San Diego Taco Series, Part 11 "Whenever I needed someone, you're right there on the line. With a friend like you, to get me through, I'll get by every time. You've been a friend to me, a Godsend to me. I ain't too proud to say, you've been a friend to me." Bryan Adams While tacos are so tasty they usually can stand on their own, sometimes they need a little support. That was certainly the case at "City Tacos." The "Pollo Asado", "Carnitas", and "SDCA (San Diego Carne Asada)" tacos all seemed a little lonely and incomplete. Thankfully their BFF salsa hit them up and suggested they chillax together. The "Creamy Cilantro Aioli", "Tomatillo", and "Creamy Chipotle Aioli" nicely addressed the slight flavor deficiencies of each taco (although the texture and crunch of the pork rind was a nice addition). There is an interesting assortment of tacos offered here, but we were a little disappointed by the dryness of the chicken and the flour tortillas not being warm. And that's...Henry's Take. #makesalsanotwar read more

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Yum! So much to choose from. We needed about 2-3 tacos each for a comfortable fullness. They were quick and helpful. One of our group has specific allergies and the gal at the register was very helpful in making sure she could eat certain items. Thank you for that! Definitely coming back when the next taco craving hits. read more

City Tacos - Pescado - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

Solid taco spot. My bf and I liked the shrimp taco best. The fish taco was good too. Always gotta get chips & guac! Free parking lot, indoor and outdoor seating read more

City Tacos - Fish taco, shrimp taco, chips & guac (IG: @mylifeaskat_) - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

Tacos cold the worse tacos four of us were looking for taco Tuesday it was Tuesday and no specials. Plus Everything was Cold

Good, creative tacos. Great location for tacos after visiting the beach. Best to order to-go and go eat at one of Encinitas overlooks (H street/I street/J street). Three tacos and a side of elote is a wonderful meal. read more

Tried City Tacos yesterday for the first time and was completely blown away. We are die hard taco lovers and I have to say these were some of the best I have had in a long time. These guys bring a taco stand to another level. High quality ingredients, unique combos- like gourmet. And the sauce bar- so many amazing choices. Great service, immaculate. Highly recommend. Not sure why the line isn't out the door at this one... read more

Great tacos ! We come here every month! Lots of different choices! Fun place to have supper and drinks read more

Extremely rude and racist cashier at City Tacos. Very unsmiling and impatient demeanor when taking my order. In fact, he made me wait and didn't even look up at me the whole time when taking my order. that should've been a warning sign. We were large party and after he brought out our tacos , we realized we were missing four of them out of an order of twenty two tacos. Luckily I had the receipt on my phone and so went to inquire about the missing tacos. I was met with skepticism and a scowl while he claimed to be "checking" the order. After about ten minutes of checking, he finally agreed there were missing tacos. No apology but just an annoyed look. We finally get three of the four missing tacos, but we're still one short. While we were eating a party of white customers came in. They got a smile and welcome. I wish there was a way to cancel the 20% tip that I had added when paying upfront. Be sure to count your tacos if you go here! read more

When I first moved to San Diego I found the one in La Mesa, where I was living, and loved it. Then I moved to Point Loma but didn't realize there was one in Ocean Beach. Now I live in Carlsbad and go to this one after taking my dogs to Del Mar dog beach. They are the best tacos ever. I get the Mexicali every time and mix up the other two, the Caribbean salmon, surf and turf, camaron enchilado and I will try the taco of the month. I've tried many others but those are my mains. Staff is always good and service is fast. They make plain chicken, no tortilla for the pups. The chips and guac is ok, not great. I still think La Mesa is the best, but that might be cuz it was the first. read more

Perfect amount of delicious food for a reasonable price Great options clearly explained on menu Veggie and gluten free as well as your typical taco meats Yum!! read more

I ordered the Mexicali Tacos and they were bomb!! The service was great and the worker there helped me with my to go bag since I was carrying my son and my hands were full. Talk about amazing service . I got my food brought to me super fast as well. I will definitely be returning to this place. Thank You City Tacos Staff!! read more

City Tacos - Mexicali Taco - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

The Good: ample parking, great tacos, above average service. The Bad: Eating establishments shouldn't smell bad. This place (and their downtown location ) reeks of whatever they use to clean the restaurant (Fabuloso?); it is overpowering and is flat out nauseating. Gross. read more

We ordered to-go, a child relleno, two camaron enchilados, the vegetarian special, the one with scallops, another with chili relleno, and portobello mushroom tacos. There's a Yelp check-in for a free aqua Fresca or a corn quesadilla. There's a salsa/sauce bar on the far end from the registers, near the bar. You can get the sauces you want there. The tacos were delicious and it's been one of our go-to tacos in north county. read more

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The tacos here are what I'd consider fully loaded! I really enjoyed the camarón enchilado taco. Meaty shrimp and plenty of sauce. The taco of the month had too much liquid (we needed an extra bowl for everything that dripped out). I like the diversity of seating here. So many options! I like the vibe with screens featuring photos of their food interspersed with cute doggies. Menu is large and not standard tacos, so take a look before you get here. The people ordering at the counter ahead of us took their sweet time reading through every possibility. :) read more

City Tacos - Vibes - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Nasty! The scallops tacos were under cooked and very sloppy. It made a mess on my counter. I could deal with that but undercooked scallops are not good. I didn't get sick because I didn't want to eat it. I don't know what is wrong with that restaurant but to serve under cooked seafood is disgusting read more

First time trying, found it while searching for a taco place on Yelp since we were in the area. They were pretty busy so the food took a while to come, seemed understaffed but not their fault. The man ringing us up seemed stressed, he didn't smile or greeted us. It was awkward lol The restaurant seemed clean, there was a salsa bar with 3 kinds of salsas: red, green and mango. The mango didn't really taste like mango to me, just sour/tangy. I liked the Red best. We got: a "shank you" taco which came with the slow cooked beef shank, Cameron enchilado (grilled shrimp), surf and turf, the carne asada taco, corn quesadilla (free with Yelp check in), and the Elote. My boyfriend enjoyed his surf and turf and carne asada. The beef shank had good flavor but the meet was too tough, maybe it needs to be cooked longer? The shrimp taco ... shrimps didn't seem as fresh and need more seasoning in my opinion. Corn quesadilla was surprisingly the best thing I ate. The Elote was not sweet at all, have had way better Elote from a cart vendor. Would not recommend this. Overall the food here was just ok for me. There's so many other options that had better value and taste for how much these tacos cost. read more

City Tacos - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

THANK YOU FOR HAVING MORE THAN ONE VEG OPTION!!! This should be the standard. This was a very American Mexican place it's a chain so the taste should be standard. I like the amount of options they have for vegetarian and it's not just beans but they actually thought of the flavor profiles when crafting the menu. The flautas were pretty good and also loved the caramelized onions in the fried zucchini. Taste wise fried zucchini was mid but I am also not a big zucchini fan. The toppings and creama were pretty good and their green salsa and aiolis is fuego read more

City Tacos - City zucchini (vegetarian) - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

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We came across this amazing taco joint during a recent day trip to Encinitas to visit a nearby butterfly farm. After visiting the farm we were hungry and looking for something good and casual to eat as weren't looking at breaking the bank with a high end sit down lunch. It didn't take long to settle on tacos and we quickly headed off for what turned out to be some of the best tacos I have had. As we walked in and took a look at all of the amazing options offered we were happy to see the wide assortment from the basic street Taco fare to the more high end specialty varieties. We arrived not too long after opening and there was ample seating upon our arrival and plenty of parking in the adjacent center lot. I opted to go with the Chili Relleno taco as well as the Mexicali and they were both absolutely delicious. My wife went with the Surf & Turf and Pescado options and she also lived them both. I can say we were a bit disheartened with the long wait as we had ordered and taken a seat at a small table outside and waited and waited and waited and after about a half hour the tacos finally hit the table. This is the one area where I cannot give them a 5 star review as they were not that busy for the wait to be that exorbitant but the aulity was quite good in the end. We also managed to take advantage of a special Yelp check-in for a free aqua Fresca and the kind gentleman working gave us a second as well since we both had the app so we were thankful for that and it was very refreshing. We loved the place so much during our initial visit that we came back just a couple short weeks later. We opted for most the same options but my wife also went with a Mexicali in lieu of the Pescado and we also ordered the Papas con Rajas as well and split them. They were on the smaller side but were also quite a nice addition to our meal. Overall we have been quite pleased with both of our visits and the service was substantially faster our 2nd time through despite them being far busier so they were definitely on their A game that day. We look forward to eating here many more times to come when in the vicinity of this great town. If you live tacos then you will live this place so come on in a d give them a try for yourself. read more

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A good spot to get reasonably priced, standard tacos quickly. We got here on a Sunday evening between lunch and dinner time. You walk in, place your order and pay at the counter and take a number to your table where they bring your food. They have indoor and outdoor seating in a casual setting. We got the shrimp tacos, pork tacos and the chorizo and potato fried taco. The shrimp taco was the overall favorite - the tortilla is thin and flavorful. The tacos themselves are on the mild side, but they have a salsa, topping and topping bar where you can get the sauces and toppings that you'd like to add to your food. Being a spice lover, I enjoyed the hot salsa with Chile arbol. The cilantro avocado sauce had a great flavor that instantly elevated the flavor of all the tacos! The chorizo and potato taco was not quite what I expected but the sauce made up for it. They also had a hibiscus drink that I enjoyed. Overall, a great place for a quick bite and some beer/ drinks in the area on a budget. read more

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Amazing food, all fresh & delicious! Great service, clean and spacious. Big outside area, and perfect location. Love coming here! read more

City Tacos - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

My fiance, as a native to SD, hated this place. I will record his reviews with an asterisk. Overall the ingredients felt super fresh and the tacos were super big and meaty. The fish taco stole the show (imo) so I am rating it 4/5 for the fish taco + general ingredient quality + value proposition. The reviews below are for taste and execution of each taco. PESCADO TACO - The fried fish was huge and super crunchy. The strawberry drizzle was weird, but mine fell off anyway so it didn't really matter. 5/5 with no strawberry. *They ruined an otherwise excellent fish taco with the strawberry + etc toppings. 2/5 SD CARNE ASADA - *Embarrassing. Meat is consistent with the most bland taco truck. No char no flavor. Insulting to the city. 1/5 AHUEVO BREAKFAST TACO - *Totally normal 4/5 CARNITAS - The chicarron was too tough and I couldn't eat it with the taco. The pork was not browned and super wet and soupy. The entire taco fell apart :(. 2/5 QUESIBIRRIA - Good hunk of meat and tasty. Needs guac or some of the creamy green salsa to balance out the flavors, but good. 4/5 read more

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We just happened to stop by because we were in the area and looking for food, and I am sure happy we came here! We were a few miles away checking out the butterfly farm when we were looking for something nearby to get lunch. We didn't want to foot a bill for a restaurant, so Steven spotted this establishment nearby, and also, who doesn't like tacos? We headed over. Their menu varies from house favorite tacos, traditional tacos, homestyle tacos, tacos dorados, and vegan options. The menu options may seem a little high for tacos, but when you see how fancy and unique they are, and how loaded they come, it makes perfect sense. We almost got an order of the Papa Con Rajas dorados but we waited. Those come in two according to the menu. I ended up going with a Pescado taco and a Surf & Turf taco and Steven went with a Chile Relleno taco as well as their Mexicali taco. WOW! We LOVED them. I especially loved my Pescado taco and Steven especially loved his Mexicali taco. Mashed potatoes on a taco with beef? I am definitely going to have to try that one next time. My golden fried mahi mahi was to die for. The tacos were so delicious. I was wanting more. They were packed full and full of flavor. They also brought out a variety of salsas to add. One was a yellow citrus one which I used as well as their tomatillo salsa. Steven used the red one they brought out. We also got free agua frescas with check in. It was delicious as well. My only complaint is that it was very slow. We waited about 25-30 minutes for our tacos. Luckily they were so delicious and worth the wait. Service was so friendly too which is always appreciated. I really wish we had a location near us. We will definitely stop by here again when we are in the area. I need another Pescado taco and a Mexicali taco, and maybe a papa con rajas. Highly recommend if you are a lover of tacos! read more

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My friend is a big foodie like me, so I trusted her judgment when she picked this spot on our drive south. She'd been before, so she knew it was good, and it was! There's a wide variety of tacos they offer here; most of them are non-traditional, but they're very good. MEXICALI: I tried the Mexicali because I thought the addition of mashed potatoes sounded really interesting (and I love mashed potatoes). Unfortunately, I couldn't really notice the mashed potatoes in mine at all. There wasn't nearly enough. This taco was decent but a little lackluster. However, one of our friends ordered this one and it was his favorite one, so it could either way for you! CRUNCH TIME SHRIMP TACO: This taco was absolutely amazing. I loved it. The crunch factor was great and the flavors all sung. 10/10 CHORIZO ASADO: I love chorizo and pineapple, so I definitely wanted to try this taco. It was also delicious. SPECIAL TACO: There was a featured taco that was on listed on the menu with octopus which was also really tasty. I think this place does seafood really well! I love the unique flavor combinations. There's also a Yelp check-in offer for a free aqua fresca or a corn quesadilla. The ambiance was fun here too. I liked their comfy, spacious outdoor tables. I would definitely come here again. There's so many more types of tacos to try! read more

City Tacos - So many tacos - all delicious! - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

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I was visiting friends who raved about City Tacos, and they were absolutely right to insist on it being my first meal in town! I liked that the menu had a combination of more traditional and unique tacos, so I got a variety: Pollo Asado, Shank You, and Cameron Enchilada. The Pollo (chicken) and Cameron (shrimp) tacos were both very good, but the "Shank You" was my favorite of the meal! It combined beef shank with mushrooms, garlic, onion, and cilantro, was topped with green salsa, and served on a delicious corn tortilla with asadero cheese. If I find myself back at City Tacos, I might well get three of these! The staff were friendly, and one very kind staff member not only lit a heater for us, but moved it -- without having been asked -- to the perfect spot to warm all of us at the table. read more

City Tacos - Clockwise from top: Pollo Asado taco, Shank You taco, & Cameron Enchilada taco - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

Always yelping to find a good place to eat.. Tacos was on our mind, saw a couple options and City Tacos got my attention. A twist on tacos. I got Mexicali, carnitas, Cochinita Pibil and Camaron enchilado. The house favorite which was the Mexicali & cCamaron enchilado was definitely a must the carnitas don't fall behind it was delicious.. I would definitely come back and explore the menu..Fast and great service read more

City Tacos - Tacos - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

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tacos are good, but they ruined it by trying to be different and hipster prices aren't even terrible. I wish it was more authentic.

We dropped in on a Sunday for some tacos a little after 1:00. The lunch crowd had thinned out, but there was a short line to order. The menu contains innovative creations of tacos, but it seems like City Tacos' signature element is flat-top grilled cheese on their tacos. While it's a great idea, the cheese doesn't maintain its crispiness long enough and gets soggy as you work through your line of tacos. We tried the Pescado (fish taco), Shank You Taco (beef shank), Kids Quesitacos (quesadilla taco), and Crunch Time Shrimp Taco. Far and away, the shrimp taco was the best. I wouldn't order the beef shank again, and my wife never shares her fish tacos. Two tacos and some chips and guac should fill up most bellies. Most items on the menu are in the $4.50 range. read more

My order was simple. 2 fish tacos and 2 birria tacos to go. They placed 3 tacos on a plate and even though they look good they messed up an easy order. read more

These are delicious and creative tacos. The freshly-made tortillas for the tacos are wonderful. We tried the cochinita pibil, the Mexicali, the Camaron Enchiladao, and the basic pollo asado. They were all very good. The cochinita pibil was particularly tender and extremely juicy. Use the Yelp check-in for a freeeeeee quesadilla or agua fresca. We tried the quesadilla and it was fine. I'm not sure why so many Yelpers complain about the service here, other than the fact that many stupid Yelpers complain about many stupid things. There really is no service. You order at the counter and then they bring you your food. That's it. Interior and exterior seating plus a foosball table outside. So are the tacos here better than those at the Taco Stand just down the street? They're both really good but the lines here aren't as ridiculous. There you go. read more

City Tacos - Mexicali, Cochinita Pibil, pollo asado (x2), Camaron Enchilado, and Pescado). All good especially the Cochinita Pibil. - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Been meaning to write this for some months now, but City Tacos Encinitas has become a regular go-to taco place for me when I am in the Encinitas/Solana Beach/So. Carlsbad area. The tacos are THAT GOOD! The last time I was at City Tacos, I ordered my standard - three tacos with a side of veggie frijoles. Very filling! My favorites are: ~ Pollo City, with an eclectic mix of grilled chicken breast, arugula, diced tomatoes, golden raisins, toasted sliced almonds, and tamarindo aioli. ~ Mahi a la Veracruzana, with grilled Mahi filet topped with sauteed tomatoes, olives, garlic and chives on a bed of melted asadero cheese and lime aioli. ~ Pollo Asado, the classic with grilled chicken breast, guacamole, onion, tomato and cilantro. The shells are the most amazing part of this experience. I avoid the flour tortillas, so go corn all around. And they are thick and full of flavor. Really outstanding. Try City Tacos if you have not already. They have wine and beer on tap, and many other lovely choices. Nom nom! read more

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The tacos were served ice cold,the end!Free parking,tacos were cold and not up to any authentic taco standard in western civilization!The tacos tasted like they were day old.I have no idea how anyone would rate this place more than one star.The positive,taco bell now a legitimate has a competitor!(El Crapo)! Carne Vomitus! read more

Delish, amazing space, quick service, decent pricing. Thanks for keeping it clean and fresh. Told you I would do a review! read more

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The food was so delicious good portions and the service was fast I ordered one taco and chips and guacamole read more

City Tacos - The bathroom was decorated so cute - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

My family and I were enjoying our afternoon with some friends at a nearby park in Encinitas when they suggested we have tacos for lunch. We originally headed for another incredibly popular spot a few blocks down but completely balked at the line out the door and down the sidewalk, especially since we had 3 kids in tow. We continued on and landed at City Tacos, and luckily hopped in line right before the lunch rush, and scored an outside lounge that would fit us all. I didn't have a ton of time to look at the menu so I just ordered an array of tacos - carne asada, fish, papa con rajas (rolled) and chile relleno + the kids quesitaco with beans. Even with a couple of negro modelos, our bill was under $45 if I remember correctly, and fed my family of three. We grabbed a bunch of different salsas at the bar inside, and our food followed pretty quickly. The salsa verde was especially good! I would order all of the tacos I sampled again, except for the carne asada taco which was really disappointing. It was more like a steak taco as it was not seasoned like carne asada typically is, and the cut of meat was large and grisly, not chopped into tasty little chunks like I'm used to. That taco deserved to be in the garbage. The rest, however, were delicious! I especially loved the papa con rajas rolled tacos, which were piping hot, well-seasoned and very satisfying. Everyone else in our party devoured their tacos, and nothing was left behind. We enjoyed lounging for a few more minutes while the kids played on the foosball table. We will definitely be back again! read more

6 weeks ago we had an wonderful dinner at City Tacos. The food was very authentic and absolutely delicious. Tonight we were looking forward to another great taco experience but unfortunately were disappointed. The Carnitas tacos were soggy, the Carnie Asada was not flavorful and i think had been sitting around in a steam table and the Salsa bar was empty. Sorry to say this but we will not be back.. read more

Tacos are on the healthier side and tasty! Tacos Tuesday is 10% off and $2.50 beers instead of $5!

Tacos? Twist my arm and let's go! I had this place bookmarked from my last visit and this time had the opportunity to dine here. We weren't super hungry but we still managed to indulge our taste buds with these flavorful tacos. So much to choose from but I will tell you what we enjoyed. I ordered the Pescado which included Mahi Mahi, cabbage, pickled red onions, habanero, strawberries drizzled with cilantro, chipotle aioli and fresh cilantro. Absolutely one of the best tacos I have ever enjoyed. The added strawberries provided the most unique flavors. The sweetness with the fish and the chipotle aioli tickled my taste buds immensely. My friend loved the Camaron enchilado which included grilled shrimp with Chile de arbol, tomato, onion, cilantro over a bed of asadero cheese, lime and chipotle aioli. I also ordered the elote' asado. This creamy mixture of lime aioli, cotija cheese and tajin made this corn so dreamy. They have indoor and outdoor seating and are dog friendly. We sat on the patio and devoured our food. Service was really friendly and helpful with ordering. With Yelp check in you receive a free agua Fresca or a corn quesadilla. This place has been added to my rotation when I am here in Encinitas. read more

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Great taco place in Encinitas! Indoor seating included 2 large booths, a communal table, and some stools at the bar. Outdoor seating included two large sectionals and some smaller tables that would fit 2-3 people. They have a fantastic taco menu featuring 15+ options. I opted for two of the traditional tacos: pollo asado on a flour tortilla and carnitas on a corn tortilla. They also came with a couple of sauces that were jam-packed with flavor. Will definitely return to try out some of the other tacos! read more

City Tacos - Cheese quesadilla, carnitas, and pollo asado (left to right) - Tacos Near Me - Encinitas, California

Part of my food was a disaster. But I would still come back based on history and the rest of the order. City Tacos is a local San Diego county chain with about 8 locations around and near San Diego proper. I first experienced the joy of their upscale, modern takes on Mexican tacos several years back at their North Park restaurant, and I decided to come here after my travels took me to a different part of SD. So, the huge negative. You know how they do their corn tortillas by hand? Well, they somehow fucked them up by failing to cook them much if at all. I could not get through the single tortillas on the Costilla de Res en Salsa Verde ($3.50) and the Mahi a la Veracruzana ($4.00) because they were just too dough-like. Or masa-like, if you will. My hypothesis is that the tortillas were pressed too thick and they only cooked by time instead of by visual appearance and/or texture. Either way, I don't recommend the corn tortillas here. To be clear, the fillings and toppings of those tacos were both very good, as were the Pescado ($4.00) and Mexicali ($4.00). The fish of the Pescado was tender inside with a crispy fried batter outside, and the Mexicali was almost excessively rich throughout, which I barely tempered with the complimentary mild tomatillo salsa. I would have enjoyed the Chile Relleno ($3.75) if I'd eaten only the tail half of the stuffed pepper, but they definitely kept all the hot seeds and ribs of the other end and therefore killed my palate halfway though the meal. There is a Yelp check-in for either a free agua fresca or quesadilla. I went for the agua fresca, which appears to be one option only. The employee was calling it a lemon/lime/pineapple drink, and I definitely got a pineapple puree with some relatively low-acidity citrus. It was a light and refreshing drink for sure, so open your damn phone while visiting. This may not be the best City Tacos outpost, but if you're not gonna drive down to North Park, you should do fine if sticking to menu items with flour tortillas. Or maybe you can roll the dice that they improve their corn tortilla technique when you go. read more

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First of all I'm a huge fan of the City Taco franchise. That being said the shrimp in the taco was room temp and bricked. The Vera Cruz fish was also room temp, and the tortilla fell apart on first bite. Lastly the taco of the month was not good...the chicken was dry and lacked flavor. I will still patronize the other locations, but I'm not going to recommend this location for the time being. Do better, thank you. read more