash and corn soup tastes great and the «salad bar» brought to our table was a blast! We tried all the dressings, all the veggies were very fresh. The margaritas were good and the beer was cold. My husband enjoyed his combo plate with rice and beans. Chips were great, a little greasy, and the salsa was excellent.
Now, where I had hoped for more: I would have liked hot soup, not cool. My friend and I ordered rare lamb. I can’t imagine the charcoal briquette that would come out if we had asked for well done! Sadly, the lamb, the venison and especially the very-​black quail were all very overcooked. We ate what we could. The calamari that came with my friends order was actually in a dish of melted butter, so a bit too greasy for her taste, but it was also oddly spongy in consistency, not like calamari steaks we’ve had elsewhere.
The sour cream with the baked potato was spoiled and separated.
I think we may have ordered incorrectly. I noticed that all the local families dining there that day had ordered off the Combo plate portion of the menu, not the grilled meats section… Maybe they knew something we tourists didn’t?
Lots of good places in Rosarito though, today this place wasn’t one.
I hope the owner sees this so he knows how his food was prepared/​served; it’s probably not what he had in mind.

Great place to eat, but don’t order the steak. Seriously, you’ll be disappointed.
Great ambiance and we’ve been please with everything in the past… except the steak. Normally you get great service too. Tonight wasn’t like that.
I asked my server for their best, most tender steak and got a very tough piece of over cooked meat with no flavor. (I’ve experienced this before, but wanted to give their steak one lasy try. Ooops.) Disappointing for a $ 20 steak.
The server never came back to check, so I nibbled around the edge, shared my wife’s delicious shrimp, and saved the rest of my steak for my neighbor’s dog. This was a steak that actually needed A1 steak sauce. (This is a great no-​no for me. Steak sauce is only to cover the flavor of a bad steak.)
When someone did come by, it was the guy who makes the tasty table side salsa. I let him know that the meat wasn’t satisfactory, but no one came back to the table again to fix it. Our server didn’t even bring the check so I couldn’t let him know.
When we left, I let the manager know that tonight was a miss, but we’d be back to try again. The manager is a good guy and we really like the place and do plan to come back.
Strangely, the owner was waiting for me right outside and proceeded to tell me that I don’t know Mexican steak and that I just ordered the wrong cut. I told him I’d order the filet mignon next time so he’d feel better. Remember, we like the place. I think he’d be better served by educating his waiters, rather than accosting unhappy patrons on their way out. Or at least talk to me at my table, not outside.
I was disappointed that he didn’t seem concerned about making it right or at least saying sorry that I wasn’t happy with my $ 70 meal. I did find it strange that he was literally waiting for me outside the door instead of coming to the table. I guess everyone has an off night.
(For the record, I live in Baja and buy different cuts of steak from my local carniceria and prepare them accordingly at home to get either tender or tasty meals. You just have to know how to prepare that particular cut. I didn’t want to offend the owner by giving suggestions for how to prepare different cuts. He seemed like a nice guy and I didn’t want to embarrass him. I’m disappointed that he wasn’t as concerned about my feelings. Meh!
Other than the steak, you’ll have a great meal!

We enjoyed dinner at the restaurant and went next door to their coffee shop to have dessert and coffee. Do yourself a favor and have your dessert next door at the coffee shop, it’s super cute. I had the combination #3 which I enjoyed and the hubs had a ribeye with shrimp. He asked for it to be cooked medium but it was overcooked. Will ask for it medium rare next time. Loved the table side molcajete salsa and the personal lazy Susan salad bar. Overall loved the décor and liked the food. Prices are typical for the type of restaurant but not overpriced. Had great margaritas! We’ll return for sure.

Great local food and Tourist safe — friendly and good staff.

We had two meals in five days; the quail, and more quail, US (Alaskan?) Halibut, Rack of Lamb and combo #3 were out of this world. Service is attentive, margaritas are great; it’s the place to go. What is embarrasing is we’ve been down to Rosarito for years and just found this place.

Beyond great food, the entire meal experience was excellent. The have someone helping outside with parking, fresh made salsa at your table and an freshly made tortillas right in the center of the restaurant. And if you have a sweet tooth you must try the home made ice creams, sweet potato was the favorite at our table.

I would eat here every opportunity I get when I’m in the area because their food and service is amazing. The freshly ground handmade salsa is incredible to the freshest salad and condiments you can imagine. You must try the filet mignon because it is as good as it gets! So tender and flavorful. The restaurant might be a little bit more pricey for the area in Mexico but trust me it is 100% worth it and I would come here every day if I could make it.

Alfredo, Mr. «Why Not» is the owner. He is a great guy and provides the best steaks in Rosarito. He used to be a waiter at El Nido in Rosarito and whenever you asked for something not on the menu he would say, «why not». Hence, Mr. Why Not.
He opened his restaurant several years ago has always provided excellent food and service.
I would highly recommend.

We got the rib eye steak which includes baked potato, vegetables, soup and salad. Great salsa and softest flour tortilla great seasonings. For the salad they had ranch, papaya with balsamic oil, blew cheese, basil and guava salad dressings.

Excelente lugar para un desayuno en ambiente relajado con comida muy bien preparada
Me sorprendio la rapidez con que nos sirvieron nuestra orden.
Recomiendo la machaca de venado con huevo, deliciosa.

Make sure you make a reservation in the garden! Really romantic place perfect lighting. I really liked the food here. A local from rosarito recommended this place and thank God he did. In your in this area please stop by. Awesome customer service. Food is all organic. Baja is a hidden Gem.

oh Tapanco, WHY NOT?
we are regulars are Tapanco, their food is amazing and their service, even better. I am not a huge soup fan but every soup i have tried there has been incredible! Also their salad/​salad presentation is unparalleled, like a small salad bar brought straight to your table. If you are there or at their sister restaurant in town, El Nido, make sure to try the Pina Colada with tequila, SO GOOD!

Loved this restaurant. Lots of ambiance and great food. The carne asada and homemade tortillas are everything. Service was excellent. Employees are incredibly nice. The salad platter is an excellent idea… So many different dressings to chose from! Only thing I didn’t really enjoy was the enchilada (sauce wasn’t to my personal preference) other than that, great selections! And don’t forget about the desserts!!! cheesecake and tiramisu are a must!!!

One of my favorite restaurants in Rosarito. Their service is the best, the drinks generous and the owners attitude «Why not! is awesome.
Their food is great and for an upscale dining experience in a unique setting you will not be dissipointed.

The service is great! The food is excellent. Will come back the next time I’m in town.

Loved it there! Was only in Rosarito for two nights and ended up having dinner there both nights! The service is amazing! The soup of the day was delicious both nights! First night was a bean soup and the second was tortilla soup. The salad lazy Susan is perfect with every dressing better than the next! Fried cheese for two is simple and delicious! The fresh made tortillas are served hot and endless! The ribeye was amazing and cooked perfectly. The baked potato on the side was even delicious!!! Make sure to get the three milk cake because it’s perfection!

Un perfecto lugar para desayunar. Te reciben con una rebanada de pan tostado con mantequilla y deliciosa mermelada de la casa, cuyos sabores varían. Las tortillitas de harina son hechas al momento, la salsa es de molcajete, el café de olla y el juguito de naranja es natural ¿a poco no suena todo delicioso?
Mi platillo favorito es la machaca de res con huevo y chilaquiles, lo sirven bien reportadito. Todos los desayunos salados tienen como guarnición frijoles y papas.
El restaurante es amplio, tienen la opción de comer en el interior, patio o terraza techada. En lo personal prefiero el patio ya que me parece muy relajante el sonido de la fuente. El ambiente del lugar es familiar y muy acogedor.
Sin duda hasta ahora es mi lugar favorito para desayunar en Rosarito.

Do not buy the lamb chops. For $ 17.99 we got 4 lamb chops 1 quarter inch thick size of a silver dollar. When we looked at the dinner plate we all laughed. My husband is the type of person that doesn’t complain. we just don’t go back to that restaurant ever again. The head chef should be ashamed of himself to place that size of lamb chops on a dinner plate. In addition we ordered the the ribeye steak for $ 17.99 it was so tough that I had to split some of the steak out of my mouth. The fish we ordered was a child sized portion. I don’t recommend this restaurant

No volveria jamás, muy similar al nido al cual tampoco volvería… Lo unico bueno fue las tortillas de harina y la vista al mar

Muy buen ambiente familiar & agradable pars compartir en family y amigos caundo Anden cerca pasan a conoserlo cuando fuimos nos atendio Olivia Muy amable todo el lugar se siente comodo y con Ganas de bolver otra veZ… Place is really good food was excellent we would defiantly going again :) parking is out side on the st. They take credit cards or cash they have the restaurant and the café on the side pretty comfy & inviting give it a try if you R in town

Loved this restaurant and ate way too much! We came on a Monday evening in Feb, pretty quiet. There were other customers but not crowded. Service was super attentive to the point that any time our heads were looking around to take in the décor, they would ask us if we needed anything. Great cheese for two with chorizo, super salad with 6 different dressings, nice smoked Tbone for $ 19! Perfect dinner for us except they were out of tres leches cake!
Easy to get to just about three miles south of Rosarito Beach Hotel on the beach side of the street. Easy parking — there’s an attendant that watches your car. You can’t miss the sign after you pass the second Oxxo in Popotla. If you see a third one, you’ve gone too far. We would definitely come back! Maybe for breakfast. They are open from 8am-​10pm every day!

Vamos a ser claros, si no tienes un hambre de oso, es mejor que tomes las cosas con calma y preguntes al mesero sobre platillos con porciones no muy grande, porque todo es tan rico que seria una verdadera pena que no te termines todo. Yo la primera vez que fui a este lugar fue por invitación de mi ensenandense amigo El Moncho quien me habia comentado que los cortes de carne el el sitio eran simplemente espectaculares asi que pues nos lanzamos.
Al entrar te sientes como en un poblado del salvaje oeste, toda la decoración y construccion corresponden a ese concepto, al ordenar tu comida minutos despues llega un carro de servicio con otrro mesero que prepara frente a ti en tu mesa una verdadera salsa de molcajete en la que puedes elegir en nivel de picante que deseas, esa salsa es simplemente espectacular, de ahi empiezan a llegar los tiempos de la comida que si elijes alguno de los cortes viene acompañado de sopa, ensalada y tortillas de harina o maiz. provecho

Tapanco is the cousin restaurant to El Nido and is better in my opinion. It’s located outside of town and is much smaller. They have the same atmosphere and ambiance. And they have Alfredo the owner who is always around and makes sure that his customers are having a good time.
The meats are good and gamey, but specifically the salsa is the best. They have a cart that goes table to table and prepares fresh salsa with a molcajete. There is nothing that compares. Meals include a cream tortilla soup and a buffet style salad is brought to your table.
The are known for preparing their meats in a stone oven. They also make fresh tortillas in the dining room. They also have the traditional Mexican fare along with breakfast, but either way you go, you won’l lose.

This place was recommended on one of my day trips to Baja by a couple surfers from SD. They said it’s nice for a really good dinner if you are looking for something a bit more upscale. The restaurant was then recommended by a friend who ventures down to Baja often. I looked it up and of course it had great reviews on TripAdvisor and Unilocal so we made a reservation (yes, I suggest making one here… especially on busy weekends).
When we got there they actually had an issue with the reservation and couldn’t find it at first. Took a few minutes and then they seated us. I had requested to be seated next to the waterfall outside as I had read that was an optimal location. They sat us outside next to it but not facing it. Still nice but would have loved to actually see the waterfall.
The décor was very nice. They used tree branches woven into one another across all the walls. Dimly lit and very romantic.
First we ordered the mushroom appetizer and the fried cheese appetizer. Both phenomenal! Best part of the meal.
Then we had the salad bar which came out on a lazy susan. Very fun way to bring out salad. All the dressings were delish! Also we each got a soup… that night it was cream of poblano and it was very good!
The fresh salsa they made and the chips and tortillas were so good! Especially the tortillas, they were so good and fresh they almost melted as you bit into them.
For the main I ordered the salmon. It was really juicy and flavorful. Enjoyed it very much but was not that into the sides it came with — some steamed veggies and baked potato. Ok though since we had already eaten so much.
Overall I left very happy and full. Would love to come back again.