Great traditional Mexican food
Outstanding Mexican food and great hot chips for the most reasonable price. Very very family friendly. Yummy enchiladas suiza, guacamole, and enchiladas verde as well as very fresh chips and perfect beans and rice.
Favorite for Mexican
Our family members visit Tio Leo's often. The prices are quite reasonable and we really enjoy the food. If someone were to ask which Mexican restaurant is my favorite, I'd say Tio Leo's.
Excellent Mexican food
So far this is the best Mexican food I have ever had. It is always a treat to Visit Tio Leos.
So far no problems with service for the last 18 years we have been visiting.
too bad there isnt one in Temecula.
Casual, relaxed atmosphere.
Good Old Time Restaurant
This restaurant is a classic in San Diego. No, it's not super high class or upscale, but it's authentic Mexican food. Most of the reviews below seem very harsh to me. There was nothing wrong with the chips and salsa - very good. Good beans and rice. They have a healthy choice menu, and my veggie burrito was awesome. My boyfriend said the ground beef needed seasoning, but our friends' eggplant tacos were seasoned perfectly. Don't mind the 80s decor and don't drive after two of the margaritas!!
Terrible. Go to Albertos instead.
My husband and I had a weeknight dinner there. They sat us directly across from a bus station, so we had a lovely view of people's old crusty plates and lipstick-y glasses. And the industrial rubber mat with food all caught in it. Food was terrible. The coating on my relleno tasted like an old cellulose sponge. My husband's bean-and-cheese burrito was as good as you get at a dive like Roberto's, but a good $4 more. When you see this place, just keep driving.
once every 18 years is enough
took my kids there to show them where i ate in college, the food was bland, the service was terrible my kids thought it was a dump, and i had to agree 18 years ago it didn't seem so bad, but i think that was the last time they cleaned the place. wouldn't eat there again, ever.
Terrible Service and Subpar Food
Tio Leo's was definitely an unforgettable experience, but not because of it's quality; instead, we will remember this "Mexican food" restaurant for it's dank, loud, dirty environment and the bland, flavorless burritos and chimichangas.
When we walked in the door, the "greeting" desk was occupied by three people, all of who stared at us blankly until I relieved the awkwardness by saying, "We'd like to eat here...." This type of emptiness and attitude continued throughout the evening, making one feel completely anonymous and uncomfortable.
My chimichanga was not deep fried, the salsa tasted like ketchup, and the water smelled like mildew. As my girlfriend said, "This is exactly like the Mexican food places connected to truck stops." Plus, it was expensive.
Avoid at all costs. This place is unacceptable and is inappropriate even for Wyoming, let alone San Diego.
Worst Mexican Food I've Ever Had
My husband and I stopped at Tio Leo's yesterday for lunch. We noticed that the parking lot was nearly empty and when we walked in, despite only one customer, it took a while for the hostess to stop chatting with another employee and come to seat us. We nearly left - we should have, but we were starving. We were promptly brought a basket of hot chips and bland salsa. The chips were really good, not at all greasy, but the salsa was nondescript bottled stuff. We noticed that the combo meals seemed to be overpriced, and opted for the ala carte menu. My beef and bean burrito was good-sized, but topped with a thin, watery, completely tasteless orange sauce and a very skimpy sprinkling of cheese. Even the three shriveled black olives on the side didn't have any taste. My husband's chicken enchilada was tiny, with the same day-glo orange "sauce" on it. He ordered a side of Spanish rice, also bland and tasteless. After a few bites, I asked for a box and brought the rest home. With a healthy dose of Tabasco and a good sprinkling of Hatch chili, it made an at least edible lunch today. The service was okay, but we were the only people in the restaurant for most of the time. It wasn't very clean either. There was sauce splattered all over the mini-blinds at our booth. Restroom was atrocious. I was surprised by the positive reviews here, but noticed that two were from 2004, and one from 2006. Maybe the place was better then. You can make better burritos with Old El Paso beans and sauce than this place makes. I've had more authentic and better tasting "Mexican" food at the Chi Chi's in Cleveland.
