Fantastic Mexican spot! Don't let the unusual cuts scare you, everything is had was delicious. We ordered the head meat, cheek, tongue, lips, tripas, al pastor, and asada tacos along with the chicharron de queso and the head soup. I love soups, and this was definitely a hit. Tender meat with a deep beefy aroma, devoured it even on a hot summer day. Of the tacos, I especially liked the lips and cheeks. Will be back to try other unusual cuts in the future. read more

Tender flavorful head and cheek tacos on soft corn tortillas are recommended here by the friendly and welcoming staff. I took my order to go, though there's plenty of indoor tables available in the festive, casual sit down space with TVs to view the World Cup matches. read more

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One of the most unique Mexican restaurants in Southern California. There are plenty of great Mexican restaurants, but De Cabeza el Único serves dishes and flavors that are hard to find anywhere else. I always order the sopa de cabeza--it's rich, comforting, and absolutely incredible. The chiles toreados con cebollas are a must, and their enchiladas are consistently delicious. What really sets this place apart is the consistency. Every visit has been great, the food is always on point, and the staff is genuinely friendly and welcoming. If you're looking for authentic Mexican food that stands out from the rest, this is one of the most unique restaurants you'll find in Southern California. Highly recommend. read more

Stopped in for dinner and it did not disappoint. Service was very quick and our server was very attentive and friendly. Tacos all had wonderful taste. Not pictured was a taco de tripas which my dad was not very impressed with but everything else he got, he loved. IMO, carne asada tasted a bit burnt. I'd recommend trying the flan, it was really good. Prices were decent and overall I'd be back and would recommend you stop in if in the area. read more

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Parking 3/5 -parking lot in front of the restaurant has about 20 spots that are shared with other shops in the plaza so you most likely have to park across the street in the residential area during busy hours Service 4/5 -server is friendly and accommodating however feels understaffed during busy times, the owner is always present and very helpful and enthusiastic/passionate with customers, honestly great service! Just be more patient and mindful that they're doing the best they can Food 5/5 -mixed(surtido) and cheek(cachete) tacos, meat is TENDER. I honestly can't taste the difference between the two, I just knew I wanted to keep eating them(even after eating 3). Sturdy tortillas so the tacos weren't falling apart as I was eating, I also really liked that each table had two squeeze bottles of salsa, so convenient -orden/order, if you come here, you have to order this soup with the head meat. It's the essence that sums up the restaurant, it's a little peppery with the sweetness from the diced onions and meaty goodness. It comes with about 4 tortillas and there's a lot of meat in the soup to be made into more tacos Ambiance 5/5 -restaurant was full of people eating food happily(obviously the food was delicious) and there was a guy that sang for donations and vendors that came through selling trinkets, just a mixing pot of life and happy place to eat read more

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04/29/2026 My son invited me to join him to try a variety of exotic tacos, and I said yes without any hesitation. Our experience was pleasant, and the staff were both helpful and friendly. We ordered: -Mollejas Plato ($12.75): Came with oily tortillas. -Taco Cachete ($3.55): Fatty in the best way possible. -Taco Lengua ($4.45): Tender and juicy; we both really enjoyed it. -Taco Ojos ($4.55): We both liked this one. -Taco Sesos ($3.95): A bit dry. -Taco Maciza ($3.85): I'm glad I tried it. -Consome Meat ($8.49): The soup was flavorful but had very little shredded meat. read more

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aammmaaazzzzinnnggg!!! Never had anything like it. The cabeza en sus jugos is such a unique dish and literally melts in your mouth. If you're into super tender cabeza, this is your spot. I came for breakfast and had it with a delicious cup of café de olla, which was perfect. Go check them out, 10/10!!! read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Cafe de olla - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

The BEST lengua tacos I've had! Super flavorful with a great balance of fatty and lean bits. Their salsa is spicy and tangy, not watered down at all. Friendly and kind staff with quick service. Free and easy parking. Highly recommend!! read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Lengua, Labio - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Saw this on Instagram and waited for the next chilly night for us to go. Place was clean and inviting. When we walked through the door, we got big Welcome! Which was definitely helpful because when we go to a new place, sometimes we get intimidated and overwhelmed. And to be greeted that way, made us feel really welcomed. Menu is simple and easy to read, our server was great. She did not rush us and she explained everything clearly.. We ordered 2 tacos, the Seso and lengua. Both were delicious and flavorful. We also ordered the Orden which is the boneless cabeza soup. It was served with tortillas and grilled onions. The broth was clean and full of flavor, soo good. The cabeza in the soup was very tender. Surprisingly the soup was not heavy at all. Our server was great. She always made sure that we were good. We were definitely satisfied and will be back. read more

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Don't go here unless you are okay with opening Pandora's box. De Cabeza made the best tacos I've ever had, and I'm born and raised in SD. I don't think I'll be able to get tacos from anywhere else. I had a variety of things: a pollo taco, a surtido taco, and a huitlacoche quesadilla. Everything was seasoned to perfection. The flavors were rich and complex. The service was also incredible and so fast. The staff is so kind and one of the chefs came out to ask how everything was. That goes so far, and I can't wait to support this business more. read more

Stopped in for a quick lunch. Super Fast and yummy highly recommended I am coming back soon

A CV classic for cabeza meat which encompasses anything from the cow's head such as tongue/ lengua, cheek/ cachete, and brains/ sesos. I order the mixtos/ surtido meat in any taco which is warmed up on the griddle pretty much sitting openly in the main dining area. You cannot go wrong with the lengua and cachete meat either. Tacos seem to land around $3.50 each and come with everything -- onion, cilantro, y salsa -- if you ask for it. On a Sunday, the vibes were high-energy with the music blasting, the singing and dancing cook at the griddle super entertaining. With the fun atmosphere, I even ordered a Michelada with my choice of beer. I was NOT expecting to get a 32oz bottle of Pacifico though! It's the ultimate drink and eat spot it seems, so do bring the fun spirit! Also a great place to bust out and practice your Spanish. There are very few authentic Mexican eateries, this being one for sure! read more

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Pretty good asada. pastor decent. cabeza is not my preference but it was okay here. not too stinky. flavor in chilaquiles was cool. not best. read more

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Amazing! Quesotaco with choice of meat inside. Chorizo, crispy Tripas and pastor. All three were great but pastor took the trophy. Helped me stay on my keto diet. Red salsa on point also and if you need a kick their roasted Serrano on the side does the trick. Great friendly service! read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Quesotaco, 1 w crispy Tripas, chorizo and pastor. FIRE! - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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When I walked in it was very busy, which is always a good sign for a Monday. The place is very casual dining yet cute. The food was amazing , ordered two tacos de asada the char was nice on the asada and the flavor was good. The tacos al pastor were seasoned just right and cooked to perfection not chewy. The tacos were average price which I appreciate. read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Fried Cheese with Guacamole , Tacos de Asada and Taco Al Pastor - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Food was absolutely delicious the cabeza shareable plate is the way to go, also the chicharrón tacos were amazing. Service was also amazing very friendly and attentive. Will definitely be coming back next time I'm in town. If I were to suggest something, tacos are a tad bit overpriced. read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Michelada, Chicharrón taco, and cabeza plate. Yum yum in my tum - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

This place is fire, some of the best Mexican food I ever had. If you appreciate meat you gotta try it. Seriously, their food brings out the absolute best the meat can be. Great consomme and nice pulque too. And it's all very affordable. Nice music and ambience in there as well. read more

this is about to take the top spot for the best tacos i've had! we tried various kinds but my favorites were moronga (blood sausage w herbs that gave it such depth of flavor), cochinita pibil (pulled pork w a great citrusy marinade), & chicharrón prensado (pork belly that was just so rich & flavorful). their salsas were also rly good--a roasted one & a refreshing green one that still had a good heat. we also tried cachete, lengua, borrego, & chorizo verde which were all solid service was nice & fast & the restaurant was clean & comfortable. the tacos were on the smaller side (i ate 4-5 rather than my normal 3), but reasonable considering the specialty meats / preparations & the fact that it's a full-service sit-down restaurant. can't wait to be back again! read more

De Cabeza el Unico - from left to right: Chorizo Verde, Chicharrón Prensado, Cachete, Moronga, Lengua, Cochinita Pibil - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Looking for homemade Mexican dish this is the spot!!! super authentic you feel like you're at grandma's house plus delicious homemade Horchata . The owner is gentleman the best music playing plus you get to see him interact with customers (like family) I got to enjoy a homemade breakfast with my two teenage girls, WE absolutely enjoy everything and felt at home.. the food the atmosphere and the quality of service10/10 recommend especially since we came from Ventura,Ca read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Console con Carne/ broth with meat $8.49 for the bowl absolutely delicious - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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Tasty meat, fresh and simple flavors and good service. Definitely coming back. I think Cheek, Lengua and Cabeza were my favorites. The cheese on their quesadilla is also tasty. read more

I have heard time and time again that San Diego had the best Mexican food and I agree. While I've lived here for 4 years, I have always just had my go to spots. Today I decided to try a new place and I'm so glad I did! De Cabeza had such great reviews on here so I decided to try them out. I walked in and they seated me right away. They were very sweet and kind and the restaurant itself was very inviting. There were lots of decorations on the walls of Mexican ranch style decor as well. I ordered a couple tacos de Maciza (head meat), Langua (tongue), El Dorado Pastor (matinated meat asada), and chicharron prensado (pork belly). I also got a quesadilla soy carne asada. The meciza was so tender, great flavor and the tortilla was freshly made ao it was nicely holding a the flavors. The Langua was very tender and also an enjoyable bit. The el Dorado Pastor taco hit me with so much flavor it was delicious! But then the heat snuck up on me. It was pretty spicy! Really enjoyable and packed either flavor! The tacos de Maciza (head meat), Langua (tongue), El Dorado Pastor (matinated meat asada), and chicharron prensado (pork belly). was well marinated and super tender finely chopped pork belly with a tiny touch of heat as well! I think it was my favorite honestly I wasn't expect it to be so good. And the quesadilla with carne asada was pretty decent, the cheese melted nicely too. I appreciated how quickly the food came out, the access to salsa and lots of limes on the table and the water which the server ensured my cup stayed full. Over all I'm so glad I tried somewhere new, it was exactly what I was looking for! Ill definitely be back soon! read more

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De Cabeza El Único is a solid spot for authentic Mexican eats, especially if you're craving tacos de cabeza. The place is on the smaller side, so it fills up fast--especially during peak times--but we lucked out and got seated right away for our party of five. They have a ton of taco options, and our server was super helpful and genuinely kind, which made the visit feel welcoming. For the group, we went with 2 pounds of cabeza (it came out fantastic--super soft, juicy, and flavorful, though a bit on the fatty side). After a few bites, the richness and oil can feel a little overwhelming, but honestly, it was still top-notch. They hook you up with consomé (broth) on the side and a pile of tortillas. The refried beans, guacamole, chili with onions are extra charge like around $5 but still a tasteful addition. Dipping the tacos in the consomé was a game-changer--it added great depth, even if I wasn't blown away by sipping the broth straight. The food overall was fantastic and hit the spot for a hearty group meal. The one downside was the tortillas. We ran out way too quickly and had to ask (politely!) three different times for more fresh ones. Each time it felt like we were kind of ignored or brushed off, which was frustrating and slowed things down. That said, it didn't ruin the experience--just something they'd probably want to keep an eye on during busy rushes. Would definitely come back for the amazing cabeza and variety of tacos. Great authentic vibes in Chula Vista--worth checking out if you're in the area! read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

My husband found this restaurant on Yelp because he was looking for cabeza tacos. The Fried Cheese with guacamole, Avocado with Grasshoppers reminded us of Mexico City and Oaxaca. We also ordered meat, consommé, flautas, chicharron tacos and my grandson had the cheese quesadilla just the correct size for him! The owner was amazing, friendly and welcoming! They had live music for a short while we were there. We can't recommend it more than enough! read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Tacos were delicious! 10/10 they had lots of flavor and the salsas were good too. I love how they have so many options and the service was great everything was nice and clean. I will definitely come back when I'm in the area. read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Tacos de lengua, cabeza, borrego and cachete - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Heard about this place from Eater. Went to give it a try. Amazing staff. The Orden and Green chorizo taco was simply amazing. Hole in the wall gem read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Tacos, delicious, I would highly recommend the el pastor, just be aware that you will be paying a bit of a higher price for your fill. Jesus, the chef, SO friendly, so warm, so welcoming! That man sold my husband and I three additional tacos AND dessert when we were stuffed. We love tacos, so we couldn't say no. Carne asada tacos - solid 4, left happy El pastor tacos - solid 4.9, I don't care for el pastor but wow this place....SO GOOD. Hubby likes the cabeza and pork belly Coffee flan, YUM. Coffee wasn't overwhelming which was nice because I want to taste more than coffee It's a small place, but cozy, clean, and inviting. I would drive 30 minutes again for this spot. read more

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Mexican food Street tacos Chula Vista Restroom inside Amex accepted Indoor seating Fast service Beer available Imported ingredients Enjoy the entire head of the cow read more

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Food was delicious. Staff is so friendly and welcoming. Service was great. I even tasted the tacos (cherk & brain) and I was shocked I actually liked them. read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Fantastic, enchilada & sopes. - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

My brother and I stopped in tonight and wanted to give it a try! WOW this place is delicious! We met chef Jesus and he was so kind! Caldo de cabeza soup and it was so flavorful! The meat was incredibly tender. I also had the cachette taco (I'm a Midwest Caucasian so sorry if I'm spelling this wrong) and it was also melt in your mouth. PUT THIS PLACE ON YOUR LIST! read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Cachette taco - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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This place is very good! Good food. Live good music. Service was great. Will definitely be coming here a lot!

Solid taco spot that's a bit on the pricier side. I liked the decorations in the restaurant and service was good. I would recommend the cabeza, cachete, or lengua tacos. I didn't love the pastor and thought it was almost unexpectedly sweet. I did enjoy the consome though read more

De Cabeza el Unico - cabeza tacos, pastor taco, and consome - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Made our way down to De Cabeza el unico and the music was bumping and the vibes were high on Easter. It's a decently-sized place and were able to be seated for lunch immediately. The one thing that this place seems to be known-for is the additional cuts of meat that you don't typically see at other Mexican places. Everything looked good and it was hard to narrow things down. I got 4 tacos (Maciza, Lengua, Cachete, and Chicharron). I loved every single one and definitely for the first 3, you get that nice texture of both the tender meat but also the softness/gelatinous parts of the head, tongue, cheek. It might not be for everyone, but you I loved each one and honestly could have/should have gotten more. Simple tacos but still extremely flavorful. The consome broth was nice as well and it's flavor was deep and meaty. Almost like Beef Pho broth but with slightly different flavors. read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Consome - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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There aren't many places in San Diego that specialize in "Cabeza" tacos but it is a underrated taco meat that me and my boyfriend enjoy. We actually found out about this place through Gareth Leonard's video on the best tacos in san diego so we knew we had to check it out for ourselves. We ordered a cabeza taco, cheek taco, and pastor taco. The cabeza and cheek were definitely the star of the show. The meat was very tender and melts in your mouth. I'm glad to say this place is my new go-to for cabeza tacos. I believe that tortilla is so important when it comes to a good taco and their tortilla was perfect. I love that they only give you one instead of two tortillas. Sometimes when places double up on the tortilla it overpowers the flavors inside the taco. Again, I'm glad they don't do that here. The pastor was good but I still like tacos el gordo better in that area because of the green sauce they use but honestly I would order it again here. This place is a sit down restaurant rather than ordering at the front kiosk. You can tell this place is loved by many locals and service was fast and friendly. This place has so much to offer, not only tacos but you can get grasshoppers, fried cheese, soups, and so much more traditional Mexican comfort dishes. You will not be disappointed if you come here. read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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A bit of a drive to get here but it was worth it. I let someone else do the ordering for us to share since he's been here before and highly recommended this place. I have to agree, everything was delicious! The moment we walked in we were greeted with a smile and seated quickly. The owner of the restaurant was sitting at the entrance and said "Welcome in!" Love a friendly staff. Our food came out quickly. Michelada paired well with our meal. As we finished each plate, the waitress came by to pick up our dirty dishes or to remove any trash from the table. She even topped off our Michelada mugs with the rest of our beer. Great service. Will definitely be back. read more

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Great food, great homey atmosphere that makes you feel like you're in Mexico. Highly recommended. Includes some specialty meats, like beef tongue, cheek, and ojos (eyes). read more

The tacos were so good. They have the Tijuana authentic flavor. I will come back. It's super clean and the customer service was amazing. read more

De Cabeza el Unico - It's super amazing and tasty. It's really good. It has the Tijuana authentic flavor. Customer service is amazing. - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Chorizo and shell good! Pollo maybe better than asada. Sit down, table service, parking lot full. I did ask for cheese only and I'm not sure that is exactly what I got. Ambiance included mexican music on the speakers. read more

This restaurant has become our go-to spot for tacos. I've even introduced a lot of my friends and family here. But I'm knocking down another star because I feel like the waitresses are dishonest. If you order a michelada they automatically bring you the large 32 oz one. The 1st time I ever came here I asked if there was a smaller size and the waitress said no. The next time I came here, it was a different waitress and I asked about sizes and she said there was in fact TWO sizes. I was surprised and confused. I came back another time and it was the first waitress and when I asked for a small michelada, she told me there was only a large size. I told her the last time I came here, I was able to order the small size. She was quiet, walked away, and brought me the small size.. I feel like they are trying to upsell the larger size which I understand it's a business and you have to do what you have to do. But please don't lie to your customers or withhold information. Also another heads up, beware that when they ask if you'd like consome after you're done ordering, it is not free. Usually from my experience when I'm offered consome, it's complimentary, but not here. It's just so strange the way the waitresses offer it here as if it's free. Very misleading. I've never experienced this anywhere else. I went here over the weekend and we were checked on SO MANY times. It was uncomfortable. We felt like they were trying to kick us out since we were sitting in the corner and it looked like we were the last ones left. As we left we realized there were plenty of people still seated and eating. I've never come here and been checked on so many times. In fact, sometimes when I come here it's hard to even find someone to help us. My friends arrived before I did and was offered "free peppers" so they accepted it. When I arrived and they told me what happened I was confused because nothing is free here. Lo and behold, we were charged for it. It wasn't much but it was again, the dishonesty. I will continue to dine here for the amazing Al pastor tacos. The owner and manager are also very nice and always greet us with a smile, as they do remember us each time we dine in. But, the waitresses here I am very cautious about. read more

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Two taco breakfast: Cabeza & Cochinita Pibil. Cabeza was nice and chunky, not just the mush meat. Great texture and a subtle crunch to the corn tortilla made for a perfect taco! The Pibil had a subtle tang from the achiote and the pickled onions rounded the fatty cut's richness. I will be back to delve into the depths of this menu! Extremely personable staff was welcoming and appreciative of my business. This is a real deal taco joint that did not disappoint! read more

De Cabeza el Unico - Cabeza & Cochinita Pibil - Mexican Near Me - Chula Vista, California

They have a good service, real good environment and super good food The stuff is super friendly thank you read more