Cotijas Taco Shop

I live very close to Old Town San Diego and like trying many different family style Mexican…read morerestaurants. In fact over the many years I've lived here, I've tried most of them. Today I found myself in Santee running an errand and stumbled across El rancho cantina and grill. Since I was hungry I figured I would give it a shot and while am I glad I did! I ordered the chicken mole with flour tortillas and it was the best mole I've ever tried. And I've tried a lot! I'm still thinking about it and I literally licked the plate clean, if you don't believe me see the pictures! I don't make it to East county very often but I'm already thinking about making the trip back for more food, I was planning to order the chicken chimichanga but decided to go with the mole instead and wow!

WuzupWuzup!! Tried…read morethis place out yesterday. Here is what I thought about the place. Plenty of seating, great for parties, nice outdoor seating and okay parking lot with parking on the street options. Food is pretty decent as I tried the Chachi Burrito. I wish they offered bigger sized bowls for the salsa as the server would make multiple trips to replace them, which brings me to the service. Service was very slow and had to ask multiple times for salsa and chip replacements. I had to ask several times for water refill and Jamaica drink took over 15 minutes to get. Food was nearly done and finally brought it out to the table. My only complaints other than that the food is great. Chicken Mole had some nice spice to it and tasted delicious.

Bar

Fajitas

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Menu 1/2025

Bad Hombres Good Mexican Food

4.2(605 reviews)

0.2 mi

Went golfing at Carlton Oaks and found this place nearby. Lots of people ordering food inside and…read moreat the drive-thru. Mexican restaurant run by non-Mexicans with tasty and generous amounts of Mexican food. We shared the nachos carne asada with half no cheese because of my dairy free son. Lotso food and tasty meat. Chips stayed crunchy all the way to the bottom. Also had the machaca burrito and taquitos. Yummy. Great service. Friendly and very accommodating! Plenty of inside table seating. Glad they have a self-serve soda fountain. Next time we're in Santee, we'll be back.

One of the busiest mexican food shops is see is Santee. Love that they have a huge parking lot with…read morea drive thru as well. Their horchata is creamy, sweet, and super refreshing with the perfect amount of cinnamon. The carne asada fries was lacking a little bit of flavor but the fries were still crispy with all the sauce on top. We try their two different hot sauce the red and green and none of them really had a good flavor or kick to it. Dimly lit restaurant with clean bathrooms. Service was super fast. We were in and out in less than 10 minutes even though there was a lot of people in line.

Surf and turf fries, and tacos

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Surf and Turf Fries

Roberto’s Taco Shop - Santee

4.2(55 reviews)

1.5 mi

The burrito was huge, the rolled tacos were heaping and the beer was ice cold. By far the best we…read moreevery had.

Ordered take out from Roberto's…read more Solid bean and cheese burrito. I added sour cream. It was applied way too heavily for my tastes, but still good. Just messy. Carnitas Plate was excellent. Perfectly crispy edges. Served with rice, beans, Pico and guac. Fish taco was weird. It had guac on it, a first for me. No Baja Sauce? I scraped off the guac, decent fish. They have a $1.99 fish taco special every day - no limit. ONLY on the app. Not offered for walk-in, dine-in or call-in. And they have Baja Sauce on them, not guac!

Carne Asada Fries

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Carne Asada taco & Adobada taco

Sayulitas Mexican Food

4.2(233 reviews)

2.1 mi

Actual abysmal service from the front, but I can't lie the food was fire. The inside has a lot of…read morehandwritten signage but it was nice and quaint.

First time here. Had a carne asada burrito and my son had the carne asada fries…read more The portions are huge! It is a little more pricy than other shops but worth it! My son's words "ITS FIRE!" Will definitely be going back to try other things!

California Burrito and Carnitas Burrito

California burrito

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California burrito - seriously the size of a newborn baby

Marieta's

3.6(332 reviews)

0.3 mi

I cannot say enough good about this neighborhood restaurant!…read moreThe staff, all of them, are just fantastic. There is a feeling of family for all who enter. Servers are super friendly, polite and helpful. A variety of seating choices, from the bar and booths upstairs to the main dining room for large parties as well as booths, to the patio/deck out front. We always feel welcome and appreciated. They also make their own tortillas!!!! Order a simple taco and you will be astonished! Chile relleno, albondigas, and tamales are all superior. An unsung gem of Oceanside!

Been going here for 32 years. Constantly great food and service. Wish they had a bigger liquor menuread more

Chicken flautas, lunch menu

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Steak Quesadilla, appetizer

Cazadores Mexican Food

3.7(428 reviews)

0.3 mi

Surf in their Surf & Turf options is slackin. The shrimp would possibly be frozen shrimp or need to…read morebe cooked more. Also, I'm surprised the Surf & Turf burrito didnt have rice in it to soak up the juices.

Always great food and the service is outstanding. Im Hispanic and a chef....highly recommend this…read moreplace. Carnitas and birria are my favs

Fish tacos - delicious!

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Drive Thru

Los Amigos Mexican Food

4.0(155 reviews)

1.9 mi

Had Los Amigos on Tuesday night for dinner. Very nice Mexican Food place on Mast Blvd. I had a…read moreCarne Asado burrito that was huge! I finished the whole thing but it is plenty big enough to save for the next day. My wife also had the surf 'n turf burrito which was excellent as well.

The food is always great - fresh and delicious. The service…read moreis friendly and fast! One of our favorites

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Current menu with prices as of September 15th 2024.

Mr.Birria

4.4(705 reviews)

0.2 mi

Great service. Birria tastes great, definitely recommend to anyone in the SD area. Will be back for…read moremore!

We came here yesterday because of all the 4.5-star Yelp reviews, and I can honestly say they were…read moreabsolutely deserved. This place completely lived up to the hype! The birria was incredibly delicious--full of flavor, fresh, and perfectly prepared. The restaurant was clean, the service was outstanding, and Jose made our experience even better. He was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely took great care of us. We enjoyed it so much that we're actually coming back again today! If you're looking for amazing birria and excellent customer service, I highly recommend Mr. Birria. We'll definitely be back again and again!

Carne Asada Fries - San Diego style with cheese, pico & crema

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Cheesy Birria Melt - dipped and loaded

Estrada's Mexican Food

3.6(199 reviews)

0.5 mi

3.5 stars Came and got a carne asada burrito. They asked if…read moreI wanted it Mexican or American style. He told me the difference but I was still confused he said the Mexican style came with avocado and pico de gallo so I went with that. The burrito came on a nicely grilled tortilla, the meat was high quality and tender. I liked that it came with slices of avocado rather than guacamole. But there was something missing then I realized that it didn't have sour cream and cheese. After looking at the menu I noticed that I should have ordered the "Classico" which comes with sour cream, cheese and black beans. My fault, I guess that's what he was asking when I ordered. The place is casual and has about 8 tables inside and its own parking lot. The burrito was good but they have more options than I'm used to. Next time I'll order the "Classico" This place has real potential, just gotta try more stuff or look over the menu closer next time. Next time maybe crispy beef tacos, chimichanga or carnitas.

Guy working the counter is always angry. He also gets pressed and lies when you ask him for more…read moresalsa that he feels is necessary. Just stopped going here. He lied flat out one day said he didn't have green salsa and we were looking at the bucket full in the soda fridge

Cozy interior

Shrimp burritos

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Menu 1/2

Ferny's Mexican Grill

4.1(413 reviews)

1.6 mi

I love this place. If you're looking for the best crispy potato tacos, this is it! Also I love…read moretheir habanero salsa! So good! The people are nice and they've given the place a facelift. The only downfall to this place is the parking. But overall, everything I've ordered from there was good! Now, if they made an avocado salsa, they'd really be all set!

lol wut Ordered a…read moresteak & egg burrito at 9:47. Finally received my food at 10:08 when I went to ask what was going on since several other people ordered after me and left with their food before me. Now I am home with a cold burrito and IT'S NOT THE RIGHT ONE. Ordered Steak & Egg, received Chorizo. To add insult to injury, young boy that needs a belt busted my balls for asking for more than the allowed tiny hot sauce cups. I also asked for carrots and didn't get those either. What happened to Ferny's? Used to love this place for Taco Tuesday. It's all bright inside now since they remodeled. Maybe owner change? At least the Orange Bong is good Major bummer. Wish I would have spent the extra to order via Doordash. At least I could report the errors and recoup a little.

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Clear shot of their most current menu

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Orange Bong & Chorizo Burrito

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65 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Bill W.

0

2

0

12 years ago

I have been going to this taco shop for a long time and I am sad to say that because of the extremely bad experience I will not be going back. A couple of things have been bothering me about this place the last few times we went in, one of them is a particular male employee that has not been very polite to us. He takes our order fine but when we ask any questions he gets an attitude and he is rather cocky most of the time. Just not professional. Second the quality of the food seems to be going down hill. What made me decide not to go back was what happened the other night when we called in an order for pick up. We went to pick up our food and when we got there picked up the food the same male employee was not very polite, and when we got home and opened up our food I couldn't believe how bad it was. My friends veggie burrito had what looked like water dripping out of it. I had ordered a cheese enchilada which was cut on half and cold, and had an un melted piece of American cheese sitting on top of it. Our other friends carne asada burrito was cold as well and the meat had little pieces of fat all through it, and the nachos our other friend ordered were the worst of all. They had cold nacho cheese on top, not even real cheese like they used to use, and the chips were wet and soggy, and when he looked through the chips he found about ten still frozen French fries in the chips and a pool of water at the bottom. This was absolutely disgusting and when we called them back to ask about our food, they were vey rude, offered no apology, and this same male employee claimed that the guy who took our order was gone so we would have to come back in the morning and talk to him. They didn't even offer to make is new food. Unbelievable. I would caution every one that is thinking about eating here. read more

J T.

0

2

0

13 years ago

Four words, "DON'T TRUST THE COOK"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please, if you value your health as well as good food. This place may taste good but has dirty secrets. We've all seen the fast food horror stories on TV this cook lives buy them!!!!!!!!! Cook personalizes each order especially if he doesn't like the way you LOOK, SOUND or ACT, good luck!!!!!. lets just say you can cover a lot up with the Guacamole and sauces, COOK has major!!!!!!!!!! issues, eat at your own risk. All employees know as well, how could they not their not there for you just their families. I would definitely recommend the Lemon Grove, Pacific Beach and Clairemont locations but will NEVER!!! eat at the SANTEE COTIJAS AGAIN. Makes me sick to think of all the years I did, wish things were different but their not. Currently calling Heath Board. read more

Randy B.

39

209

66

13 years ago

3.5 stars actually When I'm in the area & wanting mexican food this is the taco shop I hit up. Not exactly a 'hole in the wall' taco shop because it has a pretty decent dining area, it has all the usual 'taco shop' offerings and then some. Everything is pretty good, but the shrimp tacos are surprisingly good to outstanding. This place knows how to cook shrimp. The shrimp is moist & tender, not overcooked, dry & rubbery like most places prepare shrimp. Properly cooked shrimp with a good white sauce makes their shrimp tacos stand out making Cotija's better than the average taco shop. read more

Aryal J.

220

29

12

8 years ago

By far the BEST burritos and carne Asada fries out here. I will only go elsewhere if this place is closed. They're burritos are huge and the fries are filled with cheese, guac, sour creme, beans, pico! I'm literally writing this as i had to order carne asada fries elsewhere and they literally put a little bit of guac a little bit of shredded cheese and meat (I'm so pissed lol). Also this is the best Cotijas in San Diego. Maybe it's the cooks but they definitely make their food worthwhile. read more

Erika P.

0

13

19

2 years ago

I just tried Cotijas, and wow, it was amazing! I got the carne asada chips and a carne asada soft taco, and both were on point. The carne asada was super flavorful and tender, and the chips had the perfect crunch with just the right amount of toppings. The taco was also really good--fresh, juicy meat in a soft tortilla. Plus, the service was quick and friendly. Definitely a place I'll be coming back to for more! Highly recommend if you're in the mood for some tasty Mexican food. read more

Thalia T.

3

2

0

11 years ago

Love this place! When I come visit my mom, I do come here frequently as the food is good and it's so convenient. I tried a few different things and they are mostly good the CA Burrito is probably my fave. Only gave 4 stars because last time I was here they put sour cream on my moms order and she hates sour cream. I requested it on the side and it was all over her food. :/ I will still be back but will be sure to check my order first. read more

Eric G.

Elite 14

16

128

6

17 years ago

Started going here after moving to Santee, and I've always been very happy with the food. The service is fast, and the prices are decent. I can't speak for the indoor seating area, but looking into the kitchen as they make the food, it definitely appears that they keep everything clean. I'd send friends over here without hesitation, and I'm sure they'd be glad I referred them to it. This is a great little taco stand! read more

Kathryn F.

0

3

0

15 years ago

I have been going to this place since I was at least 10, so that would be 29 years. I have never has a problem with the food here (flying saucers are the bomb and I did actually love the carne asada too. I JUST THINK THAT THEY COULD DO WAY BETTER WITH THE "GUACAMOLE" (THAT THEY PUT ON THE ROLLED TACOS) IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN CRAPPY, AND SEEING AS THOUGH EVERYONE ELSE HATES IT, MAYBE YOU (COTIJA) YOU NEED TO CHANGE THIS!!! read more

Andrea J.

72

5

4

15 years ago

OMG..... they have the best breakfast burritos here. I had the hash brown burrito, which comes with eggs, hash browns, sausage, bacon, ham, cheese and sour cream. ALL of my favorite things!! It was soooo good, I was craving it for several days after I tried it the first time. I don't live in Santee, but any time I go out there, I will have to stop and get this burrito. The freakin best!! read more

MIka W.

0

6

4

3 years ago

I just had their tacos there and this place is amazing! The prices are so fair and the portions are huge. It's definitely worth the price and it's delicious. The workers are very nice and welcoming and service is also very quick as well. You can order takeout and also sit inside to eat, and the vibe of the place is very relaxed and chill. It's a great place to get great food! read more

David H.

0

4

0

13 years ago

Not a big fan of this place.. I decided to try the place out since I've seen a bunch of people around the place. I ordered rolled taco's figuring nobody can get this wrong but guess I was wrong the rolled taco's had some type of like hamburger meat inside maybe I will try there Carne Asada and give this place one more try... read more

Teddy S.

37

25

7

13 years ago

This is one of my favorite places in this area so first of all I should explain the cause of why love this place the main reason is their good and delicious food here for good price. But on the other hand three stars is the negative side is their slow service by the staffs. Yet I would I try to back here. read more

Judah W.

1

6

0

9 years ago

Never fails! When I visit Santee, I am always at Cotijas taco shop eating rolled tacos. One of my favorite memories of my youth. And the 1st shop that helped start my addiction to roll tacos. 30 years later, living in Colorado now, I still compare others rolled tacos to Cotijas. Nothing compares! read more

Jenn P.

0

9

0

8 years ago

Some of the best Mexican food I have ever eaten! its true that southern california has some of the best mexican food! I got the california burrito and had the orange sauce and hot carrots, my mouth was on fire but I loved every single bite! really great food and the prices are super cheap !! read more

Joe M.

0

14

3

12 years ago

The lines here in the salsa bar are always fresh which tells me that everything else is probably too. That is why I'm never disappointed. I get the carne as ada burrito and add egg for additional protein. Can t be beat. read more

Wyatt H.

26

12

1

10 years ago

This place is the bomb...so many good burritos! The hashbrown is my favorite. So good!! I also love the grande breakfast burrito. It's insanely huge. Great if you want to have leftovers lol.. Highly recommend this place! read more

Josh H.

1

4

1

16 years ago

Great food, cheap prices...Diablo Shrimp Burrito, Pollo Asado Quesadilla, Amazingness...Nuff Said (Although the sign has said "New Menudo" for a couple years now...I'm thinking it's not "new" anymore...haha) read more

Calvin I.

88

4

2

1 year ago

I would've given less but they've had pretty good service up till this last weeks. My Diablo burrito literally had 85% plain orange rice all the way through and like 3-4 shrimp at the very bottom. read more

Victoria T.

214

14

0

7 years ago

Best fast food Mexican. Quality ingredients and always delicious. Carne Asada is always delicious, quality sauces, and vast menu. Whenever we're craving Mexican food, we always come here. read more

Magnus G.

0

4

0

17 years ago

Went by there the other day and a couple days later. Delicious rolled tacos, I actually liked the guac/crema sauce ok, but will do straight guac if I can next time. I'll be back. read more

Cotijas Taco Shop - mexican - Updated September 2026

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Ferny's Mexican Grill

4.1

(413 reviews)

I love this place. If you're looking for the best crispy potato tacos, this is it! Also I love…read moretheir habanero salsa! So good! The people are nice and they've given the place a facelift. The only downfall to this place is the parking. But overall, everything I've ordered from there was good! Now, if they made an avocado salsa, they'd really be all set!

lol wut Ordered a…read moresteak & egg burrito at 9:47. Finally received my food at 10:08 when I went to ask what was going on since several other people ordered after me and left with their food before me. Now I am home with a cold burrito and IT'S NOT THE RIGHT ONE. Ordered Steak & Egg, received Chorizo. To add insult to injury, young boy that needs a belt busted my balls for asking for more than the allowed tiny hot sauce cups. I also asked for carrots and didn't get those either. What happened to Ferny's? Used to love this place for Taco Tuesday. It's all bright inside now since they remodeled. Maybe owner change? At least the Orange Bong is good Major bummer. Wish I would have spent the extra to order via Doordash. At least I could report the errors and recoup a little.

Rosarito's Mexican And Seafood

3.7

(91 reviews)

(This review pertains to only location in Lakeside, not there other locations I've been to)…read more This is one of our family's favorite Mexican spots, we come at least once a week! The food is always delicious, full of flavor, and the portions are perfect for sharing. What really makes this place stand out is the salsa--it's better than any other Mexican restaurant we've tried. We especially love the rolled tacos, California burrito, and their rice and beans... all amazing every time. On top of that, the service is fast and our orders are always accurate. Highly recommend!

Thus is MY Absolute favorite Mexican food, I would rather get it and take it home to enjoy more…read morethen eat out at a restaurant that doesn't come close to their food. If i could I would eat there everyday. It is a treat to myself when I have a few extra dollars. They are kind sweet people that work there. Love them so much!

Cazadores Mexican Food

3.7

(428 reviews)

Surf in their Surf & Turf options is slackin. The shrimp would possibly be frozen shrimp or need to…read morebe cooked more. Also, I'm surprised the Surf & Turf burrito didnt have rice in it to soak up the juices.

Always great food and the service is outstanding. Im Hispanic and a chef....highly recommend this…read moreplace. Carnitas and birria are my favs

Bad Hombres Good Mexican Food

4.2

(605 reviews)

Went golfing at Carlton Oaks and found this place nearby. Lots of people ordering food inside and…read moreat the drive-thru. Mexican restaurant run by non-Mexicans with tasty and generous amounts of Mexican food. We shared the nachos carne asada with half no cheese because of my dairy free son. Lotso food and tasty meat. Chips stayed crunchy all the way to the bottom. Also had the machaca burrito and taquitos. Yummy. Great service. Friendly and very accommodating! Plenty of inside table seating. Glad they have a self-serve soda fountain. Next time we're in Santee, we'll be back.

One of the busiest mexican food shops is see is Santee. Love that they have a huge parking lot with…read morea drive thru as well. Their horchata is creamy, sweet, and super refreshing with the perfect amount of cinnamon. The carne asada fries was lacking a little bit of flavor but the fries were still crispy with all the sauce on top. We try their two different hot sauce the red and green and none of them really had a good flavor or kick to it. Dimly lit restaurant with clean bathrooms. Service was super fast. We were in and out in less than 10 minutes even though there was a lot of people in line.

Estrada's Mexican Food

4.0

(96 reviews)

I have been eating lunch here lately and I really enjoy my experiences . The staff are very sweet…read moreand they have the cutest dining room , with excellent air conditioning. I recommend trying their carne asada fries . They use shredded cheese and nacho cheese. It's delicious ,they also have sour cream, guacamole, beans and lots of carne asada . I also really love their hot sauce.

Food is amazing, california burrito is the best. Super chill and nice in there, everyone is…read morefriendly. Ambiance is very chill.

Señor Burro

4.1

(261 reviews)

Love this place but their food prices are outrageous. Unless you get one of their daily specials,…read morethey are too pricey. Charging over 20 bucks for carne asada fries is ridiculous. Food is good and service is decent, but they are driving away regular customers with their prices

I have been going here since they opened. With almost every place, there prices have increased, but…read morethe quality has not. I ordered California burrito and you would have thought I ordered a potato burrito..There was hardly any carne asada. Very disappointing. I recommend going a little further to Bad Hombres.

El Cilantro Mexican Grill

3.2

(477 reviews)

All Cilantro is one of the better quick Mexican spots I've tried, and I go to a lot of small…read moretakeout places. The restaurant was clean, the staff was friendly, and the service was quick. Most importantly, the food was really good--everything was fresh and tasty. The El Matador tacos are a must-try and definitely worth coming back for. Overall, a solid spot that I'd recommend.

As a first-time reviewer of El Cilantro, I have to say this visit was pretty disappointing overall…read more I ordered birria tacos and al pastor tacos, but the order came out incorrect. The drive-thru line was also busy, and I ended up waiting about 30-45 minutes before receiving my food. By the time it was ready, everything was served cold. It looked like only a young girl and one guy were working, which may explain the slow service, but the experience was still frustrating given the wait time. From a food standpoint, the seasoning across the board was off and didn't feel well balanced or properly executed. The al pastor tacos were very disappointing and lacked quality. The birria tacos also seemed off, almost like canned ingredients may have been used, and the tortillas were soggy and cold. The pickled carrots were very bitter and hard to enjoy, and even the horchata tasted watered down and lacked flavor. Overall, the quality and consistency just weren't there during my visit. Based on this first impression, I likely won't be returning.

Los Amigos Mexican Food

4.0

(155 reviews)

Had Los Amigos on Tuesday night for dinner. Very nice Mexican Food place on Mast Blvd. I had a…read moreCarne Asado burrito that was huge! I finished the whole thing but it is plenty big enough to save for the next day. My wife also had the surf 'n turf burrito which was excellent as well.

The food is always great - fresh and delicious. The service…read moreis friendly and fast! One of our favorites

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