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City Tacos

4.2 (449 reviews)
InexpensiveTacos
Closed • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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CITY TACOS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Trendy
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - City Tacos

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Michelle M.

Beach tacos!! Should be a new phrase we all day in San Diego!! Loved this branch of city tacos because it's so close to the beach. Affordable with high quality food. Something for everyone. Vegan, kids and classic taco choices. My recommendations: Classic asada, surf and turf, and portobello! Don't forget the chips and guacamole with Mexican Coca Cola

Melody L.

Worth the Cross-Country Craving! Visiting all the way from Fort Lauderdale and City Tacos Encinitas was so worth the stop! I ordered 4 Scallop tacos, a Mexicali, 2 Elotes, a Carnitas Puerto, and one Pescado taco -- and let me just say, San Diego knows how to do tacos right. The Scallops were tender and perfectly seasoned, the Mexicali had a great balance of crunch and spice, and the Elotes? Creamy, cheesy, and absolute perfection. Carnitas Puerto was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and the Pescado had that perfect crispy-fresh bite. Everything was packed up nicely for takeout, still warm when I got to enjoy it, and full of flavor in every bite. I'll be dreaming of these tacos all the way back to Florida!

SURF & TURF, PORTOBELLO & VEGGIES
Cristina A.

Very clean, delicious taco establishment that delivers the classic City Taco flavor. I first learned about City Tacos ten years ago and frequented the North Park location. Having visited both locations recently my only critique of the Encinitas location would be that they do not crisp up the Quesabirria taco as much when taken to-go (DoorDash pick up order). It was not as flavorful as when ordered at the North Park location. Still, City Tacos in Encinitas is an awesome restaurant and I cannot wait to return!

SD CARNE ASADA QUESIBIRRIA CAMARON ENCHILADO CARNITAS PUERCO
Jose G.

Cruising the beautiful city of Encinitas heading back home towards LA decided to give it a try. Great food! Amazing and fast service. Love the modern ambiance and great playlist.

Lunch

First time in town and found this little spot, will be back for sure. Tacos are large portions honestly wish they were smaller so I could eat a wider variety at each meal - so it will take me a while to get thru the menu. I always start with carnitas at a new spot and the spicy pork was a winner.

the mexicali taco
Maddie W.

This is a staple in my family. Such an easy go to spot. Everything is so flavorful and tasty. They give u a good amount of meat. The price is unbeatable! My go to is the mexicali. The tacos are so creative with what they put into it to advance its flavor output. Food comes out quick too. Definitely recommend to go!

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RITA WAS AMAZING!!! Very friendly and very personable! Just because of her, we will be back soon! :)

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The tacos are bomb, and the service was 10/10. Thanks Rita for making the evening more cool and fun c:

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3 years ago

Great tacos and even better service. Rita took our order and was so kind and generous! We'll definitely be back! "Shank you" taco is a must!

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2 years ago

Wonderful atmosphere clean bathroom very quaint love the food here music choice love it

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Ask the Community - City Tacos

Do they cater for a party of 9?

Any news on the opening date?

Open

Is it open now? Any table inside for 8 ppls

Not open yet... Hopefully soon.

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Los Tacos

Los Tacos

4.5
(484 reviews)
2.1 mi
•$$

If you haven't tried the spicy surf and turf burrito here, you're missing out. It's the perfect…read morebalance of heat and flavor. Since the location is in a small plaza, parking is definitely a challenge when it's busy. I highly recommend placing a mobile/phone order ahead of time so you can just grab and go. Highly recommend!

I decided to stop by Los Tacos in Encinitas after reading all the great reviews about this specific…read morelocation! The parking lot has plentiful parking but was completely full as I was leaving around 12pm. There were tons of order pick-up spots and 20-minute max parking spots that help with the flow. The restaurant was impeccably clean with a growing line of lunch-goers. The workers were very efficient and the line moved quickly. I also noticed the apparent owner/manager talking to regulars and greeting customers as they walked in, which I really liked to see! I was served my order to-go in less than 10 minutes and ended up unexpectedly using the other 10 minutes after taking my first bite--after that it was hard to stop. The burrito was the perfect size (not too large and not too small). My original breakfast burrito was wrapped in a fresh hand-made tortilla filled with fluffy eggs, the perfect amount of bacon, cheese, soft fresh potatoes, topped with the avocado salsa verde which went perfectly with everything. I even ended up sipping the salsa (it was that good) between bites of the burrito. I was also blown away by the clean and fully stocked salsa bar. So many options (including non-spicy ones for those with gastric limitations too!) and they even offered radishes, carrots, and pickled onions individually wrapped with care. Everything tasted fresh and home-made. After 7 years being away from San Diego, Los Tacos delivered exactly what I had been missing. This location really blew me away and I will definitely be back to see what else it has to offer.

Photos
Inside
Inside
3 taco combo (mixed between garlic shrimp, baja style fish and carne asada)
3 taco combo (mixed between garlic shrimp, baja style fish and carne asada)
Los Tacos

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Pavlos Tacos

Pavlos Tacos

4.4
(130 reviews)
2.0 mi

Pavlos Tacos quite literally serves THE BEST FISH TACOS I have EVER had in my ENTIRE life... and…read morehaving been a pescetarian for 14 years, I have had a LOT of fish tacos -- believe me. You HAVE to stop by and try their fish tacos for $3/taco on Tuesdays! Somehow they are SO fresh, even though they are battered. A battered fish taco that somehow is insanely delicious AND also tastes kinda healthy?? And they were sizable too -- I only needed 2 fish tacos to get full. I didn't know that existed, but now that I do, this will certainly be one of my go-to spots! My boyfriend also said their surf & turf burrito was the best he's ever had... and if all that isn't enough, to top it all off, the customer service + atmosphere is 5 stars as well! Pavlos himself is the SWEETEST man -- so down-to-earth, genuine, and super duper cool... and when we walked in, my first thought (spoken aloud) was, "Wow, this place is so CLEAN!" I can now absolutely see why this is a neighborhood favorite. Go to Pavlos Tacos today. You won't regret it! Food: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Atmosphere: 10/10 Cost: 9.5/10

I rarely write reviews, but this meal was bad enough that I felt I had to share my experience…read more The Surf & Turf Burrito was confusing from the start. It contained crinkle-cut, Ore-Ida-style fries, a few decent shrimp, and dry carne asada. The pico de gallo had an overpowering flavor and a soggy texture. The burrito itself was large, and the toasted tortilla was one of the few positives. The fish tacos were equally disappointing. The tortillas were cold and rubbery, while the fish was this overly large, rectangular, store-bought frozen fillet rather than something freshly prepared. The rolled taco combo was arguably the worst item. They were extremely dry and topped with what tasted like processed, store-bought melted cheese. The avocado mash (not guac) was actually pretty good, which was one of the only highlights of the meal. The beans tasted like store bought, canned beans and the rice was okay. Most importantly for any taco shop, the red salsa was simply awful. The green salsa was decent, but the red salsa was honestly the worst I've ever tasted. The flavor reminded me of Ragu marinara sauce mixed with a dash of hot sauce...I kid you not! I don't enjoy leaving negative reviews, but I hope ownership takes this feedback seriously and makes some changes. There is potential here, but the food quality and ingredient choices need significant improvement.

Photos
Pavlos Tacos
Pavlos Tacos
Pavlos Tacos

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Agave Birrieria

Agave Birrieria

4.6
(322 reviews)
1.8 mi
•$$

I wasn't sure what to expect from a taco place next to a gas station, but this spot was a great…read moresurprise. The restaurant was super clean and a perfect place to try something new. I ordered the tacos de papa, and my daughter had the birria tacos--both were excellent. The hot sauce was especially good and really brought everything together. Being from out of town, it's hard to know which taco places are worth trying, but this one definitely is. I would absolutely recommend it and will be coming back next time I'm in town. Thank you!

I've seen this place numerous times on my way to the Starbucks and finally decided that today's the…read moreday to try this place. We went at 1:30 pm today (Friday). No drive through. So my bro and I went in and ordered food for the rest of the fam. This place is set-up more for take out rather than dining in. The lady at the register was super nice and friendly. We ordered the carne asada and shrimp rancheros plates that came with rice, beans and a flour tortilla. Also two burritos, cabeza and fish. And a coconut flan for dessert. Pros: Convenient location Food came out very quick Great customer service Coconut flan was absolutely delicious The shrimp rancheros were also delicious, very well seasoned & cooked perfectly. Cons: The burritos were much smaller, not as filled as other burritos from other Mexican restaurants. The carne asada was over cooked and dry There was only 2 pieces of fish in the fish burrito that were so over fried that it was hard and inedible. We had high hopes for this place, but our first impression fell flat. Not sure if it would be worth it to try and go again.

Photos
Front counter/register
Front counter/register
Birria Mini Taco (x2) with Nachos
Birria Mini Taco (x2) with Nachos
Birreria tacos

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Birreria tacos
Encinitas Fish Shop

Encinitas Fish Shop

4.1
(1.4k reviews)
0.0 mi
•$$

I've been going to the pb location for years so was excited to try out Encinitas fish shop while in…read morethe area. I might like this location even more than pb. The restaurant is very clean and they gave us real plates! I got lucky on timing because there was no wait to order when I got there. There was a line out the door when we were finished though. This place is very family friendly with lots of kids and dogs. There was easy street parking so we didn't have trouble finding a spot. I love the fish plate with fish shop seasoning. I even own a bottle of their seasoning to use at home it's so good! I always get the vegetables as my side and this location had zucchini instead of cauliflower in the mix, which I prefer! Can't wait to go again.

The tacos here never disappoint! I tried both the TKO Taco and the Spicy Dorado Taco, and they were…read moreabsolutely delicious. The TKO Taco had perfectly grilled mahi mahi that was tender and flavorful. The tropical salsa paired with the cilantro white sauce gave it a fresh, sweet, and savory balance, while the cabbage added the perfect crunch. The Spicy Dorado Taco was my favorite! The sriracha aioli gave it just the right amount of heat without overpowering the fish, and the avocado lime drizzle tied everything together perfectly. Every bite was fresh, flavorful, and satisfying. If you're a fish taco fan, I highly recommend trying both. Fresh ingredients, perfectly cooked fish, and amazing flavor combinations. I'll definitely be back!

Photos
Encinitas Fish Shop
Fish Shop Lumpia (2)
Fish Shop Lumpia (2)
Ahi Poke

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Ahi Poke
Serranos Mexican Food

Serranos Mexican Food

4.2
(213 reviews)
0.7 mi
•$$

$7 for a Breakfast Burrito in Southern California is unheard of. Its also a daily feature which on…read morea Sunday morning was completely unexpected. The chorizo was ok but the fresh salsa bar was the star of the show. Friend had the bacon breakfast burrito and it did taste better, will likely order it next visit. They also offer bottles of beers and micheladas. Clean, friendly atmosphere right off the freeway. I will definitely return

Tl;dr don't stop at this place, keep driving…read more We stopped in for dinner on our way back to OC. The service was friendly, but very slow. The cashier was really nice, but she seemed more concerned with chatting with customers than working quickly (maybe she felt like she had to talk to these people, as they seemed like regulars). We waited patiently, but some customers were getting really upset at the long wait times and making a scene, so that was awkward and definitely took away from the atmosphere. The food was very mediocre, especially given the high prices. The guacamole was outright gross and we only ate about half of it, which is unusual for us as a guac-loving family. It tasted like poor quality avocados were used; it had that weird rotten fruit taste that low quality avocado variants often have. The beef taco was good with a nice portion. The fish tacos had a nice flavor, but there was barely any fish in them and one of my tacos had a bone that hurt my tooth. The potato taco was flavorless and definitely the worst of the tacos. My husband said his California burrito was 4/5 and my kids seemed to like their kids meals (though I ordered the quesadilla only for each of them and was given the more expensive plate with rice and beans, which they don't like, so I was charged for food I didn't order and didn't want...).

Photos
Menu board as of 7-8-24
Menu board as of 7-8-24
Unfortunate cross section of Cali burrito with mostly undercooked fries
Unfortunate cross section of Cali burrito with mostly undercooked fries
Serranos Mexican Food

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City Tacos - tacos - Updated July 2026

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