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    Craft and Taco Lounge

    4.6 (1.1k reviews)
    ModerateTacos, Vegan, Seafood
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:30 pm

    Craft and Taco Lounge Photos

    CRAFT AND TACO LOUNGE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Craft and Taco Lounge

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    Kim C.

    This Taco joint in Escondido is a gem! Recommended to me by a friend, Craft Taco is surprisingly delicious. The strawberry toppings were first for me and they were very refreshing. Glad to have found this cool taco spot in Esco!

    Menu
    Just M.

    We're in Southern California so we've got options. If you're craving authentic Mexican street tacos, you've got more choices here in San Diego or North County then anywhere north of the border. But if you're looking for something a little different, then you owe it to yourself to give craft and taco lounge a try. I don't know who thought of these combinations, but every one we tried was amazing. Personal favorite - Escondido Coco Loco with coconut shrimp and bay scallops and also the Langosta with lobster and mashed potatoes. And the world tacos were so tasty. They've got every combination you could think of. And tons of vegan options. It's really just a little hole in the wall that's so worth it. And everyone was so friendly.

    Alex C.

    Great tacos. A small hole in the wall place in Escondido. Has some indoor and outdoor door seating. Super laid back vibes. They have an extensive taco menu, and a bunch of booze. We've tried several tacos and liked all of them. The carne asada was tasty and the salsa made it hot. The eggplant taco special was hearty yet delicate, the fish tacos are classic. If you're feeling tacos in Escondido give this place a shot.

    Drinks June 2026
    Ange F.

    Fabulous vegetarian tacos, can be made vegan. Service was great. Ambiance is casual amd comfortable. Will definitely be coming back.

    Fish, carne asada, Al pastor, mahi mahi tacos
    Stephanie B.

    Stopped here for dinner when looking for a restaurant in escondido. They have so many chain restaurants around the 15, I was happy to stumble upon this place less than 5 minutes from the highway. It looks like a hole in the wall small restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, a small parking lot, and street parking. You order at the counter and they bring your food to your table. We ordered the crunchy roll dip to start, which I was a bit disappointed in. I was expecting something along the lines of taquitos, but it was essentially a mozarella stick with a fried tortilla instead of breading or potato in fried tortilla. I was just hoping for a little more and more flavors. Otherwise, they mostly have just craft tacos. The tacos were pretty good, I just thought the corn tortillas were a little thick. We tried the mahi mahi, tempura fish, al pastor, and carne asada tacos with a kids side of beans. The portion sizes were hefty on the filling, which was nice. I enjoyed the al pastor and the fish taco with an interesting savory / sweet combination. They have beer on tap, canned sodas, white claw, etc.

    Joriene M.

    El Pescado ($5.35) - This fish taco blew me away! I've never had strawberries or raspberry salsa in a taco and it was surprised by how well it worked here. Each bite was like an explosion of flavors. The fish was also fried perfectly. Highly recommend! Rib-Taco ($5.45) - The short rib was tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. It went so well with their salsa roja, which had complex flavors and such a nice zing.

    Shrimp loco something. Tasted fishy . Good flavor tho
    Ari R.

    Lowering on star because the shrimp w coconut which was called the shrimp loco or something was fishy. Great flavor but fishy. Blackened mahi mahi was good. Their salsas were only ok, not spicy enough and too salty.

    Ribeye, taco and mahi-mahi taco
    Paul I.

    This is a pretty awesome taco place that is straight up tacos of all sorts. And they are all very creative tacos meant to lavish your taste buds. The service was awesome because the tacos came out quick and the staff explained what to expect in each taco that we decided to order. It's a little hole in the wall that feels like a bar and taco stand at the same time.

    Xochiana S.

    It is a very cute place unfortunately a little hidden due to the one way street and busy road. It's quiet and cozy inside with well maintained spaces and enough lighting. My mom and I went there for a little lunch to spend time and it wasn't too busy. The service was lovely. You order at the front and then sit at a table where they will bring your food. they have parking on the street and then a little bit in the back where they have a little parking area. Lovely place if you wanna click little bite to go or just sit there and have a bite to eat with a nice beer and a lovely person.

    Marie S.

    Holy cow, I almost dont want to leave them such a great review because I am worried that this tiny well kept secret will get out and then I wont be able to get in there any more (LOL). This place was mentioned to me by a foodie friend that I trust 100% when he makes suggestions. I am sooooooo happy that he told me about it. So I too can't gate keep. This place is AMAZING. I am not a vegetarian, I hate tomatoes (in raw form) and I would hands down get the Heirloom taco every single time (its that dam good) You will not be disappointed with anything that you order.

    Borrego broth. Bomb!!! 5/5. Get it. To sip. To slurp. To dip.
    Nikhil U.

    Great tacos! Private parking lot. Lots of tables - inside and out. The Borrego taco and eggplant were the show stoppers for me here. 5/5 get them! The borrego broth was just an excellent add on. By itself and to dip anything into. The al pastor and choripapa tacos would be great tacos in any other place but they dont shine as much as the other stuff on the menu. The kid loves the elote and chicken quesadilla. The chappis rolled tacos was a great share for the table. Also go great dipped into the consume. The watermelon drink was also refreshing!

    Pure yumminess!
    Heidi M.

    This is one of my favorite places to frequent. There are so many wonderful choices on their menu, including vegetarian and vegan! The Avotaco wowed me! It had tempura avocado, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, cabbage mix, carrots, chipotle aioli and tomatillo avocado salsa on a homemade corn tortilla. They are so delicious, I savor every bite! The owners and the staff are wonderful as well. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

    As a professional chef for decades and have traveld all over Latin America, this place is the real deal. Giovanni and his team are killing it! Great food, service, and vibe. It checks all the boxes. I Will Be back

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    5 days ago

    This place is SO good. Incredible tacos, great atmosphere, super friendly staff! And don't miss the elote!

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    2 months ago

    They say tacos are the way into a women's heart. They have never been more right. Good tacos good service good vibes

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    24 days ago

    Absolute best Mexican in north county. Rather be here than Vintana, Bellamy's, Vincent's etc

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    Page 1 of 27

    Ask the Community - Craft and Taco Lounge

    Do they have a happy hour? If so, what are the specifics?

    Hi! We do not have happy hour. On Tuesdays we have our “Taco Tuesday” special where we discount select tacos on our menu for $1 off.

    Gluten free options?

    Yes. They have corn tortillas, and even jicama tortillas. Enjoy!

    Would you make a plain quesadilla for my toddler?

    I wouldn't hesitate to ask. They are extremely accommodating and family friendly

    Are there crafts, like making cards or painting? Why is it called Craft and Taco lounge?

    Craft referring to craft beverages...such as craft beer which is a classification/type of micro breweries. In this case...they make their own beer here so they are litteraly a craft brewery also selling tacos.

    View All 7 Questions

    TJ Tacos

    TJ Tacos

    4.2
    (2.6k reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    my search for the best taco spot in sd is finally over. im a big tacos el g hater and tj tacos blew…read morethem out of the park. tacos el g used to be good, don't get me wrong. but the quality went down, salsa tastes like water, meat is tough, dry, and chewy, and expensive. tj tacos did everything right. tacos were huge and full of meat. 10/10 no notes. we ordered adobada, carne asada, lengua, tripas, and cabeza tacos. everything was insane. adobada was juicy, flavorful, and addicting. my brother looooved their carne asada and he's picky with his tacos too! the smokiness and char from the grill gave it the absolute best flavor. it was also super tender and juicy. my lengua and cabeza were just perfect. cabeza wasn't too fatty like some places. i enjoyed how carne asada was paired with a fresh flour tortilla while the others came with corn. they had the best tortillas! i'm just a girl who loves salsa and i need them spicy. that's where a lot of tacos spots here fall short. their salsas, especially verde, were spicy and soooo good. i was so impressed! lots of seating inside and outside. you order first and pay after. don't forget to ask for grilled onions, jalapeños, and extra salsa. can't wait to come back for drive thru!

    TJ Tacos was a disappointing experience. We ordered 12 tacos, and the total came out to almost $59,…read morewhich felt very expensive for what we received. The tacos had very little meat, and the portions were not satisfying. To make matters worse, our order only came with four hot sauces. When we politely asked for more hot sauce and extra napkins, the staff refused. We were also told that only one napkin was allowed per plate, which was surprising. Even other taco places, like Frida's, are much more accommodating. Overall, the food did not justify the price, and the customer service left a lot to be desired. Unfortunately, this was an unpleasant visit, and I won't be returning. I'll definitely be taking my business somewhere else in the future.

    Photos
    Asada Burrito
    Asada Burrito
    Asada fries
    Asada fries
    California Adobada Burrito

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    California Adobada Burrito
    Mi Rancho Market

    Mi Rancho Market

    4.4
    (265 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $

    The food is great and at a great price as well. Love the rice that comes in the burritos.read more

    I'm giving this place 3 stars for now because my first experience was genuinely great, but my…read moresecond visit was disappointing enough that I almost rated it 2 stars. The first time I visited a few weeks ago, I had a really positive experience. The location was a little hard for me to find, but once I got there, it seemed worth it. I walked in craving a breakfast burrito and was helped by a very nice, slender gentleman at the counter. I asked for a ham, bacon, and sausage breakfast burrito and also requested that it be cut in half. He was friendly, said no problem, and within minutes I had exactly what I ordered. That burrito was delicious. The salsa station was stocked and convenient with self-serve cups readily available, and the atmosphere was nice. The people around me were friendly, and one gentleman even mentioned this was the place that used to be near Peterson's Donuts. Overall, it was a great first impression and I left happy, already planning to come back. Fast forward to today, Saturday, April 25, 2026 around 10:30 AM, and unfortunately, my second experience was the complete opposite. This time there was a young woman working the register, and from the moment I approached, she didn't seem very welcoming. I told her I wanted to order a breakfast burrito but wasn't sure what kind I wanted today. She told me the only options were bacon, egg, cheese and tater tots, or egg and cheese. I politely asked if I could add ham and sausage and pay extra, since that's what I had ordered before. She immediately responded that they "didn't have that type of breakfast burrito." That response confused me because I had literally ordered one there before. I wasn't going to argue, especially because her tone and attitude made me feel like I was bothering her just by asking questions. I then asked if the burrito could be cut in half and never really got a clear response. I also noticed the salsa station no longer had the little self-serve cups available, so I had to ask for those too. The same cashier asked how many I needed, and I said two. A few minutes later, another woman called my name and handed me the burrito. I sat down and realized it wasn't cut in half like I requested. At that point, I had to go back up and ask for a plastic knife and fork just to cut it myself. Which was not a problem or issue for me. I ate half of the burrito, but honestly, it wasn't nearly as good as the first one. The taste was underwhelming, and by the time I left I was just so disappointed. I ended up throwing the other half away after I left. Consistency matters, especially when the first experience set the bar high. The food was great the first time, but the service and quality were lacking the second time around. My honest opinion: if someone is having a bad day, they probably shouldn't be the first face customers interact with at the register. I may update this review depending on how management responds, because I know this place can do better based on my first visit.

    Photos
    Mi Rancho Market
    Carnitas with creamy mild green salsa, Adobado in the middle with no salsa needed, and Asasda with hot chile, which it needed.
    Carnitas with creamy mild green salsa, Adobado in the middle with no salsa needed, and Asasda with hot chile, which it needed.
    Ordering counter

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    Ordering counter

    Craft and Taco Lounge - tacos - Updated July 2026

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