Chuy's Taco Shop has been on my Yelp Want To Go list for some time because it was featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (DDD), it has a high Yelp rating, and there are thousands of customer reviews on their Yelp page. I've also heard rave reviews from family and friends. Since we were suit shopping at Fashion Valley and were hanging out with my son and his girlfriend, I recommended that we eat at Chuy's for lunch. If you're a fan of value for your money and tasty Mexican food, I definitely recommend dining here. 4.5 stars for sure, but I'm glad our go to Mexican food spot, Yesenia's, is closer to us and we can visit there for amazing Mexican food as well. Chuy's Taco Shop is located in Rolando, which is close to El Cajon Blvd. and the San Diego State University area. The easiest way to get here would be the 8 freeway east or west, exiting off of 70th Street, and heading south. The taco shop is located within a small strip mall where you can find Ben & Esther's Vegan Jewish Deli, San Diego Blenders Smoothies, and Moxie Theatre. It's across the street from a tire shop. From the outside, it looks like a typical local San Diego Mexican fast food joint, but you can immediately tell that the owners are proud of their accolades displaying Guy Fieri's DDD mug and Yelp's 2025 Top 100 Places To Eat distinction on its front glass window. As you step inside, you'll see several homages to Guy Fieri of DDD fame with a framed signed picture, another framed signed pic with Guy's caricature, and one of their televisions showing the DDD episode featuring Chuy's. There's a good amount of tables and chairs to dine in, several televisions, distressed laminate wood flooring, and accolades hanging on their walls that the restaurant has garnered. Friendly and professional customer service from the lady behind the register, who also doubled as our server. Not sure anything can be done about this, but flies also liked Chuy's food as we had to keep fanning our food. I've been blessed to eat at several DDD restaurants throughout California, Nevada, and Arizona and I have enjoyed every single one I dined at. Having eaten at Chuy's Taco Shop for the first time, I understand why Guy Fieri did a segment here. What I really appreciated about Chuy's was their value for your money. When you dine here, be prepared for large portions, so definitely come hungry. Whenever I eat at any Mexican fast food spot, I order the same go to items that my family and I order at our favorite restaurant Yesenia's. Since I was breaking bread with my wife, son, and his girlfriend, we ordered the following: two carne asada burritos; five rolled tacos with cheese, guacamole, and lettuce; full order carne asada chips; half order of carne asada fries; and a pineapple agua fresca. I wanted to compare what we typically order from Yesenia's. When you eat at Chuy's, the amount of food you get will feed an army. I didn't expect the carne asada burritos to be the length of my forearm. I got to eat some of my son's and it was delicious and satisfying. The star of our meal were the rolled tacos. It was stuffed full with tasty beef, crunchy, and its components were memorable. We barely touched the carne asada chips because we ordered too much, but they aren't stingy with their carne asada both for the chips and their fries. The half order of carne asada fries were plenty and I enjoyed that dish. The pineapple drink was refreshing and helped beat the toasty weather. I still feel Yesenia's is better quality, but for the amount of food at Chuy's, it's a must visit Mexican restaurant. I'm glad I got to finally experience Chuy's Taco Shop and check off another Guy Fieri featured DDD restaurant. If I'm in the area, I will definitely stop by to try their other menu items, but I'm glad our fave Mexican fast food spot is closer to us to satisfy our Mexican food cravings. read more

See all

My Hubby and I was excited check this place out since Guy Fieri had been here plus recommended it. It pretty spacious inside. Lots of seating. They carry a wide range of drinks that pairs well with any of the meals you get. The have a nice salsa bar too. The staff is super nice and helpful. Every time we had a question, they were quick on answering and assisting where things were. ...and now the food, their 3 Mini Carne Asada Tacos were good. I had better flavorful tacos, but these were decent. One thing I will say is you get a lot of meat which is awesome because you can make an extra taco or two. The Salsas is where the flavor is at and I enjoyed all of them. My Hubby got the Chili Verde Plate, I did not try it, but it looked delicious and was a lot of food. read more

See all

I just grew a hate love relationship with these taco shop. The order the carne asada fries and the 2 beef taco plate. Both smacked. The fries are the best fries I had in a while. Perfect mix of everything. Fries are a perfect crisp. The asada was good and tender. I looked around what everyone was getting and all the portions were huge. The service was fast and helpful. There was enough seating for big groups. I will definitely be coming back cuz it's that good!!! read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - 2 beef taco plate - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

This hidden spot in a small strip mall was a real find. Arrived when they opened and I was wanting a chile relleno burrito. I ordered it with just rice and beans. At first bite I was impressed, it was really delicious! Great for breakfast. I didn't feel disgustingly full, since I shared half with my husband. I do appreciate that it was freshly made. I can't wait to go order the same again. read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - Chile relleno rice and beans burrito with a small lettuce bed and lime - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

I stopped by Chuy's to see if their bacon breakfast burrito was up to par. I love a good bacon breakfast burrito. I put in my order then I went to the salsa bar to load up on their salsa in preparation for what I hoped would be a great meal. There were 5 different kinds of salsas which I very much appreciated as I love having different salsas to match up with each bite. As I waited for my food I was surprised when I was brought out some freshly made tortilla chips which had on some guacamole with some pico mixed in. Wow - those were some yummy chips! I kept chowing down on the chips, guac, and salsa and then my burrito came out and it was huge! It was the size of my forearm and had some nice weight to it. Then I took my first bite and knew this was going to be one of my go-to Mexican joints. The burrito had great amounts of crunchy bacon, fries, and cheese. It all came together and my taste buds very much appreciated each bite. If I didn't have a doctor appointment I would have packed the rest and taken it home for leftovers but I ate the whole thing lol because I didn't want to leave it in the car and because it was so good! Top notch! read more

See all

Came here after hearing so much about the food and seeing a lot of media hype surrounding it. I ordered the surf and turf cali burrito and it was so so giant! Literally have never seen a burrito this big! Although I appreciated the portion size, I wish the tortilla was toasted. The size is also a double-edged sword; I feel like I couldn't get a full flavor profile in each bite. I also ordered a "half" order of carne asada fries and portion was so big. My favorite carne asada fries out of all places I've tried. The meat was juicy. The fries were crispy. Overall, burrito was okay but really enjoyed the fries. read more

See all

Grabbed sone tacos de cabeza with the hubby & an agua de limón to share. ALWAYS great service, food & vibes. We love swinging by when we're in the area. read more

See all

I was really excited to finally try Chuy's because they're always at the Yelp events, but only offering burritos, which I don't eat. They had a bigger menu than I anticipated and it took me a second to decide what to get. We ended up getting the following items: - Carnitas Taco - the best of the 3 tacos we got. The meat was cooked soo nicely and flavored to perfection! - Adobada Taco - the worst of the 3 tacos we got. It was bland, chewy, and no amount of salsa could save it - Cabeza Taco - good, but nothing special. Would rather have a different taco than this, but I wouldn't shy away from eating it - side of Rice - horrible. Bland and salty and expensive. We didn't even finish this Each taco was drowning in toppings and it wasn't necessary. We took off at least half of the toppings they gave so that we could taste the meats. It's such a waste for them to do this because it isn't helping their tacos or their pockets. While the tacos/food items are expensive, they give sizeable portions to make up for it. Unfortunately, when the dish isn't good, it's a bigger waste of money than if the portion was smaller. I honestly cannot believe how disgusting their rice was. I would be embarrassed if I was them. I would come back for the carnitas taco and to try something else because I do believe they offer great quality and large portions for the price. 3.5 stars rounded to 3. read more

See all

I've gotten to try Chuy's twice now at two different Yelp events and am looking forward to visiting their restaurant! The tortillas are always perfectly made - a nice chewy texture, just the way I like it! The rice and beans are always perfect and not too salty. The diablo salsa really tied the tacos together. Can't wait to try more things off of their menu. read more

I have been coming here for 8 years since I was a student at SDSU and just now getting to writing a review. My go to order is the bean and cheese burrito or the carne as add burrito (which are both fantastic btw) but today went with the carne asada fries and wow! The portion is massive like their burritos and very flavorful. The service is prompt and friendly; this place never disappoints. Keep doing what you guys are doing! read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - Carne asada fries and salsa from the salsa bar!!! - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

On my bday, I came here for lunch and ordered 1 carnitas burrito & 1 horchata. We sat inside the shop and ate. The burrito was very delicious, I liked the little shredded lettuce and pico that they had on the side of the plate. If it was in the burrito that would have made it even better. It was nice that they didn't just have the pulled pork, but bits of fat as well. Texturally was nice. My mom said she would have liked a little more crisp on the carnitas. The salsas were restocked and delicious! I loved the green one and the extra hot was a fav of my mom. I also really enjoyed the carrots! The only thing was while I was eating the burrito, I bit into something hard and I took it out -- it was a piece of a bone. It was shaped a little bigger than a pebble. I didn't know it was possible to have bones in carnitas/a burrito. Idk if that's the norm, because when we mentioned it-- the woman working basically casually continued her napkin sorting or whatever and said "oh okay.." lol this made me think this was just another everyday occurrence. Although, a little more acknowledgment would have been better on her end. For this specific experience, 3 stars, but truly a 4-5 star taco shop! Overall, minus the bone, and the dry response...the food was great! Salsas fresh and restocked, they had way more options than usual. The horchata was a little too sweet, but overall refreshing. They have a large menu, so be sure to check it out. read more

See all

I can't lie some of the best carne asada fries I've had in a while. I see why this taco shop is nationally known. The service was so good and prompt. I placed an order online and it was hot and ready in less than 5 minutes. Despite me taking it to go I saw the inside of the restaurant was very well kept and clean. I'll definitely be coming back to try more of the menu. read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - Carne Asada Fries - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

I tried them at Yelp art after dark event and truly loved their tacos! The tortillas were incredible. The staff was friendly in telling you exactly what you were getting and I truly loved that strawberry horchata. I have never tried that before and now I crave it! read more

We are from the Bay Area and if we are in San Diego we must stop at Chuy's Taco Shop. Food is amazing Staff is friendly Great prices. Family friendly We will be back A must if you are in San Diego read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - Amazing carne asada burrito - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Wife and I decided to pop in since we were in the area. Service is excellent as always. The ambiance and vibe is Guy Fieri approved. I tried there Surf n Turf Burrito, at first saw the rice and was about to be disappointed, far from it. I understand that you have to have filler to make up for less steak and shrimp. But the flavor of the rice was so delicious . The peppers and onions. This is a flavor town favorite. Agua frescas are read more

See all

Food: Gets tastier each visit-guacamole is consistently fresh, simplicity at is best. Luv Chuy's Salsa Bar-choices include mild to xtra picosa Rice & beans springing with authenticity & freshness. Rolled beef tacos filled generously, crisp & (there's that word again) fresh. Service: Cashiers take orders efficiently, answer questions graciously. Chefs always busily prepare deliciousness adeptly. Their efforts are beyond appreciated. Ambience: Cozy Mexican Flavor that welcomes hungry patrons . Thank you, CHUY'S read more

See all

I may get some backlash for this and I realize it's a hot take... but I'm really struggling to understand the hype behind Chuy's. After seeing countless videos on social media and reading the reviews, I decided I had to try this incredible California burrito. I went on a Sunday and the service was quick and the woman that helped me was efficient and nice. The variety of salsas was nice as I'm a big sauce girl so I tried a few of them -- none blew my socks off but they were good. The burrito arrived and I was hopeful based on the size. Once I cut into it and had my first few bites, I was underwhelmed. It's not that it was a bad burrito, it just didn't live up to the hype that had been built up. The meat was a little tough and the fries were soggy, the guacamole was minimal -- overall, it was an average burrito. I wish I could share a different experience and the reviews are great so maybe I just came on an off day. read more

See all

Carne asada was so good. I would come back again. The serve extremely large portions that is perfect for 3 people. Service is fast. The vibe is just like any other fast food place. read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Chuy's Taco Shop has one of the best burritos I've ever had, and that's no exaggeration. The shop feels cozy and homey, with a straightforward, no-frills setup that really lets the food speak for itself. I loved seeing all their awards and features on display, especially knowing this spot was featured on one of my comfort shows: Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives! And yes -- it absolutely lives up to the hype. My boyfriend and I shared the surf and turf burrito, and calling it "huge" feels like an understatement. It's perfect for sharing and is delicious from start to finish! We even took leftovers home and were able to get a whole second meal out of it LOL. It's definitely on the oily side and a bit messy but is 100% worth it. Service was impeccable from the moment we walked in. The staff was friendly, efficient, and made the experience easy and enjoyable. The restaurant was clean and well maintained + the sauce bar was fully stocked with everything you could need, all conveniently laid out. Parking was also a plus since it's located in a plaza, so finding a spot wasn't an issue. Overall, the food was amazing and the experience matched it. I'd absolutely come back again and highly recommend Chuy's Taco Shop if you're in San Diego and looking for a solid and delicious meal. read more

See all

CHUY'S TACO SHOP @ EL CAJON Parking is available in their lot and is free. It's also shared in a plaza, so it's pretty easy to find a spot! This place is known for its gigantic portions, especially the burritos. They're literally the size of your head, so my boyfriend and I had to check it out. It's only about a five-minute drive from SDSU, so if you're a student, I highly recommend stopping by. When we walked in, the atmosphere was clean, bright, and really spacious. I also noticed they have a salsa bar, which is always a win. The menu is displayed on a TV to the right when you enter, and they offer everything from burritos to tacos to loaded fries. We went with their iconic Chewy's Burrito, which comes with carnitas and chile relleno. It was about $16, and people say it can feed 2-3 people. We waited around 10 minutes, and during that time all the tables were clean, they had napkins ready, and there was a TV playing. You can grab cups for water by the register, and they even have a huge refrigerated water dispenser, which I appreciated because the water was actually cold. When the burrito came out, it was stuffed with creamy avocado guac and incredibly tender carnitas with amazing flavor. I also loved the tortilla, perfect thickness without overpowering the filling. It really let the ingredients shine. Portion-wise, it wasn't as insane as I expected. My boyfriend and I shared one, but I only had a few bites because he absolutely demolished it. Honestly, if you're hungry, you could finish one on your own. I've heard the surf-and-turf burrito is actually their biggest, so maybe we didn't get the largest one after all, but overall, I would definitely recommend this spot if you're looking for authentic Mexican food near SDSU. read more

See all

Chuy's originally featured on a Guy Fiery's tv show is a solid taco shop that earned its claim to fame via that episode. I loved the service and size of the cali burrito I ordered. I did think it would be a little larger in comparison to other taco shops, but the size was adequate. The meat was well seasoned and cooked perfectly. My only gripe was the fries were soggy and a bit undercooked. Pico gallo was a nice fresh contrast to the warm ingredients but I felt it needed sour cream and/or guacamole. I really love when taco shops have a salsa bar. Chuy's was on the top of that category. Overall, a solid spot for burritos etc. read more

See all

It was fine but nothing spectacular. This is not a place I would ever come back to I think. Fries were a good texture but kind of bland. Carne asada had a nice char and slight smoky flavor but were a little chewy. Salsas are not great; they are pretty watered down. Staff were nice and service was fast. Lots of parking in the lot. read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - carne asada fries - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

The restaurant was clean and there was no wait. The cashier was helpful in helping me figure out what burrito I saw on TikTok, all I knew is that it was huge. Turns out it was the "surf and turf Cali." It was ginormous, tasted great, and I did not finish it. I got chicken instead of steak along with the shrimp. The chicken was tender and seasoned. The shrimp was cooked right, the fries held up in the burrito which is two thumbs up. Another five star touch, the salsa bar was refrigerated. You could tell all the salsa was fresh. I will be back and definitely recommend!!!! read more

See all

I will be back here for sure. The carnitas burrito was tender, flavorful, and fatty. Just how I like it! It was huge and I could only eat half. The other half was good cold later too Plenty of seating inside and quick service. The parking lot can be a little tight so be careful coming in and out. I can't wait to go again read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

this place has huge portions with amazing flavor. i loved the fries and how generous they were plus they add pepper which not any shops do and every fry had sauce and cheese. the al pastor was also good read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - al pastor tacos and surf and turn fries with cabeza add on - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Chuy's taco shop has an amazing steak and eggs breakfast burrito. It's huge and easily enough to fill you up for hours. The steak is tender, the eggs are cooked just right, and everything comes together perfectly. Simple, satisfying, and definitely worth it. read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

I was overconfident. I thought I could do it. And I did, but it was the biggest fight for my life! When I walked into Chuy's, we were greeted by the server and she told us to take our time with the order. I asked her what is in the Chuy's Burrito, and it had a bunch of things, I just got it. I love how burritos are riceless. When the burritos came, they were massive. I struggled but it was the most delicious bite at first. I would recommend the Chuy's or California. Their stand alone carne asada was not as impressive as the formers. The place is decorated with lots of posters and showings of Guy Fieri. They also have a sauce bar up front. Delicious burrito, would come back! read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - chuyz - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Chuy's, Chuy's Chuy's. Where do I begin? If you want to feel like you ingested an infant child, this is the place. Burritos are double the size of el jordy nino and taste fatigue sets in quick. Worst part is when it comes out the other end... This place ight. read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

My bacon egg and potato breakfast burrito was very mid, especially for $15... very French fries forward, which were not fully cooked and greasy, 3/4 salsas tasted watered down. Expected much better based on the 4.4 rating, felt like a total waste of money... Guy Fiero would not approve read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - Bacon egg potatoes burrito - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Food and service are just fine but.... I was just charged $6 extra for some damn cheese and extra sauce. I mean come on, what a rip off. I used to love this place but $23 for a shrimp burrito that is originally $16.99 and $6 for add ons booooo! I'll take my business elsewhere. read more

Would rather have not eaten for the day and gave my $20 to a homeless person. Trashed my food it was straight SLOP.

I'm with Celine from 24 hours earlier. $135 and the food was no where near the 4.4 on yelp. I don't know who's giving them five star reviews, but I couldn't justify it. -Carne Asada burritos were bland and chewy. Quac had no flavor. -California burritos had the same tasteless carne and the fries were half cooked. -Rolled tacos were mushy in the middle and had farm style shredded cheddar cheese on them. Strange. -kids bean and cheese burrito came with a large amount of fries but they were under cooked and mushy. -even the bagged carrots were kind of tasteless. -the hot sauce was decent. The large amount food and the nice employee is why I gave them 3 stars. Next time we are in town we will definitely find another place. read more

This used to be one of my go-to spots, but over the past two years it's really gone downhill. About eight months ago, I got sick after eating their pollo asada fries. I decided to give them another shot today...avoided the chicken this time. I ordered a California burrito and asked to add breakfast potatoes. Unfortunately, the burrito was extremely greasy. It soaked through the wrapping paper and even the bag. Instead of the breakfast potatoes, it was loaded with French fries, which likely explains all the excess grease. On top of that, the meat was dry and there was no guacamole. The burrito was huge, but completely disappointing and ultimately ended up in the trash. I won't be coming back. read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - Too many damn greasy fries - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

First timer Great experience Fresh food Carne Asada Fries - 5/5 MASSIVE portion, tasty, generous toppings and carne asada. Could easily feed 3 hungry people. Horchata -3/5 Really watered down but not too bad. But wouldn't get it again. But first refill is FREE! Rolled tacos -5/5 Perfect crunch. Fresh ingredients. Generous toppings. No complaints. Salsa -3/5 Missing a large flavor. Tried all four salsas and needs to be hotter or needs more flavor but nice to get as much salsa as needed. Service - 5/5 Cashier was beyond welcoming and had a great attitude. Very polite and never showed any frustration. Our table was dirty and cashier cleaned it right away. Seating - 5/5 Plenty of seating. Nice clean place. Overall great experience. Will definitely return. read more

See all

Came here again after I heard they got new items ! We got the roll tacos in the bucket, each had 1 and loved it. Then we shared the chilaquiles burrito. Spectacular. Last new item was the companchena burrito you get to choose two proteins. I chose pollo asado & carne asada. One of my items I usually get from here is the surf n turf fries and churro cheesecake ! Amazing ! Will come back ! read more

See all

Amazing carne asada burritos! Quick and polite service. Love the salsa bar. Food is always best in the morning. read more

Came in for the first time on Saturday and all I have to say was amazing and delicious Mexican food! The nachos were 10/10 and recommended it! The burrito was very tasty! I really like the carne asada it had great flavor and soft tasty meat! If I could give this place a10 I would. Can't wait to be back! Service was amazing and over all great ambiance. read more

See all

Delicious and great value! We got the carne asada chips and surf n turf burrito. The carne asada chips were LOADED perfectly with cheese, meat, avocado, and sour cream; the chip to topping ratio actually ended up being perfect, pictured is the full size order. The surf n turf burrito also had perfect ratios: lots of meat and not too much rice. The salsas were delicious one of them had a great smoky flavor. I also tried their horchata and it was really good and not too sweet. Service was good, you order at the counter then they bring your food to you when it's ready. Very casual and family friendly. Great for a quick bite, grab and go. Great value for how much food you get and for the quality of the food you get! I can see why guy fieri recommended this place! I would definitely come again read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - Carne asada chips, surf n turf burrito, salsas - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

I saw this go viral; I'm still learning about SD Mexican food. This county has numerous gems; this one is not hidden as it's featured in Food Network's - Diners Drive-Ins & Dives and Yelp's Top 100. AMBIANCE: Parking: Plaza parking or street parking. You should have no issues with parking. Seating: There is plenty of seating, with room for about 50 people. This is good for groups, and there's also a standing bar outside. Vibes: This is not the most flashy part of San Diego, but it's popular, especially if you're from SDSU. The spot itself has a mission-style design and feels spacious. Two TVs--one showing sports and the other a TNT movie--play Mexican music in the kitchen. It's good for a food adventure or if you really want to eat. FOOD: Surf N' Turf Cali Burrito (Recommend) Oooiii! This was a delight. First and foremost, this burrito was HUGE! I made four meals out of this. This was served fresh - the tortilla, crispy fries, and well flavored from the beef, shrimp, and gooey cheese. Horchata (Recommend) Solid! Creamy, sweet, a pleasant, refreshing cinnamon kick. CUSTOMER SERVICE: Awesome! Lupe was great! Friendly and professional. Kudos to her for dealing with the lunch rush. TL; DR OVERALL: 5 Stars. Good Selections, delicious food, a bang for your buck, and a pleasant experience. Mexican food is one of the many highlights of San Diego in the discussion of which taco shop is the best, this ranks highly on the list. TIPS: * https://sdtoday.6amcity.com/san-diego-restaurants-yelp-2025-top-places-100-to-eat read more

Chuy's Taco Shop - Wooo! Peep the size of that burrito! - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

chorizo breakfast burrito had me filled up for the day and it wasn't so greasy Quick service on a weekend morning and line moved fast. Good salsa bar read more