Kiko's Place restaurant

**What makes this different:** While El Gordo packs crowds with Tijuana chaos and The Waves leans into surf-wall aesthetics, Kiko's operates like a neighborhood seafood counter that happens to be downtown—under-the-radar enough that regulars guard their Taco Tuesday ritual (three for $9.99) like a state secret. The new management seems to have sharpened the kitchen without polishing away the family-run vibe that makes this feel less like a Gaslamp tourist play and more like the spot locals actually use for lunch.

The fish tacos hit harder than the price suggests—light batter, tortillas that reviewers specifically call out as "perfect," and a salsa bar where the move is trying everything because nothing's phoning it in. That aguachile gets mentioned enough to trust. The light red sauce apparently makes the fish taco, according to the regular who eats here every Tuesday. If you dine in, someone will hand you a mini soup without fanfare—the kind of gesture that signals a kitchen still cooking for neighbors, not just the convention-center overflow.

Space skews family-friendly and surprisingly calm for C Street. They've got beer, outdoor seating for when downtown weather cooperates, and a mostly-seafood menu with enough non-fish options that vegetarians won't feel punished. The whole thing runs affordable and unfussy—order at the counter, grab your tacos, hit the salsa bar, figure out which sauce becomes your religion.

Parking is standard Gaslamp nightmare. Walk here if you're already downtown. The Tuesday special draws a knowing crowd, so expect company but not a wait that'll wreck your lunch hour.