Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in El Centro by diners
Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in El Centro by diners
The average person over 74 minutes eating and drinking on any given weekday. On weekends and holidays, that goes up to over 81 minutes. Where is a better place to spend that time than a restaurant?
Consumers agree. The states that 9 in 10 adults enjoy eating out at restaurants, which give people access to a world of great-tasting food that's often difficult to reproduce at home.
People choose restaurants to scope out the , including deeper dives into Southeast Asian cuisines from Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines, without trying to master these complex dishes at home. Chefs also have the resources to experiment with ingredients and bring new favorites like hot honey, spicy maple, matcha, and pickled foods to the table.
Dining out also offers unique, hyperlocal experiences featuring local farmers, food producers, brewers, winemakers, and distillers in a way that connects diners to the area.
When the weather's nice, diners flock to al fresco seating. At least like eating outdoors and look for great ambience like skyline views, rooftop settings, and waterfront seating to enhance their dining experience.
compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in the El Centro area using data from . Data is as of Aug. 4, 2025. Only businesses marked as having outdoor seating on the Yelp website were included. Yelp's ranking system calculates an adjusted rating value that considers the number of ratings and the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews within a 10-kilometer radius of El Centro were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 10 locations nationally, based on our Yelp data, were not included. Read on to see if your favorite spot made the list.
#25. Applebee's Grill + Bar
- Rating: 2.6/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2505 Scaroni Road Calexico, California
- Categories: Sports Bars, Burgers, American
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#24. Jalisco's Grill
- Rating: 2.9/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 844 North Imperial Ave. El Centro, California
- Categories: Mexican, Bars
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#23. Habit Burger & Grill
- Rating: 3.1/5 (78 reviews)
- Address: 2335 South 4th St. El Centro, California
- Categories: Burgers, Salad, Sandwiches
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#22. New Fortune House
- Rating: 3.1/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1627 West Main St. El Centro, California
- Categories: Chinese
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#21. El Pollo Loco
- Rating: 3.2/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1403 North Imperial Ave. El Centro, California
- Categories: Fast food, Mexican, Chicken Shop
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#20. IHOP
- Rating: 3.2/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2362 South 4th St. El Centro, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American, Burgers
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#19. Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que
- Rating: 3.3/5 (167 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3103 South Dogwood Ave. El Centro, California
- Categories: Barbecue
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#18. Mah's Kitchen
- Rating: 3.3/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 290 North Imperial Ave. El Centro, California
- Categories: Chinese, Hawaiian
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#17. Hope Cafe and Creperie
- Rating: 3.5/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 605 Second St. Calexico, California
- Categories: Cafes, Creperies
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#16. Farmer Boys
- Rating: 3.5/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1532 Cruickshank Drive El Centro, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers
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#15. Burrito Factory
- Rating: 3.5/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 130 South Imperial Ave. El Centro, California
- Categories: Mexican
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#14. La Fonda Bar Grill
- Rating: 3.6/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1950 South 4th St. El Centro, California
- Categories: Bars, Mexican
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#13. Broken Yolk Cafe
- Rating: 3.6/5 (194 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3049 North Imperial Ave. Ste 101 El Centro, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes, American
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#12. La Resaca Seafood Bar
- Rating: 3.6/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 143 South 6th St. El Centro, California
- Categories: Seafood, Cocktail Bars
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#11. Burgers & Beer
- Rating: 3.6/5 (389 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 260 North Imperial Ave. El Centro, California
- Categories: Mexican, American, Cocktail Bars
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#10. In-N-Out Burger
- Rating: 4.0/5 (132 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2390 South 4th St. El Centro, California
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
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#9. Chef Lee's Chinese Food and Noodles
- Rating: 4.0/5 (93 reviews)
- Address: 1049 North Imperial Ave. El Centro, California
- Categories: Fast food, Chinese, Noodles
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#8. Up In Smoke BBQ
- Rating: 4.1/5 (605 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 138 West Grand Ave. Escondido, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Barbecue
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#7. La Resaca
- Rating: 4.2/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 221 Campillo St. Calexico, California
- Categories: Bars, Seafood
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#6. D'Poly Taco Grill & Beer
- Rating: 4.3/5 (275 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1573 West Main St. El Centro, California
- Categories: Mexican, Chicken Wings, Cocktail Bars
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#5. 3:16 Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 123 North Imperial Ave. Imperial, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Breakfast & Brunch
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#4. La Birrieria Red Tacos
- Rating: 4.4/5 (53 reviews)
- Address: 900 West Birch St. Hwy 98 Unit 5 Calexico, California
- Categories: Tacos, Comfort Food, Breakfast & Brunch
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#3. Puerto Nuevo Patio & Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 395 Broadway El Centro, California
- Categories: Seafood
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#2. Brickhouse Deli
- Rating: 4.7/5 (190 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 447 West Aten Road Ste B Imperial, California
- Categories: Delis, Breakfast & Brunch
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#1. Briseida's Kitchen
- Rating: 4.7/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 741 Cesar Chavez Blvd. Calexico, California
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 327 metros.