San Diego Lincoln Lunch: enchiladas and a taco

(my actual lunch) I was a bit nervous about being able to find a $5 Lincoln Lunch in the posh Gaslamp district of San Diego until I asked a doorman for a tip. Just up 6th Avenue there is a hole-in-the-wall Mexican place, he said.

Bingo! Hole-in-the-wall + Mexican = good chance for a Lincoln Lunch. I hiked up the hill to Antonio’s Mexican Food, which is on the corner of 6th Ave and A Street.

The large eatery was busy and had a huge, bright yellow menu above the cashier. I gave up my place in line to take it all in. Burritos were $2.60 and up, super tacos were $2.15 to $3.55, kids plates were $3.75, tostadas were $2.25 to $4, and eight different tortas were $4 each. Was anything NOT a Lincoln Lunch?

I ordered a Mexican style carnitas taco for $1.25 and a pair of chicken enchiladas for $4.15. My total came to $5.82.

I paid and sat at a counter seat where I could watch passerbys. A server called my number about five minutes later. I grabbed my food, snagged a slice of lime and radish from the salsa bar and sat down to grub.

The taco was very hot and had a lot of meat. The only drawback was the so-so guacamole. My chicken enchiladas were topped with sauce,  shredded lettuce, and grated cheese. They had a lot of nicely-salted chicken and would have been enough for a full meal.

The atmosphere at Antonio’s is very casual. Not a great place for a business meeting (unless you want to prove how cheap you are) but a good spot for meeting a friend or grabbing a quick bite. Food is served on disposable plates and plastic utensils. Bus your own tray. 1350 6th Ave. 619-239-8786.