Lacto
Ovo
Fast food
Take-out
Mexican
Catering
Breakfast
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Grungy cafe popular with youngsters. Features an extensive range of Mexican dishes with some vegetarian options including tacos, burritos, tostadas, and breakfast all day. Vegans to specify no dairy, etc. Large portions. Open Mon-Wed 9:00am-9:00pm, Thu-Sat 9:00am-10:00pm, Sun 9:00am-4:00pm.
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947 E St (at Tenth Ave, downtown), San Diego, California, USA, 92101
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Last update on 17 Jul 2025 by Guest
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84 Reviews
First Review by Nicola1980
LuckyAng
Points +76
Something for everyone - Edit
Very casual counter-order Mexican restaurant. Many vegan options. I can vouch for the chilaquiles and refried beans. Definitely going back.
Read morePros: Satisfying vegan options, Inexpensive
Guest
milesaway
Points +981
Huge portions pretty tasty - Edit
Mexican restaurant with all the classics.
Read morePros: Most things can be made vegan , Clearly labelled
Guest
leestone8
Points +446
Amazing value / portions - Edit
Pictures don't do it justice but they give you huge portions. Food was really tasty and really good value for money. Vegan options were very clearly labelled. My wife had a burrito which was a little bit bland but I had the chimmichanga which was really good. Friendly staff and would definitely recommend.
Read moreCons: Could do with proper cutlery for dining in
Guest
HaikuReview
Points +1139
Haiku Review - Edit
Humongous tacos
Read moreBetter than I thought it’d be
Nice staff.. and salsa
Pros: Many vegan options (including “dairy” products)
Cons: No accessible hot sauce
Guest
MrBanquet
Points +467
Delicious food great atmosphere - Edit
Almost like a dive bar for Mexican food (that’s a compliment!), the vibe is quick, easy, friendly, and obviously super popular with queues out the door half an hour before closing on a Tuesday night.
Read moreHighly recommend the tofu potato mushroom taco- wow! So nicely spiced and balanced, no excess oil. I loved the vegan Machaca burrito which was super juicy and well spiced. The vegan nachos with beyond meat were a naughty and tasty side.
Big thumbs up! Already planning our next visit. Brilliant value for money.
Guest
happycowboy
Points +13
I ❤️ Pokez! - Edit
It's a really cool spot, with great food!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-07-12
Pros: Lots of vegan options, Delicious Mexican food at a great price, Convenient downtown location
Guest
peachenthusiast
Points +151
beautiful. phenomenal. delicious. get the vegan chorizo chimichangas. - Edit
price is unbeatable & serving size is amazing. wish I could give 5 stars even though they aren’t fully vegan
Read morePros: price!!!!, more than ample options
Guest
Jerrboyy
Points +109
Big portions big flavor - Edit
I like that this place has plenty of vegan options because I am often with people who arent vegan and they dont want vegan food. I got the vegan chorizo burrito and it was ginormous! 🌯🌯 i asked for any hotter salsa and they gave me something that was really good my nose was running all day haha. The burrito had a ton of flavor and filled me up and i had enough for leftovers the next day
Read moreGuest
keokani
Points +2384
Good vegan options - Edit
Tofu, Potato and Mushroom Burrito was good and plenty, and I can't wait to try the Vegan Chorizo Burrito next. #Veganuary
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-01-29
Pros: one of a kind
Guest
lost_21
Points +436
Great food! - Edit
Great food and environment. Check out their bakery and coffee shop next door as well. They have vegan cake and baked goods that are amazing
Read moreGuest
WillPost
Points +386
Incredible Mexican Option - Edit
I was a visitor to Pokez from out of town and this was recommend to me by a friend. I'm so thankful they recommended this place to me because the food was amazing!
Read moreOver the course of two nights, I tried the vegan chorizo burrito, the mushroom/tofu tacos, and the potato flautas.
I thought all of them were flavorful and delicious and the portions were H-U-G-E. Also, being just outside the Gaslamp section was super helpful during Comic Con Special Edition because it wasn't super crowded and the service was fast.
I think anyone missing out on this place is totally sleeping on it and would recommend it to anyone coming in from our of town or locals!
I've never had amazing vegan Mexican food before and this blew my mind!
Guest
BrittanyRoseQueen
Points +23
Amazing Mexican Food - Edit
Some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever had. Tons of vegan and vegetarian options. So so so good. Get the vegan chorizo torta
Read morePros: Tons of vegan options, Super yummy, Chill vibe
Guest
ShanChat
Points +177
Vegan Mexican - Edit
It can be kind of hard to find good vegan Mexican food. Pepper and onion fajitas is not a good vegan option in my opinion. In fact I hate onions and strongly dislike peppers, so that is a frequent experience that has me crying on the inside. Luckily... Pokez to the rescue!!! There is a whole section on the menu for us and the staff has always seemed to understand what makes something vegetarian vs. vegan!! Yay!!!! You can go with your meat eater friends too! Something for everyone!! Pokez has my hear and my business!
Read morePros: Options!!!, Crowd pleaser!, Easy to pick up
Cons: Parking?
Guest
Vegtravel4
Points +324
I wanted to like it. But nah - Edit
I enjoy vegan versions of junky or fun foods. So I thought I would like the Pokez take on Mexican favorites. I saw a few reviews saying it was on the junkier side but thought I’d be fine.
Read moreNahhhh. The fajitas were swimming in oil... it was seriously easy to see tablespoons of oil in the bottom. I’m all for oil if it adds flavor, but this was just gross.
The tofu mushroom potato taco tasted extremely bland and was also dripping out the ends with oil.
With so many vegan options today, I wouldn’t spend a meal here, unfortunately. I hope they can update their food to the flavors of 2020. Vegan food has come a long way!
We actually thought it seemed like airport food. :(
Guest
sugz
Points +440
The portions are huge! - Edit
My friend recommended this place a lot, at first glance the menu doesn’t seem to be very vegan but my dish was delicious! Very wholesome cooking, the tofu was perfect and the beans very tasty but my favorite part was the hand made thick tortillas, omg!
Read moreThe portions are so big you could easily share one plate.
Pros: Vegan options , Best corn tortillas in town, Huge portions
Cons: Great location , Friendly staff
Guest
megkamille
Points +840
Not good food - Edit
No flavor at all. I was under the impression that you couldn’t get bad Mexican food in San Diego but I guess I was wrong.... genuinely awful. Me and my boyfriend were so disappointed.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan
Cons: No flavor , Not good
Guest
Ace78
Points +40
Best Mexican Food Ever - Edit
This is my favorite restaurant of all time, though I can't give it five stars since it's not an all-vegetarian establishment. But I've been coming here since the '90s, and the menu has always had abundant and creative options for vegans and vegetarians. Once you come here, you will never be able to go back to boring bean burritos (hold the cheese) that are the token veggie item at most other Mexican restaurants. In the 2+ decades I've been coming here, the quality and quantity of the food has been consistent.
Read moreI don't think I've ever had something bad here. In fact, meat eaters tell me they eat vegetarian here, because the meatless dishes are so much more interesting and flavorful than the meat dishes. My personal favorite is the bean and vegan chorrizo (sic) burrito, which I order to-go a lot as it reheats well. The ranchera sauce they serve it with is amazing, and I wish they bottled it. Friends of mine swear upon the tofu/potato/mushroom burrito -- I've had the taco version, and it's amazing (though I ask them to hold the mushrooms, due to personal tastes). When I'm not ordering to-go, I get the tofu chimichanga (I request ranchera sauce), which is so wonderfully textured when served fresh (it gets soggy if you try to reheat it later).
Flavors and portions are huge. Go here with a huge appetite, or bring some containers in anticipation of leftovers. Vegan items are plentiful and clearly marked. The waiters will know exactly what you're talking about when you ask about vegan items.
Pros: good prices, creative meatless items, soooo many vegan options
Cons: street parking can be difficult
Guest
ChristopherWebb
Points +51
Yummy tofu options - Edit
The Vegan California Burrito is amazing. Their menus is clearly marked with Vegan Options. Huge portion sizes and cool grungy vibe.
Read morePros: tofu and mushroom fillings , huge portions
Cons: bizarre bathroom situation
Guest
VeganHeavy
Points +120
Great food, service is not ideal - Edit
Pretty great vegan alternatives for nachos. Veggie burrito was good. They were understaffed at server, so lead so some serious delays around ordering. Probably good to order take out if you can.
Read morePros: Tofu nachos
Cons: Staffing issues
Guest
KimberlyMaureen
Points +146
Delicious food - Edit
Great options, all very good. Vegan rice and beans as well.
Read morePros: Lots of delicious food
Guest
JeannieMillsSmith
Points +273
O M G delicious - Edit
Joey's is delicious. I added mushrooms. Note it has dairy cheese.
Read morePros: They can make most dishes vegan
Guest
33Sherwood
Points +82
Pretty Good - Edit
Went in on a Monday afternoon. I was the only one in the place. Service was friendly and they understood what vegan is. Had the veggie fajitas. Came out crazy fast. Very good portion. Once food was delivered I didn’t see the waiter again until I was done. Was only offered water. Overall it was good food and the staff was friendly. Don’t know how the service would be if it was busy.
Read morePros: Large portion, Good food
Guest
ultraviolet.gomez
Points +5731
Love Pokez! - Edit
Delicious food and crazy portions. I eat a lot but I always struggle to finish my meal here,thats how big the portions are. You can either have it take away or ask staff for the box and leave it outside the restaurant for homeless people, restaurant really supports this. Staff are really friendly and helpful too.
Read moreGuest
realrachelsd
Points +142
The real OG vegan spot - Edit
Have been coming here for years! Make sure you get the tofu potato burrito 🔥
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options , Inexpensive
Cons: No parking
Guest
cheddabrown
Points +312
Fire - Edit
Had the enchiladas suizas and it was fire! The green sauce was banging, the potato filling was fire! Great price, cool employees, recommended.
Read moreGuest
baby.granola
Points +40
Pretty good - Edit
It’s labeled as a vegetarian Mexican restaurant, but it’s basically just a normal Mexican restaurant that labels which items can be made vegan. No mock meat but they do serve tofu. The fajitas are pretty delicious, just had to be ordered without cheese sour cream or meat. But the tofu was great.
Read moreGuest
Veg4Jay
Points +2171
Yummy Veggie Mexican Food - Edit
Great food, lots of choices, pleasant environment and good service
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, yummy food, Good service and very reasonable prices, Comfortable and convenient
Guest
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