South Bay across the I-5 from the tideflats, with Tacos El Gordo on Broadway, El Pollo Grill rotisseries and the Otay Mesa border crossing 20 minutes south for Tijuana taquerias.
Galley at the Marina in Chula Vista is the South Bay marina-front seafood and American restaurant on Marina Parkway since 1995, patio over the slips.
Signature: Beer-battered fish and chips, Mahi mahi fish tacos, Blue Point oysters
Order: The World Famous fish and chips; the blackened ahi sashimi to start.
Tip: Weekend brunch starts at 9am; the bar runs a $4 beer happy hour 3-6pm weekdays.
Tacos El Gordo on Broadway in Chula Vista, San Diego, the canonical Tijuana-style adobada trompo carving handmade corn tortillas until 4am on weekends.
Try: Vertical-trompo adobada taco
Tacos El Gordo in Chula Vista, San Diego, the open-until-4am Tijuana-style trompo carving adobada tacos for around three dollars and California burritos.
Try: Vertical-trompo adobada tacos under $4
Tacos El Gordo in Chula Vista, San Diego, the open-until-4am Tijuana-style trompo where the late-night queue runs out the door for adobada and suadero.
Try: Vertical-trompo adobada tacos, suadero, cabeza