Pueblo Redesigns Menu For 10th Year

Pueblo has updated its interior and menu to mark a decade in business.

The restaurant, located at 877 Hornblend St. in Pacific Beach, is celebrating 10 years of operation. Owners and culinary staff revised the dining space and food offerings to align with the establishment's long-standing reputation for a welcoming atmosphere. The changes aim to reflect the modern aesthetic that has characterized the venue since it opened.

Executive Chef Angel Hernandez, who joined the team in January 2023, led the menu revision. He described the new lineup as a distinct shift toward modern Baja coastal cuisine. Hernandez stated that the dishes combine fresh ingredients, particularly seafood, with bold flavors. He noted that the menu spans simple fare to elevated plates, covering seafood, poultry, and beef.

The dinner menu includes starters, sides, tacos, and main dishes. Hernandez identified several items as personal favorites. Mary’s Chicken is served with Amarillo mole, honey-soaked cornbread, and cabbage slaw. He described the dish as barbecue chicken with a Mexican touch, noting the moisture from the honey butter and the spice from the dried peppers in the mole. The portion size is large, he said, ensuring diners feel satisfied.

Another featured item is the Puerto Nuevo Lobster. This dish consists of a grilled whole lobster served on homemade tortillas with mojo de ajo, avocado pico de gallo, Spanish rice, and black beans. Hernandez explained that the pico de gallo includes Serrano peppers for heat, while the garlic butter sauce coats the lobster. He said the presentation evokes the experience of eating fresh seafood by the ocean.

For meat lovers, the prime hanger steak is a daily favorite for Hernandez. The 8- to 10-ounce cut is cooked medium rare with a high sear. It is plated with smashed crispy potatoes, charred scallions, cilantro chimichurri, and mezcal chipotle butter. The potatoes are baked and then deep-fried, providing a textural contrast to the smoky, spicy butter topping.

The starter section offers a variety of options, including ahi tuna tostadas, guacamole, flautas bravas, and shrimp ceviche. The ahi tuna tostada is served on a hard shell with avocado, cucumber, radish, salsa negra, lime cream, crispy shallots, and sesame. Hernandez called it an elevated dish where thin vegetable slices contrast with the dark red tuna. Other starters include smokey wings and crispy fried squash blossoms.

Side dishes include Pueblo Papas, Embered Elote, roasted heirloom carrots, and rice and beans. The dessert menu is intentionally limited to avoid overwhelming guests. Options include Pastel de Elote, a warm corn cake with sweet hot honey sauce, local vanilla gelato, strawberries, and corn crunchies. Churros with cinnamon sugar and mango sorbet with lime, Tajin, and black sesame round out the sweet selections.

The bar features a selection of tequilas, beers, wines, and agave-based cocktails. After-dinner options include Carajillo with Licor 43 and Smoke & Maple. A kids menu offers quesadillas, chicken tenders, carne asada tacos, and cheeseburger sliders. Pueblo also provides pickup, delivery, and private event booking services. A gift card program and VIP club are available for regulars.

Hernandez has worked in the restaurant industry for 14 years before joining Pueblo. He started as a dishwasher and trained in kitchens such as Water Grill San Diego and Seven Mile Casino. He initially thought Mexican cuisine would be too easy given his heritage, but he decided to learn deeply after working in a Mexican-style restaurant. He connected immediately with owner Mark Oliver, who built the restaurant from the ground up. The restaurant remains open until the fun is over, with last seating at 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends.