The Green Fly - Las Cuatro Milpas - San Diego

(All Images "borrowed" from the Internet)

(All images "borrowed" from the internet)

I just had to post this one and I can't wait until Thursday.

When I think of authentic Mexican food, the first place I think of is Las Cuatro Milpas in Barrio Logan in San Diego. This place is affectionately known to local law enforcement diners as "The Green Fly."

I was working at the San Diego Police Department back in the early 1990's and my supervisor, Gary Avery, took me to "The Green Fly" for lunch. With a name like "The Green Fly," you can't just let that go without asking, "Why do they call it The Green Fly?" Well, it's not really named that... it's a nickname that local law enforcement personnel call it. If I remember the story correctly, there used to be these huge green colored flies that hung around the restaurant and the nickname just stuck. It's not too appetizing of a nickname for a restaurant, don't you think?

Well, I have to tell you, this place is a definite "hole-in-the-wall" if I've ever seen one. Totally not what I would have thought to be a good restaurant. You can see in the photos I've "borrowed" from the web that the decoration there is non-existant. Not only that, you can see the kitchen when you are ordering your food because it's right out in the open! You have to wonder how this place can still be in business without being shut down for some kind of health code violation!

So having said all this, you would think this is probably the worst restaurant around right? WRONG! If you want totally authentic Mexican food at a ridiculously low price... this is the place to go! There is always a huge line of people waiting to get in. Why? Because the food is THAT GOOD and so is the price. I always thought that this is probably the safest place to have lunch because it seems every law enforcement agency is represented there for lunch! Police officiers, detectives, DA investigators, FBI, Sheriffs Deputies, CHP officers, you name it, they are there!

I had an email exchange with one of my friends from the San Diego Police Department this evening and this place just popped back in my mind. I could not remember the real name of this restaurant so I simply typed into Google a search for The Green Fly San Diego and the restaurant was found! Yes, even Google knows it's called The Green Fly! Do your own search for Las Cuatro Milpas San Diego and read all the wonderful reviews of this place. Very few people give it less than 4 or 5 stars out of 5 and that's so surprising considering the look of this place. But it's been around since the 1930's... so something has to be right about it!

If you are ever in San Diego go here for lunch. Get there early because you don't want to get stuck in the long line! Everything is good there, but I particularly like the buritos. Now I'm getting hungry!

My daughter went here with her friend in 2016.  They both loved it!  My daughter had heard me talking about this place all her life, so she just had to go.

For more great San Diego food, check out my post on the San Diego Chicken Pie Shop!

Here's my daughter's photos from 2016: