Restaurant Ricardo’s

Ricardo’s has been feeding downtown Tijuana since 1965 from the corner of Avenida Madero and Calle Séptima, a block from Avenida Revolución. It began as a torta shop run by Ricardo Martínez and Delia Apodaca, a couple from Mazatlán who had planned to cross the border and stayed in Tijuana instead, El Imparcial reported in April 2025. The downtown branch, the original, is open 24 hours, according to the restaurant’s website.

The food

Tortas made the name: they were the key to its success, the founders’ son Ricardo Martínez Apodaca told Diario Tijuana in 2025, recalling that the first menu was lomo (loin) tortas and beef broth. The old favorites were the chile relleno and lomo tortas, per El Imparcial. In the 1990s the menu grew beyond tortas, with steaks and more dishes, and today it reads like a full Mexican family restaurant.

The menu on its website lists 15 tortas, from ham to carne asada and house specials such as La Mona and El Charro, along with chilaquiles, huevos rancheros and other breakfasts served all day, enchiladas, mole poblano, menudo and caldos, and steaks. El Imparcial’s 2025 anniversary story also singled out the mole poblano, the red enchiladas and the margaritas. The downtown branch lists a selection of Baja California wines.

What to expect

It’s a sit-down family restaurant, and because the downtown branch never closes, it works for a late meal after a night out on Revolución or an early breakfast before you cross back. The family still runs it: four of the founders’ children lead the business, with a third generation joining in, El Imparcial reported in 2025. The restaurant closed during the pandemic, kept its staff and used the time to remodel, the paper added. The terrace is pet friendly, per the website.

Prices and entry

On the menu posted on its website (checked in October 2026), tortas run from 152 to 220 pesos, chilaquiles start at 182 pesos and huevos rancheros cost 160; most plates fall between about 160 and 275 pesos, and steaks cost more. Prices on the site’s homepage differ slightly from the menu page, so treat these as a guide.

Getting there

The address is Av. Madero 1410, on the corner of Calle Séptima, Zona Centro, one block from Avenida Revolución. If you drive, the restaurant points to the parking lot by the old Jai Alai palace, now El Foro, where parking costs 10 pesos for two hours with a stamped ticket. From the San Ysidro crossing, downtown is a short taxi or ride-hail trip.

Good to know

• Other branches, per the website: Gabilondo (Gobernador Lugo 2200, 7:30 a.m.–9 p.m.), Playas (Plaza Coronado, 7:30 a.m.–9 p.m.) and Zona Río (Joaquín Clausell 2290, 7 a.m.–9 p.m.), which opened in October 2025.
• Breakfast is served all day.
• For takeout and delivery, the website points to apps including Uber Eats and DiDi Food.
• The Museo del Taco and El Foro are a short walk away.

Find more places to eat in our guides, and see what’s on around the city on the calendar.