You can really taste the difference from the tallow! The meat is flavorful and juicy without it tasting greasy. You get decent portions and the food tastes immaculate! You can tell they care about their food because the complimentary salsa isn't watered down. It's a small shop with only a few tables. The area is very clean and it's nice to be able to see into the kitchen too (which is also kept spotless). Friendly staff and great atmosphere :) read more

Sometimes less is more. Did the gal in the Mona Lisa painting need a hat and more makeup? Did Van Gogh's Starry Night need a few shooting stars and an eclipse? This is a tiny, tiny restaurant. There are about four tables inside and nowhere to eat outside. I am a big fan of "Cardiff Crack," the tri- tip made by the Seaside Market in Cardiff. If you add that meat onto nachos, it just has to be great, right? Well... Nachos can be almost a perfect dish. There are all types of flavors and textures. With Cardiff Crack added, this dish has to score big. You would think. Unfortunately, the nachos here are a literal mess. The addition of a huge glop of chipotle cream, whatever that is, and sour cream, turns this dish almost into a soup. And that is a shame. The chips themselves underneath this pool of goop are delicious and extremely crunchy until the sea of cream deteriorates them. I am also unsure what kind of cheese attached itself to these chips. While I personally love both real and fake cheese, I am not sure the cheesy stuff in these nachos originated on Planet Earth. It was weird. The Crack itself was fine but had no chance of competing against all these goopy textures. The best nachos are simple. Use excellent chips as the base, melt real cheese on top, add a nice protein, then top with a spicy pico de gallo. Use goopy stuff sparingly so you don't swamp all those nice flavors and textures underneath. I would skip the nachos here. They aren't bad but this dish is a mess. Maybe the tacos and burritos are better. Remember: sometimes less is more. read more

Crack Taco Shop - Tri-Tip Nachos. Not beautiful but the real major flaw is all the goopy, soupy stuff on the chips. - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

I'm surprised this place hasn't been slammed. I mean who doesn't love burgundy tri-tip and tacos. I finally went tonight. It was amazing. I got two of the Crack Tacos which came loaded with like an ice cream scoop of perfect guacamole. The red salsa on the side might be my new favorite. It is not overwhelmingly hot and has a hint of sweetness. They have a full taco shop menu. Prices are very reasonable, cheaper than many places. So many great things I want to try. I will definitely be back. I think this is at least as good as Taco Stand but without all that waiting. read more

The food was awesome! Ceśar was outstanding at the counter. Very personable, patient, and helpful. Do yourself a favor and don't forget anything with their guacamole! Sooo good! We loved the rolled tacos (beef was the favorite) and the Crack Taco was great! Stop by for dinner, OR breakfast! They have delicious looking breakfast burrito choices! There are cute and vibrant colors surrounding you as well! read more

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I've read about this place and it was on my way to my walk today so I thought why not I'll give it a shot so I walked in and met the lovely joy who helped me out kind of walked me through the menu and I ended up getting Al Pastor and it was fantastic as good as my favorite place in Cabo as good as my favorite place in Ensenada it was just perfect. I'll attach the menu to this review because there's a whole bunch of choices. Parking is pretty good and service is fantastic. My new favorite spot thank you Joy. read more

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Crack Taco is a must-try for North County locals and travelers alike. Featuring Cardiff Seaside Market's legendary tri-tip "Cardiff Crack," they add an elevated twist to what you'd expect from standard grab & go taco shops. While the Crack Tri-Tip steals the spotlight, the menu also features various tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas and breakfast options. My wife and I came here for - late lunch one Sunday and were blown away. Beyond the "Crack," I recommend the Baja Fish taco (served on a flour tortilla) and the crispy Potato Taco (my personal favorite). Be warned, the salsas and chipotle aioli are not for the faint hearted. I personally can't hack much heat so (thankfully) ordered those on-the-side. The staff was laid back and friendly which added to the experience. The interior is clean and welcoming but seating is limited, so it's not great for large parties. If you're with a group, grab your food to-go. Enjoy! read more

Crack Taco Shop - 1 Taco Battered Fish, 1 Taco Potato w/ avocado - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

The tacos were great! We enjoyed the Tri-tip, Birria and fish tacos. All were great! Especially the fish tacos.

Totally regret going here..,, why? Cause I'm mad we didn't get more than one taco each! We got the battered fish tacos and orange whip drink. Perfect meal after a two hr deal tour at seaport village. This was so good. We really wished we had ordered a second taco each. We were only eating something to put in our bellies to hold us off til 6pm. Man... big mistake. I wanted to go back a second time on our trip but we had our locations planned out. Fresh tasting, the big handful of cabbage with the chipotle mayo on top was great. I loved the wedge of lime to drizzle over the top. We had a great view of the bay and the ocean from their bar tables with umbrellas to share us. Will be taking my mom in April!!! 100%! read more

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This place is ok.. I had the crackafornia and I thought the burrito was ok.. that said the "crack" they use instead of normal carne asada meat was definitely really an upgrade on normal steak choices for burritos and that was great, the rest was not as tasty... the fish tacos were very mediocre relative to other places read more

So my first time here at crack taco shop since they opened a couple months ago. I work nearby and it was just recommended by a client. This place is great! First off I love Cardiff crack tri tip, and now I can enjoy it without driving to seaside market. The restaurant is small but cute easy to order, nice staff very friendly great with menu descriptions and overall great vibe in this cute coastal town. I ordered the tri tip nachos and they were delicious great flavors just wish the jalapeños were diced and a little less cheese sauce otherwise spot on. Highly recommend read more

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We finally got to try the cracked taco shop. Nice wide menu from or rolled tacos, numerous tacos, burritos, plates. I got the one fish taco which was crunchy fresh cabbage on a fresh. Homemade corn tortilla was very delicious. Husband got the rolled tacos with beef. He commented that the beef was moist. There was a lot of shredded beef that he appreciated and was tasty. We were given two small cups like a half ounce of red and green sauce. I wish they had a salsa bar for choices of your meals. Service was great very friendly counter service. The space is really small, and no more than four or five tables. But clean and very attentive staff. Prices are a little bit higher, but I believe the quality of the meat, sauces and homemade tortillas which are fresh to order are commendable. read more

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Very intimate location. They have chairs outside, but can't really eat outside since there are no tables. Ordered two crack tri tip tacos at 11:24am and took a bit of time before they were ready...11:44am. They were really busy and others were complaining about the wait. $15.33 for two crack tri tip tacos. Idk, felt similar to the wait at Taco Stand. Didn't taste like the famous Cardiff Crack Tri Tip that all the locals love. Tacos were enjoyable and everything tasted fresh. Would come back again to try other tacos because the corn tortillas were so good. read more

Crack Taco Shop - Crack Tri-Tip Tacos - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

This is the easiest 5-star rating I've given in awhile. Service: A+ Menu: A+ Food: A+ Ambiance: A+ Good to know: NO seed oils, everything fried in Beef Tallow: A++++++++++++ They have done everything right. We sampled about 9000 calories worth of food and every bite was amazing. Everything tasted really clean and fresh. Surf and Turf burrito, absolutely amazing, don't miss out on this one. Crack Nachos, fish taco, pollo asado, all were divine. We lucked out and got to meet one of the owners who was working tonight, really nice guy, you can tell how much he cares about the product he puts out. Looking forward to trying the rest of their menu and being a regular here!!! read more

Crack Taco Shop - Crack Tri-Tip Nachos - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

This experience was my first time. I have to say it was not short of excellent. The hostess Pamella was very helpful. She gave me a sense of well being that I will not forget. read more

Crack Taco Shop - This person is an example of what customer service is like - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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The food was good, not great. For seven dollars a taco I think it left a little to be desired. Not a ton of seating inside or outside the restaurant, kind of an awkward layout. The meat was seasoned very well. Tortillas were a little dry. The least they could do is give you free refills on drinks. Next time I'm craving tacos, I'll probably just go to Haggos down the street read more

Let me start by saying: SAVE YOUR MONEY and don't believe hype! I seen this place on my instagram feed and my pregnancy cravings got the best of me so I drove 30 minutes to give it a try. The shrimp taco was good but not "$6.95 for one taco" good. The rolled tacos were SUPPOSED to come with guacamole but they were beyond dry and Guac-less. I unfortunately did not find out until after I arrived home. Also, when I looked over my receipt I seen that they charged a different price than what was advertised on their current menu. Whether it's a difference of $1 or $10 it's still bad for business. So, if you order from them make sure to DOUBLE CHECK the prices before making a purchase and double check your food before leaving. Or better yet, save your money and go somewhere else. read more

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Went in for a breakfast burrito. Delicious. Perfect tortilla texture. The chorizo burrito had the right mix of everything. Good size too...ended up splitting with a friend. Oh, and the nicest and friendliest people working there. read more

Food is amazing! Customer service was great! Nico was very professional! One of our go to spots! read more

Stopped by here after Lightscape and the food did not disappoint. They cook their meat and fish in beef tallow instead of seed oils, which made everything super flavorful. We ordered 2 crack taco tri-tip tacos, a battered fish taco, a shrimp taco, an al pastor taco, and a chicken taco. The tacos were big and loaded with guac. They even gave us two free churros because the birria taco was sold out and wow, the churros were heavenly. Honestly, the best churros I've ever had. It was more than enough food for two people and we left very full. It's a cute little taco shop with great service! read more

First time eating at their Encinitas location. Order takeout and ordered the crack tri-tip burrito which I've had before at their Seaport Village location. The burrito wasn't the same by far compared to the one I had at their Sea Port location. I love guacamole, but my burrito had more guacamole in it than it did tri-tip. The burrito wasn't tightly rolled after about my second bite. It started falling apart. I had to finish eating the burrito with a fork. I wish I took pictures like I usually do for my reviews, but I was so disappointed that I just threw it out. Too many other good taco shop shops in Encinitas to choose from from. I won't be back! read more

I got 1 crack taco, 1 al pastor taco, and 1 Baja shrimp taco. The food was great and you can taste the quality ingredients. Pamela was also amazing! read more

Crack Taco Shop - 1 Taco Baja Shrimp, 1 Crack Taco, 1 Taco Al Pastor - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

I've been here 6+ times, the food has always been pretty good, if expensive. I would avoid getting their daily fish taco special though, going into it you expect it to be light on fish. But I can say with honesty that I could not even tell if there was fish in the tacos I received. They come covered in a mountain of pico de gallo and crema sauce. In terms of both flavor and texture, I might as well have just eaten salsa in a tortilla. If the food was just a little cheaper I could see myself coming here more often, but I think after this most recent visit I feel pretty turned off of this place in general. read more

Fresh ingredients, great salsa, i especially like their chipotle. A new favorite place. We ordered the crack tri tip burrito and fried fish taco. Loved the homemade corn tortilla, too. Right near the coast in Leucadia. read more

I read about this place. The hype is real. I went last night and had the Cardiff Crack burrito and shared a quesadilla. The food was very good. The seating area is small but we dined inside and had a great experience. It is a premium taco shop and the prices are higher but worth it. While there a heard a customer say he eat there 8 days in a row and then I saw a very highly regarded chef from another local restaurant stop in for take out! read more

Crack Taco Shop - Thumbs up to the wallpaper. - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Oh my God!!! If you like the Seaside Market "Crack" tri-tip, you're going to LOVE these tacos!! Small space, limited seating, and parking can be a challenge during busy hours but totally worth it!!! read more

Crack Taco Shop - Crack Taco & Battered Fish Taco - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

We tried the crack tri-tip and the battered fish. Both were fantastic. Didn't hurt that they had Mexican bottled Fanta to wash it down Note: the sauce on the battered fish was pretty spicy. read more

Tried the Tri tip taco and it was really yummy, just pricey. Over $7 and it was small.

Homemade tortilla that was warm, loaded with guacamole, definitely will be going there again.

Great food and service all around. Really enjoy coming here and all the employees are great.

Stopped in as I was in the Encinitas area, and of course hungry. The shop was small, located next to a 7-11, though it had comfortable seating, a few tables where you could sit and enjoy you meal, if you chose to eat in. I was helped by a friendly young lady, who was able to answer my questions as to the most ordered items, in the evening, as they stopped selling breakfast at noon. The items of usual interest are their Surf and Turf Burritos, and their Crackafornia Burrito, which is a spin on the California Burritos, though they use Tri-tip as the meat here, as opposed to carne asada. I ordered their Crackafornia Burrito, and a split of hot sauces one regular and the other a red or hot. The burrito was good, the tri-tip was well done, the fries, though not crispy, cooked throughout, I would have preferred the meat to have a little salt sprinkled on it, to enhance the flavor, though it was still enjoyable. The hot sauce added to the flavor and the red sauce, gave it a punch that too was enjoyable, though I would say for those who cannot handle heat should avoid the red, as too much might cause you to not find the punch as welcoming. read more

Crack Taco Shop - Front signage above entrance - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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1st time here. We walked in just to check it out. Joe (one of the owners) greeted us with such a NICE welcome, we decided to stay and see if the food was as good as our greeting. It definitely was!!! Potato taco and rolled tacos for our 1st visit. & both delicious!!! The habanero salsa is the best!!! We will definitely be back!!! Want to try the fajitas next time! Thanks for the good time Joe!!! read more

Portions are too small . At $7.50 a toco , you don't get your moneys worth. I ordered four tacos to go, when I picked up my order , the bag was so lite that I thought they must have forgotten a few tacos. But no, all 4 mini tacos were there, they were just so small with more toppings than meat. And they charge for spicy carrots, a condiment, that most good taco shops provide for free when you order. With a dozen good taco shops within a half a mile of this place, I don't see them lasting a year. read more

Crack Taco Shop - Crack Taco Shop - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

My fish taco was so good! Had the battered fish tacos and churros, May was so nice and helpful! Check them out!

Nice food, nice people, and classy environment. Glad they're open late. Clean inside.

Nice service, but the food lacked flavor and wasn't anything special. The prices are high for the quality, taste, and portion sizes. I likely won't be back. read more

I am here to save you money. I, of course, had to get the crack burrito. The meat is tender, but the burrito has no flavor! I don't think they season the meat! How can a burrito full of meat, guac, pico (and add beans) not have flavor? My son loves bean burritos. There has never been a bean burrito he won't eat, until today. Nice staff, high prices, tasteless food. read more

Yes can confirm the tacos are really good! The crack tri tip taco was so delicious and fresh! Loved the avocado on top!

I stopped in here yesterday and let the nice young woman working the counter that my friend and I were doing a little taco taste testing. We had just split a shredded beef taco from a place down the street and were still hungry so we decided to split another. We got one of their tri tip tacos and it was really good! Instead of cutting one taco in half for us (strange request, I know) they made two smaller tacos. The beef was perfectly cooked and the tortillas were really good. I also liked the salsa/hot sauce. The super friendly staff and great customer service was very much appreciated. The inside was super clean and chill. I was told that they get all of their meat from seaside market. I'll definitely be going back! read more

Food is amazing and always has great customer service. Their restaurant is very clean and timely food service. Food is hot and ready and they never disappoint. Cesar has a positive attitude and served the best food so far. read more

Their birria was the dryest taco meat ive ever had in my life and had very little flavor. $12 for 2 dry, basic tacos. Just meat, onion and cilantro on a corn tortilla. read more