• Home
  • About
  • Advertising
  • Digital Archive
  • Contact
    • Letter to the Editor
  • Find us
Sunday, February 17, 2019
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
San Diego Uptown News
  • A&E
    • Art
    • Photography
    • Film
    • Dance
    • Music
    • Books
    • Theater
  • News & Features
    • News
    • Feature
    • Politics
      • Elected Official Reports
        • Chris Ward
        • Mara Elliott
        • Summer Stephan
        • Susan Davis
        • Toni G. Atkins
    • Community Updates
      • Hillcrest Town Council update
      • SD Zoo News
  • Food & Drink
    • Uptown Food Briefs
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Bars & Happy Hours
    • Uptown Brews
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Expert Advice
      • Sponsored links
  • Lifestyle
    • Health & Fitness
    • History
      • PastMatters
    • Homes & Garden
      • HouseCalls
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Parenting
    • Pets
  • Business
    • Best Of Uptown
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
  • Neighborhoods
    • Adams Avenue
    • Balboa Park
    • Bankers Hill
    • Downtown
    • Golden Hill
    • Hillcrest
    • Kensington
    • Mission Hills
    • North Park
    • Normal Heights
    • Old Town
    • South Park
    • Talmadge
    • University Heights
  • Calendar
San Diego Uptown News
  • A&E
    • Art
    • Photography
    • Film
    • Dance
    • Music
    • Books
    • Theater
  • News & Features
    • News
    • Feature
    • Politics
      • Elected Official Reports
        • Chris Ward
        • Mara Elliott
        • Summer Stephan
        • Susan Davis
        • Toni G. Atkins
    • Community Updates
      • Hillcrest Town Council update
      • SD Zoo News
  • Food & Drink
    • Uptown Food Briefs
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Bars & Happy Hours
    • Uptown Brews
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Expert Advice
      • Sponsored links
  • Lifestyle
    • Health & Fitness
    • History
      • PastMatters
    • Homes & Garden
      • HouseCalls
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Parenting
    • Pets
  • Business
    • Best Of Uptown
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
  • Neighborhoods
    • Adams Avenue
    • Balboa Park
    • Bankers Hill
    • Downtown
    • Golden Hill
    • Hillcrest
    • Kensington
    • Mission Hills
    • North Park
    • Normal Heights
    • Old Town
    • South Park
    • Talmadge
    • University Heights
  • Calendar
No Result
View All Result
San Diego Uptown News
No Result
View All Result
Home Food & Drink Bars & Happy Hours

Mexican mojo without the tourists

May 18, 2018
in Bars & Happy Hours, Featured, Food & Drink
0
Mexican mojo without the tourists

Huapangos’ dining room is both stately and colorful. (Photos by Dr. Ink)

13
SHARES
14
VIEWS

By Dr. Ink

If you’re searching for a charming, full-service restaurant to slurp margaritas and nosh on familiar Mexican fare — sans the mariachis and guacamole-crazed travelers intrinsic to Old Town — look no further than Huapangos in Hillcrest.

Located on the vibrant intersection of Fifth and Pennsylvania avenues, the 10-year-old establishment offers a high dose of Spanish Colonial elan that’s rare to this neck of the city.

Huapangos’ dining room is both stately and colorful. (Photo by Dr. Ink)

If the ocean were across the street, this could pass for a restaurant connected to Hotel Hacienda Bajamar in Ensenada. The interior is replete with sturdy, wood tables and ceiling beams, wrought iron chandeliers, and colorful décor that escapes the kitschy style suited for spring breakers.

There are beer banners out front, however. That’s the only demerit I’ll give to the overall design of the property, which also features a welcoming front patio adorned in potted plants.

Numerous drink specials surface during happy hour, which is held seven days a week starting at 6 p.m., with some days lasting until closing.

A margarita flavored with hibiscus (Photo by Dr. Ink)

The discounts offer tequila shots and bottled beer for $4; well drinks, draft beer and house wines for $5; standard margaritas for $6; and flavored margaritas for $6.50.

There are also plenty of cheap eats that rise to the occasion, from albondiga soup and Caesar salad with carne asada to ceviche, chicken empanadas, mussels, and of course, tacos. Served mostly in tapas-size portions, they range in price from $4 to $8.50.

I paired a hibiscus (jamaica) margarita to a decent serving of carnitas nachos. For the drink, my waiter explained the margaritas are premixed, but that right before serving them he spiffs them up with fresh lime juice to offset the sweetness. He also adds a splash of Gold Bar tequila for extra oomph. No objections there.

Indeed, the flavor was pleasingly tart, and the kick was noticeable. I felt limber halfway through the drink, just when my little mountain of nachos arrived.

The chips were draped with tender house-roasted pork, which admittedly tasted a tad fruitier in a couple of carnitas tacos I devoured here previously. Cheese, crema and pico de gallo were in abundance, and the plate was substantial enough to allow me to skip dinner. Not bad for only $6.

Carnitas nachos (Photo by Dr. Ink)

Missing from the equation were complimentary table chips and the restaurant’s famous jalapeno cheese sauce served with them. I’m not sure if that was an oversight or if the addicting chips and sauce are reserved only for guests ordering full meals.

Fortunately, I came away with a bellyful of booze and food for $15 with tax and tip. And for a short while, it felt as though I had been transported to some nice getaway south of the border.

Related Posts

  • British territory in Mission HillsBritish territory in Mission Hills
  • Throwback to 1994Throwback to 1994
  • South Park’s neighborly cantinaSouth Park’s neighborly cantina
  • Coffee? No thanks.Coffee? No thanks.
  • Oggi’s: 27 years laterOggi’s: 27 years later
  • Hard root beer from Lady LuckHard root beer from Lady Luck
SDCNN
Next Post
A look at FilmOut LGBT Festival’s 20th year

A look at FilmOut LGBT Festival’s 20th year

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More from SDCNN:
Mission Valley News: Church celebrates 150 years
Downtown News: ‘Thar she blows!’
Mission Times Courier: A holistic approach to fitness
La Mesa Courier: Report on police incident at Helix draws ire
Gay San Diego: ‘Trans’formation

Follow us on Instagram!

  • The  missionhillslibrary debuted their updated location last month  Community volunteers did a    book pass    at the inauguration  Read more     link in bio         sduptownnews  missionhillshillcrestlibrary  missionhillslibrary  missionhills  hillcrest
  • Have you checked out our latest issue of  sd uptownnews  This week includes news about the opening of the upgraded  missionhillslibrary  a feature  a South Park landlord  and  theoldglobe    diversionarysd theater reviews  Read it all online     link in bio    sduptownnews  sduptown  sandiegonews  uptown  newspaper  hyperlocalnews
  • Venture into the Uptown jungle this week with our feature on  wildisland collective in Normal Heights  Other local coverage includes an update on Honeymoon Bridge restoration plans in Balboa Park and news of North Park   s Red Fox Room closing  Read in print or online  Link in bio         sduptown  sduptownnews  sandiegouptownnews  localnews  localnewspaper  hyperlocal
  • Happy rainy Monday        This issue we covered a transfer in ownership for a Hillcrest Arts staple  previewed the Springboard West Music Festival  told the story of a same-sex couple   a legal parentship battle and more  Visit our website to read the latest  UptownNews  Link in bio
  • After three years as the largest artist collective in San Diego  Creative Crossroads is transferring ownership from founder Aimee Baca to glass artist Dawn Wesalo  Check out our cover story featuring Calypso Collective and take a peek at our new website  link in bio
  • When this year   s North Park Toyland Parade was canceled last minute due to financial difficulties  North Park Main Street  local businesses  community members and others stepped in to save the day  Was all the scrambling and last-minute effort worth it  Read more in Katherine Hon   s latest Past Matters column  up online     website link in bio
  • HAPPY NEW YEAR UPTOWNERS  This year we covered new events  launched a new website  created an Instagram and listened to shared your stories to our community  Thank you for    liking        following    and reading our  UptownNews  What are you looking forward to in 2019  Comment below  we   d love to hear
  • Happy holidays Uptowners  Looking for something to do in  Uptown this weekend or for New Years  Pick up a copy of the latest  UptownNews or visit our website for a calendar of local concerts  shows  happy hours and events
  • Congrats to all of our  BestofUptown 2018 winners  Visit bit ly BestofUptown2018 to view our Facebook album or check our our full list of winners in the latest  UptownNews        BestofUptown2018

© 2019 San Diego Uptown News All rights reserved. San Diego Community News Network (SDCNN).

Navigate our site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Follow us

No Result
View All Result
  • A&E
    • Art
    • Photography
    • Music
    • Books
    • Dance
    • Film
    • Theater
  • News & Features
    • News
    • Politics
      • Elected Official Reports
    • Feature
  • Food & Drink
    • Bars & Happy Hours
    • Uptown Food Briefs
    • Suds in the city
    • Uptown Brews
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Business
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Expert Advice
      • Sponsored Links
  • Lifestyle
    • Health & Fitness
    • Fashion
    • Pets
    • Travel
    • History
  • Neighborhoods
    • Adams Avenue
    • Bankers Hill
    • Balboa Park
    • Old Town
    • Kensington
    • University Heights
    • Normal Heights
    • South Park
    • Mission Hills
    • Community Updates
      • Hillcrest Town Council update
      • HouseCalls
      • SD Zoo News
  • Best Of Uptown
  • Calendar
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertising
  • Archive

© 2019 San Diego Uptown News All rights reserved. San Diego Community News Network (SDCNN).

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In