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    Chula Tacos

    3.9 (293 reviews)
    ModerateTacos, Food Trucks
    Closed 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

    Chula Tacos Photos

    Business Info

    CHULA TACOS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Chula Tacos

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    Vampiro Al-pastor
    Eid F.

    I kept hearing about this place from friends and decided to try it out today. I ordered a Vampiro Carne Asada, Vampiro Al Pastor, and an Al Pastor taco. Everything was delicious. This was my first time trying a taco Vampiro style (crunchy and cheesy), it was great. You order at the counter and they bring the food to you. The location of the menu vs the counter didn't work well - you couldn't see the menu when ordering so everyone had to keep looking back and forth just to place each order (they need to fix the signage or layout). Service was super fast. It came with a small plate of cucumbers, radishes, and limes. They also dropped off 2 salsa bottles - a super spicy habanero salsa, and a medium spicy salsa verde. They had plenty of seating inside or outside on picnic tables. I sat outside to enjoy the weather and smell the carne asada being cooked on wood fired grill. Side note / tree hugger comment: They were a little wasteful with the plates... each taco came in its own separate basic.

    Asada tacos
    Derah M.

    Service - 5/5 Food - 2/5 Ambiance - 3/5 Service was great. The food was not. I tried asada, chicken, and pastor. The asada and pollo were terrible. They were very wet and didn't even taste seasoned. Also they put way too much guac on the tacos. The pastor was the most flavorful. I've had better tacos even outside of San Diego. This place was overhyped and not worth the hour drive I made.

    Michelle B.

    THE BEST TACOS hands down. (This is saying something). I'm from Virginia and i have always said **"i don't like tacos" it wasn't until my recent trip to San Diego that i ate my words (literally). These tacos were delicious, juicy, packed, and crafted so wonderfully. The people were very nice, and i loved that they had the salsas at the table with chili oil. I had never thought that chili oil would be good with tacos? But it works! The carne asada here is the star of the show. We had a al pastor one and it was ok but not better than the carne. This place was so good we came twice on our trip (we had wanted to try new restaurants every day but this place was so good we had to come again) - now we did go to Tacos el Gordo and all I'll say is if you love carne asada go to Chulas, but if you like a pork taco go to Tacos el Gordo! **One of my main issues with tacos is that the tortillas are thin/dry? I'm a handmade kind of tortilla person don't like the banderitas brand style of tortillas - now they said they didn't make these by hand but they're definitely not the prepackaged ones.

    Abel T.

    "Adobada looks very disappointing" People on TikTok have been really hyping this spot up lately, so I went in expecting it to be one of those "best in San Diego" type places, but honestly that's exactly why you can't always trust food influencers who base everything off one bite and a good angle. First thing I noticed was the parking situation is rough there's basically none, and you can't even risk street parking because it's marked red, so right away it already starts off inconvenient. When we got there, the tables weren't clean, which kind of kills the vibe before you even order, but I will say the carne asada mulita actually surprised me in a good way, it was solid, flavorful, and probably the best thing we tried. They also have a bigger version called the keka that I didn't get, but I could see that being more filling if the mulita is any indication. Customer service was decent, nothing special but not bad either, just kind of there doing their job. Overall though, even with a good item on the menu, it's not enough for me to say this place lives up to the hype TikTok is pushing. In my opinion, in San Diego it's still hard to beat Tacos El Gordo, and I've seen people online try to downplay it saying places like Chula Taco are better, and I just don't think that's accurate from a real first-hand experience standpoint. At the end of the day, TikTok food reviews can be entertaining, but a lot of times it feels like people are just chasing views instead of consistency or credibility, and you really have to try places yourself before believing the hype.The adobada was a negative 5 stars just look at it adobada is not supposed to look like :( #Tacos #SanDiegoFood #TacoReview #FoodReview #StreetTacos #CarneAsada #TacoLovers #FoodTok #EatLocal #TacoLife

    Maria D.

    Some of the best tacos in San Diego! I loved everything about it. The tortillas are so yummy! The meat is perfect! I absolutely love the avocado and the different types of tacos they have. It was way more food than I expected! I expected to be small little tacos but they were actually big and delicious! The agua de Jamaica was so delicious and refreshing. Service was welcoming and fast! They have a parking lot. Definitely coming back!!!

    Al pastor taco
    Mari R.

    It was our first time here, I found the restaurant on yelp. I had the vampiro asada and omg it was delicious and flavorful. I also ordered regular al pastor tacos. I always request the salsa on the side because they are spicy. They also come loaded with guacamole, onion, and cilantro so if you don't like it- make sure to say you want everything on the side. My boys had the tripa tacos and said they were great. It was small place but service was good and fast. They had nice music playing in the background. I enjoyed my tasty tacos and will be back. Btw.. the Kike taco was huge and amazing!! Asada is the most flavorful!! Loved everything even the horchata.

    Monica A.

    Did someone say taco Tuesday? We had to come and try the viral keka. It's the size of 3 tacos.... HUGE!! The hubby was very happy. My favorite was the taco de labio. Great service & vibes. * Keka De Carne Asada * Taco De Labio * Taco Al Pastor * Taco De Carne Asada #DiningWithTheAndersons #TacoTuesday #ComidaMexicana #TryingNewPlaces #ChulaTacos

    Total
    Dionne B.

    We ordered the vampiro(?) Chicken taco and carne asparagus taco and pollo taco. They were ok. The vampire taco was the Best of the three

    Andreas B.

    Pay to order service, seat anywhere and inside and outside. The best quesadillas in town! so tasty so juicy highly recommend! Ambiance is ok! VERDICT: I WILL COMEBACK

    Al pastor taco
    Soo H.

    I read that Chula Tacos has Tijuana style charcoal grilled carne asada and I was interested.  There is parking on side streets and their private parking lot which fills up when the lunch crowd hits around 11:30am.  I noticed they make their own tortillas. Carne asada taco had moist corn tortilla which had a nice mild flavor.  Carne asada was tender with a little smokyness and a hint of sweetness from the marinade.  Great tasting taco. Adobada taco featured the same freshly made tortillas and tender, moist adobada.  Adobada was full of flavor and had a bold pineapple flavor.  Very good tasting taco. Service was speedy and the staff friendly.  Great taco shop.  Wish it was closer to home.

    The Carne Asada Keka, giant Corn Tortilla with melted white cheese on the bottom, Carne Asada meat & Guac, amazing!
    Andy M.

    For the most part yes the hype is real especially with the Keka taco. They have me with the Carne Asada Keka, I love it! With the hand made strong corn tortilla & delicious guac that Keka is one of the best Mexican items I've ever tasted, the asada meat is also very good, charcoaled to perfection. The prices here are very affordable, prices are lower than most taco shops & portions are good. The other taco I loved was the Tripa taco & honestly probably the best Tripa I've had in SD, the Pollo asado taco also very good. The other tacos were ok, the Adobada one to me was too seasoned to my liking & Birria under seasoned. One interesting thing here is they don't have Cabeza tacos they have Labio which they said it's the same, no not for me, similar yes but not the same, not a fan, Salsas are good. The customer service is good from the counter, cooks & Drive Thru, yes they have a Drive Thru which is cool. Parking ain't that great tho during peak hours. Over all it's a very good taco shop I will come back to & in my top 3 in SD for sure, it's that Keka that brings me back baby. Unfortunately they had an accident fire & will be shut down for about 4-6 months for repairs. But they have another location in the South Bay in IB that I will try & you should too. Good Vibes prayers & good luck Chula Taco on reopening. I will see you tho in your other location & get that Keka Carne Asada & Tripa Taco :)

    Carne asada taco (to-go)

    Not the best, not the worst either... 3.5 stars. I had been hearing from everyone that I had to try these, since I'm a Tijuana native used to the best tacos the city has to offer. I'm always down to be surprised this side of the border. I went last Friday night and got one carne asada taco and one adobada taco to go (and eat immediately in my car)...they actually call adobada "al pastor", so you know from the get-go these are not Tijuana style, or at least the owners are not. Visually, the tacos got me excited: good portion of meat and guacamole. The adobada taco was ok, the seasoning is better than a few places in Chula Vista (like El Gordo or Poblano, definitely better than Las Ahumaderas), but the taste left me wanting a little more "adobada" flavor. The asada taco was the least I liked, the beef felt low quality, like supermarket steaks full of chewy fat parts that was masked by good smokey flavor; it appears they have a guy outside working a grill for carne asada, I will give them that! For the long single line to order and the long wait to get my tacos, it was not worth the hype. However, I would go back on a slower day if I'm in the area and I'm craving tacos and I cannot wait to go anywhere else...

    Christos K.

    First time visiting the imperial beach location since the Chula Vista location has not reopened yet. The place inside is cute and the service was excellent. The tacos were great and definitely worth the drive and the money spent.

    Rubbery old radish and cucumber

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    29 days ago

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    Rigoberto M.

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    9 months ago

    Small tucked away taco shop in IB...Excellent food tacos only....healthy portions!!!!...worth the ride...

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    3 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Pretty good tacos. Well cooked meat. Would go back again for sure. The service was great.

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    1 year ago

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Best carne asada I've ever had! Family friendly environment. Will definitely be returning!

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    7 months ago

    The tacos are well-made, clean, very tasty, and the service is fine. The atmosphere is family-friendly, and the service is worth it.

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    9 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

    This place was so good! Expect a long line and no parking btw. Would definitely come again and I recommend the Adobada Keka

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

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    Rigoberto M.

    Gracias por su visita. Le deseamos nosotros lo mejor

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    We go here everytime we go to San Diego. Incredible food, service and ambience! Will continue to come!

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    5 months ago

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    Page 4 of 8

    Chula Tacos Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Chula Tacos

    Is it still cash only?

    We take all major credit cards

    Any Vegetarian options?

    You may order a plain quesadilla. They toast the cheese a bit which is really good!

    I think the hours need to be updated. Sunday at 6 and closed?

    They are closed until new notice. Health department closed them down for selling tacos outside, I'm not sure why they only made the announcement in their TikTok account Chula Tacos (@chula.tacos)

    Do they have TACO TUESDAY DEALS?

    Does anyone know if their hours changed? It says 3-10 everyday but Monday but it used to be different a couple months ago.

    Hello, yes we did change our hours… they are Tues- Sun 3pm-10-pm Occasionally if the weather is bad,… 

    Does anybody know if they are open or have they closed permanently? Ty!!

    Good evening We are open Friday- Sunday 5pm-10pm… 

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    Tacos El Gordo

    Tacos El Gordo

    4.1
    (1.7k reviews)
    9.7 mi
    $$

    Tacos El Gordo continues to be one of my favorite taco places of all time. I found out that…read moreMexico City was the place that originated al pastor tacos as they were inspired by Lebanese immigrants who brought Shawarma to Mexico; however, I appreciate that it worked its way to Tijuana and SD through Gordo. Gordo's adobada can compare favorably to al pastor anywhere; however, my experience at this "Gordo" location in Gaslamp has been inconsistent compared to Chula Vista and Vegas locations, due to their higher volume. The smaller space also has less seating, which is a bummer if you are coming here on a busy comic con day. The adobada here, though, is the taco to get. Consider yourself lucky if you get a nice portion of crispy and burnt bits as they offer nice textural bites. Their sauces/salsas are also equally good, and it sets it above and beyond another taquero from Tijuana, Tacos El Franc. Don't shy away from their asada tacos either, as the meat has a nice kiss of charcoal and it's topped with a generous portion of guac. I don't love that prices have gone up to almost $5/taco; however, I'll gladly pay it if they can give me my favorite taco.

    The wait outside wasn't bad but the trouble starts once you actually get in the place. Ordering…read morefrom this place is an absolute mess. There were other customers helping me and directing me to the right lines. MULTIPLE LINES. There is barely any organization to the system of ordering and receiving food - and don't even get me started on the chaos of it all. The store employees were just as disgruntled and stressed as I was. I had ordered an adobada taco since that was the very first line. I gave up trying to get my lengua taco because I had no idea that I was supposed to receive it first before I received my fries (after paying). If my review is confusing, it's because it really was confusing during my visit here. But that's not all. There were upstairs seating available, but NO AIR WAS AVAILABLE. It was unbearable to sit in that heat and eat comfortably in that kind of environment. I felt so nauseous during and after my visit at this location. I don't even remember how my one taco tasted.. Even later, when I threw it up later that night.. Will not go back to this location, but am willing to check out other locations.

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    Great Service!
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    Mike's Red Tacos

    Mike's Red Tacos

    4.8
    (1.2k reviews)
    13.1 mi
    $$
    Halal
    Vegetarian friendly

    Mike's Red Tacos is basically all about birria--and everything we ordered was delicious! You really…read morecan't go wrong with whatever you choose. We ordered the ramen, Crunch Stack, mini churros, and birria tacos, and everything was so good. They also have a self-serve sauce bar with a variety of sauces ranging from mild to spicy, which was a nice touch. They have self-serve soda as well. The place was pretty packed when we went, but we were still able to find a table and order right away. They call out your receipt number when your order is ready, so it was an easy and straightforward process. I love the pun they had on their walls and overall everything inviting. Definitely a spot we'd come back to try more of the menu!

    We checked this spot for lunch after arriving in San Diego. It definitely takes a bit for your…read morefood to come out but tasty enough to wait! We grabbed a table outside as we wanted some fresh air but plenty of tables inside. The salsa bar was a nice add to go along with the meal. We tried the birria taco ($5.29), half nachos ($10.99), chips ($2.49), the Cali Burrito ($14.99), and a cheese quesadilla ($7.99). Nachos were amazing - perfect flavor, great toppings, perfect chips! No notes. The Cali Burrito was huge and had a nice bite. The birria is perfectly tender and well cooked so it made all the dishes great. All in all - a nice fast casual spot. One quick note- they only have birria as a protein or vegetarian so if you have picky eaters, be warned!

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    Mike's Red Tacos
    Mike's Red Tacos
    Mike's Red Tacos

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    The Waves Taco Club

    The Waves Taco Club

    4.7
    (386 reviews)
    9.8 mi
    $$

    Wanted to try some tacos while out here and this one had good reviews. It was also near our hotel…read morewe were staying at in Gaslamp. They have drawings all over their walls which was fun to look at. They have a few specials which are a good deal if you're going to get a drink anyway. I love c that c they had a self serve salsa bar. Must get the chipotle shrimp taco! 10/10 with flavor. Battered fish taco was ah ok.... Salmon taco was great too 10/10. Service was prompt. We had chips and salsa while we waited so it was cool. Overall, I recommend checking this out and trying the chipotle shrimp and salmon taco!

    I stopped by on a Wednesday after a fútbol game and found it to be a great late-night option…read more Ordering is simple. You walk in, place your order at the counter, and find a seat. There were a couple of groups dining in and someone picking up a to-go order, but there was still plenty of seating available. The employee working the counter was friendly. They also serve alcohol, and during my visit drinks were 20% off. Options included Pacifico, Modelo, Blue Moon, hard seltzers, and a selection of canned craft beers. I ordered: * Mahi Mahi Taco: the fish tasted fresh, and I liked the crispy onions on top. There was quite a bit of sauce, which made it pretty messy to eat. While the fish was good, it felt like a very heavy taco overall. * Surf & Turf Taco: this was loaded with steak and topped with two flavorful shrimp. The shrimp had an amazing flavor, and this taco was much more enjoyable and balanced. Overall, the service was great, the prices were very reasonable, and the protein quality was excellent. My only critique is that the tacos felt a little overdone with toppings and sauces when the quality of the protein could easily stand on its own. Still, it's a solid spot for an affordable late-night bite. One thing to note: there are no restrooms available inside the restaurant.

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    The Waves Taco Club
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    Shrimp Burrito

    Chula Tacos - tacos - Updated August 2026

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