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
V:Traveller
Points +4492
very tasty - Edit
Food: 5/5
Read moreVegan options (variety): 4/5
Vegan labelling: 5/5
Value for money: 5/5
Portion size: 5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Location: 4/5
Reservation recommended: no
Visited: 7/2016
Guest
KaitlynnGill
Points +1582
Vegan mex eats - Edit
So when they veganize a dish they simple omit the cheese and sour cream and don’t replace it with vegan cheese and sour cream. Dive joint with neighborhood customers. The chips and salsa are good and HUGE portions. Got the chimichanga with tofu was really good. Definitely stop
Read morePros: Big portions, Fun dive
Guest
mtind29
Points +29
SO GOOD - Edit
I've had so many different items on the menu and each time I DIE. The potato tacos and enchiladas, the veggie taco, the tofu scramble, the amazing ambiance, the friendly servers, pitcher mimosas, what more could you ask for?? It's definitely one of my happy places and they could do no harm in my book. Love, love, love.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2017-09-19
Pros: Amazing food, Cute and cool everything, Friendly service
Cons: Maybe one day they can add vegan cheese to menu, Maybe liquor too
Guest
colettesynrise
Points +78
Meh.. - Edit
I appreciate that they have many vegan options but they cook with an excessive amount of oil. The food also takes about an hour to be ready.
Read moreOnce it arrives it's not worthwhile and I'd rather eat something from 7/11
Pros: Lots of vegan options and is close to the trolley
Cons: Food is fine if you don't care about your heal
Guest
oleiah
Points +591
dark but delicious - Edit
We went here at night and the interior has horrible lighting. So the atmosphere wasn't 100%, but the food was! I was going to order something else, but the waitress told us that for vegans, she recommends the Fajitas because you get the most food and it's the best vegan option. My husband and I both ordered vegan fajitas. I could barely finish half, and we had leftovers. The fried tofu was delicious and chewy and came, as promised, on a sizzling cast iron plate. Tons of belly-warming Mexican food, and vegan! What more could you want? I had to talk my husband out of going here a 2nd time during our visit - we had other vegan restaurants to try! Absolutely *will* eat here again if I'm in San Diego.
Read morePros: filling, tasty, affordable
Cons: dark atmosphere inside
Guest
lerussell
Points +441
Delicious food right downtown! - Edit
I'll be honest, I was a little disappointed when I saw that San Diego was somewhat limited in vegan dining options -- isn't plant-based eating what SoCal is supposed to be about?! I was in town very briefly visiting a friend and found Pokez to be in walking distance. The tofu, mushroom and potato burrito was enormous, insanely filling and was smothered in an incredible vegan gravy. In a world with so few vegan options, Pokez delivers!
Read morePros: price, portions, atmosphere
Cons: wait time, small space (not good for large parties)
Guest
NickiPT
Points +198
definitely grungy but tasty - Edit
We visited Pokez while in San Diego - if it had been a weekend we would've gone someplace with a whole vegan brunch but it was 10 am on a Monday morning and their tofu scramble with chorizo sounded good. We ended up ordering that plus TWO other dishes (tofu/potato/mushroom enchiladas and burrito) because we were starving and it was a TON of food. The place was definitely grungy feeling but we left stuffed and satisfied. (And it's within walking distance of Donut Bar, where we got some donuts to go for later when we had room in our bellies!!) I just wish they had vegan cheese and sour cream options...
Read moreGuest
goodkarmafl
Points +48
delicious - Edit
Great food! The tofu burrito rocks. Great choices for omnis too
Read moreGuest
Ruthe
Points +75
Best Mexican Food - Edit
This place is amazing! I had the fajitas and my husband had the vegan chorizo plate. It was so good and the food was hot and fresh out of the kitchen. The beans, the cabbage slaw, the guacamole and omg the tortillas! So much delicious food at a good price too! We will be back next time we are in San Diego.
Read morePros: excellent food, authentic, great service
Cons: location
Guest
sandykaren
Points +507
A diamond in the rough - Edit
I try to come here every time I travel to San Diego for work. It doesn't look like much, but that is part of the charm for me. You'll see everything from business attire to grunge-wear to resort-wear. They have several vegan options, but I've never made it past the vegan machaca. Although I did find the flavorful spice mix to be a little too salty, I love the fact that the tofu is partially "blackened" which really makes a difference. And the portions are enormous. The staff are maybe not as attentive as they should be, but that may be part of the laid back vibe. They are friendly though, and that matters more to me.
Read morePros: Huge portions, Great value
Cons: A little heavy on the salt, staff could be more attentive
Guest
sagaariana
Points +68
Great Mexican Food - Edit
The food here is very tasty and they have many options for vegetarians and vegans labeled clearly on the menu. They serve pretty large portions. Be ready to wait if you go during peak dinner hours on a weekend, the location is not enormous and it's popular (because it's good) so it can get packed.
Read morePros: Well labeled menu, Many vegetarian and vegan options
Guest
vsvihla
Points +589
Friendly service, lots of options - Edit
We had a tofu burrito and tofu fajitas. After the yummy and very spicy salsa, which arrived almost before we sat at a table, we anticipated spicy entrees, but the food was somewhat bland. We fixed this by adding left over salsa and some hot sauce to our dishes. I would suggest the owners consider using the approach of many Thai restaurants and ask customers if they want their food mild, medium, or hot.
Read moreThe tofu was excellent in both dishes- perfectly cooked in the fajitas in long strips, and in chewy crumbles in the burrito.
The outside is colorful and inside a bit of a dive, which I appreciate. Very friendly and prompt service; we did not expect the latter based on some of the reviews we read, and the name!
Pros: many options, friendly
Cons: no liquor, so no margaritas
Guest
Meggie and Ben
Points +1786
Amazing, authentic Mexican food - Edit
Love the food here, it's delicious and authentic Mexican food. The atmosphere is fun and vegan options are clearly marked. They even have great vegan breakfast options.
Read morePros: Great food, Authentic Mexican
Cons: No vegan desserts
Guest
bartlettljc
Points +98
Cheap and Delicious - Edit
Don't be scared when you walk in! Although it may not look amazing, this restaurant is delicious. Low prices with large portions. Our favorite was the potato/bean/tofu taco. The chimichanga is also delicious (you can't always find a veg chimichanga so it's a must order when you do!). Burritos are huge and only $5. So many options available for vegans!
Read morePros: inexpensive, delicious, friendly
Cons: not strickly veg
Guest
GreenMark
Points +153
The best food ever - Edit
Based on the mixed reviews I was a little hesitant to try Pokez, but it's so hard to find vegan Mexican food that I thought I'd take a chance and I'm glad I did. Not only was this the best vegan Mexican food that I have ever had, it was some of the best food of any kind that I have ever eaten period.
Read moreThe Vegan Machaca and Vegan Chorizo was amazing. Anytime I am in San Diego I will stop here.
Pros: Excellent Food , Friendly Staff, Quirky atmosphere
Cons: Hours on website were misstated
Guest
insan0r
Points +85
Nice Service, Not So Nice Food - Edit
The chips and salsa was very good, we didn't had to wait for our food but the food was rather bland... after that salsa I did expect really good food but I was pretty disappointed, my veggie burrito was almost cold and I couldn't really taste much else than the ranchero sauce. Won't go their again.
Read moreGuest
Ladah
Points +472
OK - Edit
I had a Chimichanga vegan and my husband had the "mexican pizza" vegan and we PAID extra for rice and beans, but only got beans.. and the service was so slow there was really no chance to ask about that. The vegan "mexican pizza" was basically a tortilla with tomatoes and some peppers.. it was pretty sad for whatever it was and not a Mexican Pizza. I would not return to Pokez.
Read morePros: cheap
Cons: bland, boring, not really VEGAN friendly
Guest
vegan_ryan
Points +3873
Best hole-in-the-wall Mexican food - Edit
This restaurant has become the standard by which I judge other Mexican restaurants. The chips & salsa are great, the burritos are huge, everything is clearly marked whether it's veg, vegan, meat, etc. The staff is really friendly, and it's never over-crowded. Oh, and their health code scores are always really high! Too bad they serve meat - their ownly downfall.
Read moreDefinitely go here if you're in San Diego.
Pros: Clear labeling, Good food
Cons: Serves meat
Guest
Siphon
Points +44
Great hole in the wall - Edit
Pretty good and the got a juicer
Read moreGuest
whosmeggyn
Points +155
Don't judge by it's appearance - Edit
As a vegan, it's hard to find real mexican food that accomodates my diet. Pokez does this. Their flour tortillas taste fresh, the tofu is perfectly seasoned, and they pile their plates high. The sangria was also great, but I don't know if there was alcohol in it. I just wish they would get new menus so that I didn't have to imagine what is behind the old crusted salsa.
Read morePros: Jukebox, Large portions, Attentive service
Cons: Kind of a shithole
Guest
Chia
Points +3631
Most Menu Items NOT Vegetarian - Edit
Ate here on a past trip to San Diego, and here's my Pokez review.
Read moreAlthough some of the food was tasty, we're not sure if we'd return again. On the night we visited there was a long line out the door. From the outside, the restaurant interior looked rather dark and grungy. Well, it was just like that inside: very old furniture, punk like decor, grungy, dark kitchen, and overall a feel of chaos.
After 30 minutes of standing in line we were finally seated but was left waiting for our food for about another 80 minutes or so. It was disappointing to see that the menu consisted of a lot of meat items... not as veg-friendly as we had liked. My husband had wanted to leave but I convinced him to wait it out, because I was curious to try the food that I saw on other people's tables - large portions of burritos, tacos, and other Mexican dishes. We were totally famished and annoyed when the food finally arrived.
My husband got a vegan taco and veggie enchiladas, of which he was okay with the first but not the latter. I got a combination plate of veggie taco, chile relleno, and cheese enchilada which came with a side of rice n beans. I liked the taco for the tasty deep fried shell. The other stuff had too much cheese all over, and I ended up with a stomach ache in the middle of the night. My husband was not happy either.
Despite our mishap, it's easy to see why this place is popular with the teenage hipster & punk crowd - food is cheap, portions large, and it's a hangout see and be seen kinda place for the youngsters.
Pros: cheap, tasty taco
Cons: not all veg, grungy, very slow if busy
Guest
OperationChowhound
Points +10697
Mighty Mexican - Edit
I ordered tofu scramble and "chorizo." Large portion for cheap price. The waitress was friendly.
Read morePros: inexpensive, large portions, good location
Guest
mizzholly85
Points +25
I loved this place!!! - Edit
The tofu/mushroom/potato burrito was so yummy and huge! I had left overs and ate it cold and it still was so tasty! I also got a veggie taco with veggie chorizo and that was amazing! My friend had a shrimp burrito and she loved it! We each had drinks and TWO entrees each and our total was $25! When I visit again, I am definately going back!!!
Read morePros: Excellent food, Good value, Large choices
Cons: No a/c
Guest
Sammy
Points +56
A lovely find - Edit
When on holiday in the US I visited San Diego for the day. I got my lunch and set off for a walk around the city. I walked past Pokez and there was a line outside the door and a saw a big vegetarian sign, needless to say I was disappointed I already had my lunch in a bag from somewhere else. If there's a line that long outside, it must be good!
Read moreI missed my Amtrack back to LA and was going to have to wait 2 hours till the next one, so I used that as an opportunity to find that cute little place I had seen on my explorations earlier that day. Thank goodness I found it. I loved my food, vegan options were clearly marked on the menu, the waiter was hot and I adored the atmosphere and decor. I couldn't manage to eat my whole meal, so I boxed it up and ate the rest on the train, it was even good cold! It didn't take long to be served and the staff were not rude, although I feel they were a little disinterested that customers were in the restaurant...their handsome looks made up for that, so it was not an issue. I'm so glad I missed my train.
Pros: good food, cute staff, nice atomoshere
Cons: some staff to be perkier, clearer payment system
Guest
katroshka
Points +91
Love it! - Edit
I've been going to Pokez since about 1998, and have always loved it. I don't usually get rude service, but the servers definitely don't fawn over customers. That's ok with me. I'm there for the cheap and great food. Tofu, potato and mushroom burrito highly recommended. It's a great place for kids since it is noisy and somewhat chaotic already, I never am embarrassed about my kids being a little noisier than I usually allow.
Read morePros: tasty food, cheap, big portions, fun atmosphere
Cons: gross bathroom, meat served, mediocre service
Guest
ancientnow
Points +28
Best tofu fajitas on planet earth - Edit
What can I say about Pokez? My family has been frequenting the place for 15 years or so. I don't really get the complaints about service. If you treat the staff respectfully they always return the favor. The vegan food is outstanding, authentic, and prepared with love. They really get veganism and prepare food carefully. They use organic herbed tofu from San Diego Soy Dairy which is quite possibly the best tofu ever made. Go try a tofu, potato, mushroom taco. Your tastebuds will thank you.
Read morePros: delicious food, fun decor, jukebox!
Cons: metered parking
Guest
danzona
Points +43
Great vegan options - Edit
There has not been a review in almost a year, so I will just mention that the portions are still huge, the food is still great, the decor is still grunge, and the servers are still rude.
Read morePros: Vegan options
Cons: I am not cool enough to eat here often
Guest
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