Mariscos German, San Diego

San Diego was a great change in weather and scenery, and I left at the perfect time. Just when it was about to start to snow in Ottawa, I was on a plane to warm and sunny San Diego. It was about 85 °F on most days, and I couldn't have asked for better weather.

Prior to visiting San Diego, I attempted to do research on where to go to find good fish tacos. I was seeking for a place that would not only provide good food but a unique experience as well.

I nailed it down to Mariscos German. With a few good reviews and no website, I decided to take my chance and venture there.

Mariscos German is a festive little restaurant that is shaped like a boat, and easy to spot. When I pulled up, their juke box was playing loud mariachi music, and locals driving in for take-out had Spanish music blaring from their cars. I was a little intimidated to walk in because it seemed like I was crashing this huge Spanish fiesta, but as soon as I stepped into the brightly painted restaurant, I was greeted warmly.

When the time came to order, I didn't know what to get because the entire menu was in Spanish. Luckily, a restaurant I had been to in Cabo, Mexico last year had some similar items, so there were some words I recognized such as "pescado". I was in the mood for fish tacos that night, so I put two and two together and ordered the pescado taco. The waitress recommended the mariscada taco, so I ordered that as well. To help quench my thirst, I ordered a tamarind drink.

Before my dinner, I was served a camarón y pescado caldo, a shrimp and fish soup, in a styrofoam cup. The broth was a flavorful blend of seafood. I squirted some lime in it, and downed it quickly. I really enjoyed it!

When my tacos came out, I was excited. This baja street snack looked just like I imagined. On the left is the mariscada taco, and on the right is the pescado taco. Both tacos were served on fresh griddle cooked corn tortillas.

Right before I was about to dig into my tacos, the waitress brought over two bottles of hot sauces (separate from the ones displayed on the table) and warned me that they were really really hot. I poured the hot sauce over my tacos, and understood clearly what she meant.

The pescado taco were strips of deep fried battered fish with cabbage and tomatoes with white sauce drizzled over top. It was made really well, and did not feel heavy and greasy at all.

The mariscada taco was a combination of sautéed fish, shrimp, scallops, octopus, and veggies. The portions didn't look big, but the fish taco filled me up really quickly, and I was barely able to finish the mariscada taco.

I definitely recommend this place for their tacos. It's a nice casual place to sit back and enjoy your food the messy way.

I noticed that most of the locals ordered the caldos. The little bit that I tasted definitely seemed like it was worth buying.