Johnny Mañanas

breakfast lunch or dinner. place rips. go on a weekend day take you kids and listen to live music and eat. place feels like you are home!

Alfonso and the entire crew are great. Been coming here for 25 + years or more if you count my husband — the #42 chicken burrito with pinto beans is the best. Their red salsa is yummy!!!

Most terrible place stay away. Shady, disgusting, old, smelly. Toilets are outrageously horrendous. Needs upgrades. Karma is a ****

Come here if you want to get HIV. I literally found a hair on my food and there was poop on the toilet. Very hot and nasty

Good Mexican restaurant with a pretty good selection of food and beer. Great seaside location with family friendly outdoor seating. Colette was my bartender and she was very attentive and friendly. Great selection of Mexican style mixed drinks and of course beer. Has a sister restaurant next door if you are looking for a more formal inside experience. Outdoor experience was good for me and really made me feel like I was on vacation at the beach rather than on a lunch break from work.

This spot is the absolute best in Oceanside! Loved the outdoor seating area. The place offers live music at times. Beers, vegan burritos, and homemade salsa is the bomb!

I will be honest this was not my first choice of places to eat. Some friends and i, were in Oceanside enjoying a Sunday afternoon. We had a bad experience at a different restaurant down the street to the point that we walked out. And lucky us, we found Johnny Mananas!
Walking by it looked like a hole in the wall. We were hungry and decided to stop in. And you know when you walk into a Mexican restaurant and they have a sign that says CASH ONLY that the food will be good. This place did not disappoint. I got a big plate of nachos for around $ 7. I could not even eat the whole plate.
At the counter while scanning the menu to make my food choice, the lady taking customers orders was smiling and singing a song while swaying her hips. She was so pleasant. it was refreshing. After placing my order, I sat down and saw the staff greet several people by name and also knew what their order would be. This is a good sign.
The food was tasty and the pricing was decent. There were quite a few people streaming in and going to sit outside in their patio area. I wanted to try their bloody mary, I saw it being served to someone else. It was neat to see that one of the beers that they serve is Primo beer which is a Costa Rican beer. On one of the walls they had a Costa Rican map. It reminded me of when i lived in Costa Rica… and drank Primo beers near the beach.
i will definitely be back to Johnny Mananas! Their tasty nachos and bloddy mary’s are calling my name.

Going on 16 years eating here! July 2000. Good stuff! There is patio seating for large groups.

If this place isn’t authentic I don’t know what is! Delicious, fresh, and no lard, what the heck?! So good!

I love this place, it’s one of my first places I like to visit in Oceanside. From the mimosas & bloody Mary’s to the food, I don’t think you can go wrong here. I love the nachos and the beef is bomb. I was here twice last week and I wish I could remember my bartenders name, she was the sweetest hispanic lady and she made my spicy bloody Mary’s so good!

This place is great! Been coming here for years, so I’ll admit that I am a bit biased. That said, the only real gripe I hear from a lot of people that rings true is the wait. You’re on mañana time when you walk into this place, so be ready for it!
The burritos, tacos, salsa bar and buckets of beers are fantastico! The open-​air patio is a great place to chill with friends and you’ll really feel like you’re in Latin America when you’re back there.
The beer is cheap and cold and the staff treats everyone like family! Johnny Mañana’s is actually Costa Rican fair and they’re more health conscious then other Mexican food spots around town, so you maybe surprised to see yellow rice and black frijoles, but it’s all deliciosa!
Pro tip: mix the green and red salsas. The green is VERY hot, but a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ mix is money!

I used to come here 20 years ago when I lived in
used to be great. I was disappointed and had the runs for 2 days after. Great sauce.

Small Little Mex Food restaurant. Very simple. Food was very good, like Nana would cook but not as spicy so add the Hot Green Salsa if you want heat. My Steak Asada Strips and Eggs breakfast was fab! EB had Huevos Rancheros which he said were good (he’s an expert).
They have a little patio and it’s a block from the beach, 2 blocks from the pier.
Will come again when in the neighborhood.
2 Thumbs Up..

The highlight here would be the funky décor and the wonderful service.
Food was not great.
My fish taco plate in fact so bad I sent it back.
Bad fish, horrible tortillas, not a fan of either of their salsas either.
The guys had breakfast burritos, much better, had a bite of my sons and enjoyed it.
Prices and portions are fair, the restaurant pretty run down inside but clean.
Great service makes Johnny Mananas ok, the food is not worth returning for.

The food is so fresh and good. I just love it! They always seem to be understaffed, though. Getting napkins and eating utensils is not necessarily a given, and I’ve been over charged the last two times I’ve been here. When I ask for a receipt, they give me a piece of paper with a total. Doesn’t help to determine exactly how I was overcharged :(

Uh not sure why it takes 40 minutes to get a burrito… but whatever. So many better Mexican food places with much better service. You have your pick of the litter her on Southern Cali, don’t waste your time here

We like this place! It fairly inexpensive, super laid back, very friendly and the food was pretty good.
There are 10.00 Pacifico draft beer pictures too and it’s very very casual.
It’s basically a fast food place

We came across the restaurant after a morning at the beach. The smell of the food is was allured us. The food was great and service was friendly. They had a live DJ which was awesome.
I ordered their chicken quesadilla which was soooo good! My husband ordered their shrimp burrito and he loved it. Their margaritas were also great & for $ 4 bucks!!! You can’t beat that!
I would definitely recommend giving this place a try if you are in the area !! :)

I visit almost every time in Oceanside.
I love Georgina’s veggieguac burrito, and the grilled fish Veracruz.
Charming Top rate service!

This place is classic! It’s the total surfy vibe spot perfect for grinding after surfing. They have Imperial beer too!

Some friends invited us to stay at the Beach Club down the street for the day, and I was craving a brew as we snaked into O-​Side from the 76. We were a few blocks away from the resort when I spied this spot. «Looks like a good place for a cold one» I thought to myself as we drove by. Met up with our friends, and after a few Newcastles, lunch was brought up. «What’s up with that Cantina down the street?» I asked. «Dude they have killer beanandcheese burritos there.» the Homegirl replied. So Wifey, the kids, and the Homegirl walked over there. Not before a few of the others that stayed behind told us to grab them some of those bean burritos to-​go for them on our way back. «Fer sure» said the Wife as we cruised out the door.
We come in, and the décor is cool. Nothing fancy, just as casual as I wanted to be. Menu was big, and lots of items. Nothing traditionally Mexican, but good stuff nonetheless. Wifey ordered the grub, while I corralled the kids in the Cantina out back.
The Cantina out back is pretty chill. Lots of color, room, and shade. Chill peoples grubbin’ and getting their drink on. Still as casual as I want to be. Cool atmosphere.
Wifey and friend sit down with us with our beverages, and a pint of Pacifico w/​lime for me. Chips and salsa as well, although we had to pay for them which I don’t care for, but whatev. The red salsa tasted ok, no heat. The salsa verde was a little better with more heat. Within 5 minutes, our food came out. The Abuelitas that made and served our food were especially friendly.
I ordered the Surf & Turf Burrito, and I’m glad I did. The steak was good quality steak, juicy and tender, grips of flavor. Lots of Guacamole that was pretty bomb. The shrimp wasn’t the best quality that you might expect from a $ 9 burrito, but it was still some good tasting shrimp. I like that they served my burrito with one shrimp on top of it, so that I could sample the shrimp by itself before digging in. The tortilla was standard, but the insides were great!
My Wife got Chicken Nachos. Huge plate of nachos, and the chicken wasn’t bad. Altogether it was a good choice, but the use of actual nacho cheese threw my Wife off. She expected actual cheese. She wasn’t disappointed, just surprised. She ate them anyway. Just so you know, this place uses nacho cheese on their nachos. Who knew? lol
My little boy got a Cheeseburger, as he has been of a Cheeseburger eating streak lately. He loves that there is tomato and lettuce in it. I took a bite. Its an OK burger. He ate half of it, which isn’t bad for a five yr-​old.
My little girl would only eat fries. She likes the fat steak fries that they serve here because they are «soft and delicious», her words. They are indeed quite good as far as fries go.
The Homegirl got a Chicken Burrito. She said it was great, and that she was glad she tried something other than the usual bean burrito thay all always get. She’s a skinny Chica, so it says a lot that she ate more than half of it before wrapping the rest of it up to-​go.
The Iced Tea that my Wife accidentally ordered me was good too. Refreshing, and tasty especially after putting a few limes in it.
The bathrooms were very clean. Older, but clean. We don’t just let our kiddos go potty ANYwhere, but this will do nicely. Picked up the crews to-​go burritos and boned out.
I really dig this spot. Nice Ladies, cool atmosphere, great smells, cold brews, chill as a mofo. Looking forward to returning next time I’m in town.

I stopped in for a michelada… good lord this is absolutely delicious. It has all of the needed ingredients from the Lime, Chile, Clamato, and especially the salted glass rim. It comes in a tall glass and is so refreshing, down to the last drop. If you’re ever in the area, stop in and grab yourself a nice drink!

Johnny mañanas is an awesome restaurant in good olé downtown Oceanside!
I ordered their daily special today which was a two beef taco plate that came with rice and beans. Everything was flavored fine, the beef was nice and tender, the beans are just the way my grandma makes them although the rice was a little bland today. I mean I still ate it though. :)
I also ordered a Michelada this morning it’s like a Bloody Mary but with beer. They use Pacifico beer as the usual choice but I opted for Modelo. It was absolutely delicious.
The service is great! Everyone here is sweet especially the owner. The service is pretty slow on a busy day though. Ordering takes a while as there is only one person taking customers orders.
Thursday evenings they have live bands and a full bar on their patio. I haven’t been but I’ve heard nothing but great things about it.

Gets a little crowded on Sunday when Big Mark is playing. We lucked out and got a table.
Bartender was very backed up and we waited for a bit.
There were a lot of people dancing and enjoying the music.
We didn’t eat anything but have eaten here before. The food is always good and pretty good value.

I was so excited to try this place out for dinner tonight. I had been trying to find some Mexican food to bring back to our hotel room for dinner. We read so many good reviews about the food and we were hungry.
We ordered johnny nachos with chicken. I had the shrimp burrito and my boyfriend got the cali burrito. My burrito was packed with shrimp but not much flavor. The nachos had fresh toppings, delicious homemade chips but they were smothered in bland nacho cheese. My boyfriends burrito had old stale french fries and it was all so underwhelming.
While we were waiting in the restaurant, a women was raving about how good it was going to be. The staff were so sweet and friendly. We ordered to go so maybe that made a difference? Anyway, probably won’t return.

I’m giving this place 3 stars and not 4 because I only stopped in for drinks and didn’t eat. But from my experience I’m sure it would be 4 stars. 4 words: all-​day-​happy-​hour. I was craving a margarita. A real margarita not one just made with mix. I got it here. And it was gggoooooodddd!

Cool chill atmosphere with a performer singing some classics. (Takes requests any song, any artist) Mostly R&B, old school hip hop, pop, etc) 4 stars for the laid back patio starting environment and entertainment.
Ordered a couple tacos. Shredded beef and ground beef with a Pacifico to wash it down. The food gets an average rating of 3 stars. The shredded beef had nice flavor. The ground beef, was had very little if any seasoning.
You have to go up front to order. There are 4 people crammed into a tiny kitchen suited for half the size of this place. Needless to say, the food service times suffer on a busy day. So, if you are not in a hurry and want to chill, this place has the right vibe.

Love, love love this place! Cute little spot right near the waters. I came here with my parents this past Sunday and they loved it! We were greeted and welcomed so kindly. The employees here seemed happy and everyone was working together to create a 5star ambiance! Yes, the good does take a while to come out BUT in all fairness it doesn’t taste like they just took it out of a microwave. Sometimes, we have to learn to wait for a freshly prepared meal, like here at Johnny’s rather than expect McDonald’s fast food service. They played live old school music on Sunday, my mom was in 60’s heaven. She has a wonderful time and I want to thank everyone here for putting the biggest smile on her face :)

A cool laid back open air bar when you can get a cold beer two blocks from the beach. You don’t really get an ocean view here, but I my friends and I usually stop by on one of our bike pub crawls.
While the bar is outside, there is also a place you can sit inside and get Mexican food. It is a casual sit down Mexican, but not with table service. You order at the front and then pick up your food. I have had the tasty breakfast burritos on more than one occasion, but I usually stick to the outside area where the bar is located.
On to the bar! We typically get the micheladas, since that is my favorite way to enjoy a beer on a hot day. Similar to a Bloody Mary, but instead with beer and usually a bit spicier. On our last visit here, the bartender hooked it up by topping off of our mugs with beer after our third order. That was nice of him. They have good specials posted on a blackboard as you walk by too. Seems as if they are the same specials, but they usually have something posted up to draw you in.
A great place to grab some Mexican food or a cold drink while in downtown Oceanside. A must try if you want to spend a lazy day in the area.

Best Mexican Food around! Johnny, and his staff are very friendly and accommodating.
The kitchen is clean and the lady’s cooking are often singing too! Sometimes it’s busy but it’s well worth the wait!
We have been coming here for many years because of the great food and service. Love the tostadas, burritos and enchiladas. The beans are so delicious! Cold beer on tap (could use a couple more choices) and one of the few if not the only places to get Imperial –Costa Rican Beer. Nice relaxing patio area to eat. Highly recommend Johnny’s!

This place has been here for years and there’s a reason for that. They have a pretty chill outdoor patio, the food is decent, close to the beach and the prices aren’t too bad. They have gone up in price but what restaurant hasn’t in the past few years? You’ll see a lot of surfers here and locals especially in the summer. I usually get the fish tacos which are grilled and not breaded or some type of burrito. Okay so this is a hole in a wall but it’s alright for a quick bite to eat.

I love coming here especially if I make a beach day in Oceanside. The line can be very long during certain times but the food is worth the wait.
Fish tacos are to die for and I love their salsa. The owner is super nice and he has very friendly staff.
The restaurant is very beach like so don’t come here dressed up fancy. It is great to come during the day and you can sit outside in the back. Birds might be flying around you but it never bothered me.
So if you had a long day surfing, got sand in your toes or just need a bite to eat this is a place to stop! You can order to go or sit down if there is room. And the Mexican food is pretty affordable. I also recommend you trying the carnesada fries!

I’ve been eating here FOREVER and it has never disappointed! The food is amazing, but you’re going to wait a little while for it. If you are in a rush I suggest you call your order in ahead of time. Everything is delicious, but I especially love their carne asada dishes. Perfectly marinated and cooked every time. Their Carne Asada nachos are my favorite nachos of any Mexican restaurant. They use real melted nacho cheese and it is just to die for! Their beans are delicious (also on the nachos) and so is their pollo asada. They recently changed things up a bit. They are no longer cash only and now accept credit cards. Also, They added a really cute bar, complete with a couple TV’s, to the patio.