Don Pollo

I've been driving by this location so many times that I finally made the effort to stop in and try…read moreit out. I decided to order one of their 99¢ fish tacos and an order of fish and chips. The fish taco was satisfying and delicious. Paired with the fish and chips, it was a great and affordable lunch. The fish was crisp and flaky and they provided a mountain of fries to go with it. They inciuded all the fixings to go with the fish. Plenty of tartar and cocktail sauce and limes. I was impressed with this place The service was outstanding as well. Friendly and efficient. Next time I visit, I'll have to try one of their margaritas.

Don't believe reviews from 20 year olds about tacos on TikTok…read more Yes this place is cheaper than any Taco store in SD. Most of the tacos are $2.85. Some 1.25 but the quality is I mean cheap is cheap, and I was willing to give it a shot to prove me wrong. Also, when you order chips and salsa, there is no real salsa they give so you are just paying extra for chips. They give you free sauce anyway but it's hot sauce not salsa even if you ask them the cashier person doesn't understand this. And the chips are not good either!!! One more thing the elote in a couple was corn from a can with heavy mayonnaise I added my own lime and spice to make it better.

Inside was very attractive.

Chop cheese tacos (left 2) & Pulled pork taco

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Outside

El Ranchito Taco Shop

4.0(562 reviews)

0.4 mi

Been coming here for years- Best beef flautas!!! I love their rice and beans!…read more They still give you chips and you can enjoy the salsa bar. I love that they keep the salsa bar well refrigerated too. You can even buy their jarred salsa to go!

I don't know who gives this place high scores other than the local pale people who either don't get…read moreenough sun or get too much sun and look like lobsters. Bland food, small portions, over priced.....anyone who likes good Mexican will never step foot in here.

Shredded beef taco

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M favorite rolled tacos but you have to request shredded beef and chunky guacamole unless you want ground beef

Tacos Asadero

4.2(522 reviews)

3.3 mi•Rancho Bernardo

Hug portion! Quick and friendly service!…read more Our favorite: California burritos and birria tacos! Must visit if in the area!

We love the tacos there , always ! But today , tacos taste a little bland . Not sure it's the new…read moreowner , or just less seasoning , it just doesn't taste a lot . Servicer are always nice and friendly. A small store with about 6 tables inside, couple outside . Bathroom is clean . Tacos definitely got more experience compared with couple months ago , asada is almost $5 each , Lengua is $5+ each . Kinda Pricy .

Decor

Adobada tacos

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Asada Taco

Yesenia's Mexican Food

4.4(1.2k reviews)

2.6 mi

AMAZING authentic food and the SERVICE is top tier. Love love love! You have to try hereread more

Yesenia's Mexican Food is a gem. I can't speak for the entire menu yet, but their breakfast…read moreburritos are BOMB. Tons of options, generous portions, and fantastic salsas. They also managed to feed a staff of 80 with just one day's notice--which says a lot about both the food and the people. The employees are fantastic, they open early, and everything was smooth from start to finish. Great food, great people, great service. What's not to love?

Shrimp burrito. $11.99 (July, 25)

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Outdoor seating

Senor Taquero 2

4.3(251 reviews)

2.6 mi•Scripps Ranch

This is a great neighborhood taco shop. We had the adobada taco today. It's full of flavor and it's…read moredelicious. But I like their breakfast burrito and fish taco too. I appreciate that they give complimentary chips even if it's to go. Not many places do that. They have a salsa bar that is covered which I also appreciate to deter debris and bugs from getting in. Service is always great.

Randomly stopped in for a quick snack. Parking was easy and the restaurant was small, but clean and…read morehad minimal seating. They sell fountain drinks but also cans and bottles of soda and beer. They have a nice selection of meats and a variety of different types of food: tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, chimichangas but also combo plate type meals. I love that they serve breakfast all day! And they do have vegetarian options. My husband is a salsa lover and enjoyed the salsa bar; it was clean and fresh and the salsas were, in his words, "too notch" . (They also have free, self-serve chips.) He got a carne asada taco and I got a fish taco. The carne asada was well seasoned and tender, cut into perfect bite sized pieces. The fish taco was good, a little too crispy, as if it had been previously fried then refried. Still good. And the tortillas they came on are my favorite!! Very strong corn flavor! Service wasn't anything special but he was fast and polite and washed his hands frequently. If I was in the area, I would definitely try more of the menu.

Inside: view from one of the tables

Carne Asada Chips comes complete with guacamole and sour cream

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Inside: wide view of counter

MexicanBar

4.3(220 reviews)

1.5 mi•Scripps Ranch

Enjoyed Happy Hour here today. We loved it! The atmosphere was nice, the service was perfect, and…read morethe margarita was excellent. We were lucky to have Tiffany as our server. She did an excellent job. We don't live very close but we will definitely come back. It was well worth the drive.

Can for lunch, and the seating outside in the shade was a chill respite from the San Diego heat…read moretoday. Everyone was kind, welcoming, and knew just how often to check in and offer options- Just as important: ordered the grilled mahi tacos and they were ON POINT. Not slathered in too much cheese shreds or piles of lettuce to hide anything: nope. This was a perfectly sized mahi slice with the fresh lettuce and cilantro lime sauce that was also, light but tasty. Do they make their own tortillas? YES. SO good. I don't think I've ever gotten out the fork to eat the lettuce and tomatoes that had fallen from a taco before. But I did this time! You may ask, "Do they make their own horchata though?" I'd have to reply, "YES!" Prices super reasonable too, and you can order per taco if you want. Just a fantastic taco experience

Cool, sports-oriented bar!

4 Flautas

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Outside

Salsa Mexican Food

4.0(67 reviews)

0.1 mi

Overall a good casual Mexican place in Poway. It's nice to have a drive thru so you can order and…read morestay in your car. The menu includes most typical Mexican options including tacos, burritos, plates, tostada, and quesadillas. The prices are typical for most Mexican restaurants around $12-25 per entree. The food took a little longer but I appreciated the food was fresh and hot. The portions were generous, the food was delicious, and I liked how they used double tortilla so the taco didn't fall apart. Their hot sauces were really good too. Only thing is a lot of their specialty menu is on a white board that is weathered, half erased, and hard to read. Please refresh the board and rewrite the items so it's more legible.

Was in the mood for a simple bean and cheese burrito. This place is just down the street from where…read moreI live and it was my first time stopping in. They have a nice list of food and idrink offerings and have happy hour prices every morning for breakfast. Just check their white board at the drive thru. Service was great and the burrito was so big I had to cut it in half and ate the leftover the next day. It was a great value for the price. I'll be back to try more. The drive thru was convenient.

Menu 6/21/2023

Fish taco plate

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Menu

Jalapenos Mexican Food

4.1(1.1k reviews)

2.6 mi

The best taco shop up this way. All of thr food hits. You also get chips and salsa if you dine in.read more

This spot used to be good many years ago. *When it was still the original location* It was a small…read morelittle taco shop then but somewhere in the past decade or so, the food went downhill. Most staff is friendly however, the food itself is bland. The price and value of the food isn't as good as other taco shops in the area. This used to be the go to spot 15+ years ago but in the past 8 to 10 years, I've only came here twice.

Inside

Chips and salsa

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Rolled Tacos

El Armando's Mexican Food Poway

2.9(210 reviews)

0.3 mi

Craving some Mexican food and passed by this place. Ordered drive thru. I could only see the inside…read morethrough the drive through window. The ceiling was suspicious. I was a little thrown off when they charged me for pickled carrots, but the weight off of burritos made up for that. Ordered a fish burrito and a surf & turf burrito. The surf and turf burrito was tasty! There was a good amount of shrimp.

It's that good! Stopped by for a late night/early morning snack. Hit the spot - tacos were really…read morebig and quite tasty. Tried the red and green sauces as well which both were great. Service was fast and friendly. This is walk up or drive thru only with a few tables outside.

Menu 2 11/28/23

Carna Asada chips

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Menu as of 9/14/22

Lupe's Cafe

4.4(264 reviews)

0.7 mi

The food: I got the bacon, potato, egg and cheese burrito without a tortilla. It was so good! The…read morebacon pieces were thick and crispy. The potatoes were so good (not frozen hash browns). The portions were generous. The service: the employee was nice and helpful. The packaging: I got my order to go and everything I needed was included. Silverware and salsa. The atmosphere: the dining room is on the smaller side but clean.

Just to be clear, best taco shop in Poway. I've tried all the decent ones. Great service, too…read more Seems like the owner is on the grill sometimes. If so, good sign.

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Inside seating

Carne asada

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Bottled Coke

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40 reviews that are not currently recommended

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

Tamara K.

0

9

0

11 years ago

I've been going to eat lunch at this place for couple of years. Its small, nothing over the top but clean and orderly. Working from home definitely makes you establish a routine of places we go to eat lunch and this place is very solid. We usually get chicken soup from there. It is delicious and tastes like your grandma's chicken sopita. Although to my taste it can be a bit too salty at times. They add plenty of chicken breasts there, big chunks of veggies and avocado. I had the chicken tostadas and chicken meals with rice and beans. The chicken was fresh and the lettuce was crisp. The sauce had a nice bite. The owners are very nice people and really try to get to know the regulars with small talk. I like to support local business owners and I think this place it worth your time to try. My only suggestions for them - is to try to get better tortillas, may be something more authentic. read more

April M.

101

286

221

1 month ago

Yes, this is our FAVORITE restraunt in poway. Clean food without additives, without processed ingredients, real home cooked Mexican food with no additives or fillers. Carne asada and chicken tacos amazing! I loved the chicken enchiladas. They have an amazing green sauce with sour crème on top of the real chicken inside. Our kids always love the chicken soup. It's a great feeling to see my kids eating fresh veggies and fresh chicken that's in the soup. I placed an online order and my order was ready in 20minutes when I arrived. Very friendly owners as always! Thank you, Don pollo! read more

Angelicque D.

6

3

0

9 years ago

The chicken soup is the best in all of San Diego and the grilled chicken salad...delicious! The place is always super clean and the owner couldn't be any nicer and more willing to make you a great meal. Granted you can't please everyone, but for Robin M to describe this place as "average", have no real issues, such as bad service or a roach in the food, it's borderline idiotic to give a small business 2 stars. read more

Mark S.

0

4

0

3 years ago

Wonderful hidden gem with expertly grilled chicken marinated in a savory blend of spices. The chicken was cooked to juicy perfection. Don Pollo offers simple combo plates with pieces of chicken and rice and beans. Also delicious creations like the quinoa chicken salad. The staff is very attentive and you can tell they take pride in their food and the service read more

Esmael T.

43

28

10

12 years ago

I was here yesterday after my trip to Ben printing, quickly pulled out my phone and looked up on yelp the reviews of this place. They seemed good so I agreed to give it a try and it did not disappoint, got the chicken soup and I must say it really hit the spot. Will be back, thank you guys read more

Jennifer Y.

0

11

2

13 years ago

I haven't been here in a while, so I don't know if the menu has changed at all. The chicken soup is one thing you MUST try here, it's amazing. I love their tortas and their chicken plates as well. From what I remember, the salsa is homemade and I couldn't get enough of that stuff! read more

June T.

0

8

1

5 years ago

My family loves don pollo their specialty in our eyes is their soup! Seriously if you haven't already, you should. Plus after creating their out door seating area we've been enjoying actually sitting down to eat ! Thanks Don Pollo your costumer service is always the cherry on top read more

Lonny G.

0

8

0

13 years ago

I liked the al pastor street tacos. The beans were great too. Some guy next to me apeared to be eating some kind of item that wasn't on the menu. I wanted it! Tip: Make regular beef tacos! Make carne asada burritos!! I promise I will come all the time.... read more

Jose A.

0

7

3

9 years ago

Don Pollo is centrally located in Poway. Their food is excellent, prepared in traditional Mexican style. I particularly enjoyed their chicken soup, served in a very generous portion. Service was quick and delivered with a smile. I will come back often. read more

Christina S.

0

6

0

9 years ago

Great chicken and spicy salsa, need to update online menu. Cheap prices brought me in, but was in for a big surprise when I got there. 4 to 5 buck difference for a whole chicken, tortillas, salsa, and rice and beans was kinda a big hit on the wallet. read more

Bre L.

3

33

0

14 years ago

really good food and REALLY nice people work here! Really good customer service, i'm always happy. I'm always happy to eat here and spend money here because the employees are so kind and helpful read more

Christian W.

0

3

0

4 months ago

This place has changed my life. One of my boys showed me this the other day and I've eaten here 4 times in 2 weeks. Don Pollito has helped me realize not everything is all that bad man. read more

john p.

70

34

6

11 years ago

Great food and great customer service! The place is small with about 10 tables. Everything we ordered was very fresh! Very clean for a little taco shop. We will be back!!! read more

Marty D.

0

6

0

10 years ago

the best carne asada plate in town.....awesome service, the owneres are always at the register & overseeing everything......small place, but clean & healthy....and FRESH read more

Amina L.

3

6

0

9 years ago

The food is nutritionally excellent. Good prices. Try the chicken soup. Much better than other chain chicken places. Support aPoway merchant. read more

Lora D.

57

100

0

8 years ago

First eating here. Excellent food. At our table we had chicken soup,street tacos and chicken bowl. All had great flavor. We will be back. read more

Rene L.

1

11

11 years ago

I love this place !! It's delicious, very nice service, and you get your food quickly. One of my favorite places to go to for lunch

Peter K.

2

56

7

12 years ago

We can't wait to go back. Fantastic chicken beans, onions and service. Very warm welcoming service. I highly recommend them.

Todd H.

6

8

0

6 years ago

Wife loves the chicken soup. Can't go wrong with any of the chicken dishes. Hoping they get back to normal weekend hours.

Eliane S.

0

3

0

3 years ago

Great place to get chicken soup in Poway. Price is good and food is quality. They have a full menu of Mexican food. read more

Don Pollo - chickenshop - Updated August 2026

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Lupe's Cafe

4.4

(264 reviews)

The food: I got the bacon, potato, egg and cheese burrito without a tortilla. It was so good! The…read morebacon pieces were thick and crispy. The potatoes were so good (not frozen hash browns). The portions were generous. The service: the employee was nice and helpful. The packaging: I got my order to go and everything I needed was included. Silverware and salsa. The atmosphere: the dining room is on the smaller side but clean.

Just to be clear, best taco shop in Poway. I've tried all the decent ones. Great service, too…read more Seems like the owner is on the grill sometimes. If so, good sign.

Taco Taco Poway

(688 reviews)

I've been driving by this location so many times that I finally made the effort to stop in and try…read moreit out. I decided to order one of their 99¢ fish tacos and an order of fish and chips. The fish taco was satisfying and delicious. Paired with the fish and chips, it was a great and affordable lunch. The fish was crisp and flaky and they provided a mountain of fries to go with it. They inciuded all the fixings to go with the fish. Plenty of tartar and cocktail sauce and limes. I was impressed with this place The service was outstanding as well. Friendly and efficient. Next time I visit, I'll have to try one of their margaritas.

Don't believe reviews from 20 year olds about tacos on TikTok…read more Yes this place is cheaper than any Taco store in SD. Most of the tacos are $2.85. Some 1.25 but the quality is I mean cheap is cheap, and I was willing to give it a shot to prove me wrong. Also, when you order chips and salsa, there is no real salsa they give so you are just paying extra for chips. They give you free sauce anyway but it's hot sauce not salsa even if you ask them the cashier person doesn't understand this. And the chips are not good either!!! One more thing the elote in a couple was corn from a can with heavy mayonnaise I added my own lime and spice to make it better.

Lienzo Charro

3.9

(333 reviews)

If you are looking for a local Mexican restaurant, you have to try Lienzo Charro. It's a small…read moreplace with big flavors. A hidden gem in Poway. The staff was super nice. They were playing World Cup so it was nice to be watching that while eating lunch. They also serve table chips and salsa, which was delicious! With the salsa was a little spicier. I ordered the carne asada del charro. The meat had so much flavor and it was super tender. The bf got the beef taco, chicken enchilada, and beef tostada combo and it was a lot of food. Everything was delicious and tasted fresh. We will be coming back anytime we are craving some good Mexican food.

Always a great spot to sit and relax…read more Cervezas and chips and salsa and whatever else your heart desires. Great food, excellent service and not far from anywhere I'm San Diego. I'll be back again. They sell gift certificates too! Perfect for any occasion .

Roberto's Taco Shop - Rancho Bernardo

3.8

(100 reviews)

North county Taco shop…read moreMexican food Shredded beef tacos and more Indoor seating Outdoor seating Sport playing on TV Amex accepted Restroom inside Large parking Known for cali burritos Vegetarian options not really vegan

Mexican fast food is me and my family's preferred cuisine. Our go to spot is Yesenia's Carmel…read moreMountain, which we've supported since 2010. Roberto's Taco Shop is a Mexican food restaurant chain started in 1964 and I believe I've dined at one of their shops when I was growing up in the South Bay, so eating here is nostalgic to me. I decided to visit this particular Roberto's because I read that a segment of society was trying to cancel this iconic chain due to its founder supporting our current President. I decided to support Roberto's for dinner last week where my wife and I got to grub on their delicious rolled tacos and I received friendly customer service from the young lady behind the counter. Roberto's Taco Shop has several locations around San Diego with the one I visited residing in Rancho Bernardo. The restaurant is located on Bernardo Center Drive specifically within the Big 5 and CVS shopping center. It's across from IHOP and a short walk to Sapphire Indian Cuisine restaurant. Roberto's is in between Big 5, Code Ninjas, and a few steps away from the UPS Store. This shopping center has plenty of free parking. There is covered outdoor seating and plenty of seating inside with high table top stool seating, low table top and chair seating, and wooden bench seating. There really isn't much decor inside the restaurant with it's yellow painted walls, a single television, and a framed Welcome To Roberto's Taco Shop art piece. The young lady behind the counter who took my order was friendly and had a positive attitude. My family's go to Mexican food spot is Yesenia's and I seriously have not found a San Diego Mexican fast food joint that has supplanted it. This was the first time in many years that I got to eat at Roberto's and I don't remember what I thought of their food way back when, so it felt like a first time experience. My wife craved fish tacos, so we ordered their #12 Two Fish Tacos combination plate, which comes with rice and beans. I ordered Carne Asada chips, which comes with cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa fresca, and queso. For our final item, I ordered their 3 rolled beef tacos with guacamole and cheese, but I added sour cream for an additional charge. My wife and I each had a fish taco, which were fresh, had plenty of toppings, and it was a good entree. I ate the Mexican rice and beans and thought both were cooked really well and were made to order. Their carne asada chips were covered with a lot of ingredients and had plenty of meat, but they were just okay. The star of our meal were their rolled tacos. The rolled tacos were packed with flavorful beef, they were hearty, they were fried perfectly, and they were covered with creamy sour cream, fresh guac, and had an ample amount of melted shredded cheese. We thought their rolled tacos were better than Yesenia's version. I took a star because they don't give complimentary tortilla chips and they don't have a serve yourself salsa bar. My wife and I have found a rival Mexican fast food restaurant that serves delicious and quality Mexican food. I don't think Roberto's Taco Shop can get cancelled if they continue to serve tasty rolled tacos that beats our favorite Mexican food spot.

Senor Taquero 2

4.3

(251 reviews)

This is a great neighborhood taco shop. We had the adobada taco today. It's full of flavor and it's…read moredelicious. But I like their breakfast burrito and fish taco too. I appreciate that they give complimentary chips even if it's to go. Not many places do that. They have a salsa bar that is covered which I also appreciate to deter debris and bugs from getting in. Service is always great.

Randomly stopped in for a quick snack. Parking was easy and the restaurant was small, but clean and…read morehad minimal seating. They sell fountain drinks but also cans and bottles of soda and beer. They have a nice selection of meats and a variety of different types of food: tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, chimichangas but also combo plate type meals. I love that they serve breakfast all day! And they do have vegetarian options. My husband is a salsa lover and enjoyed the salsa bar; it was clean and fresh and the salsas were, in his words, "too notch" . (They also have free, self-serve chips.) He got a carne asada taco and I got a fish taco. The carne asada was well seasoned and tender, cut into perfect bite sized pieces. The fish taco was good, a little too crispy, as if it had been previously fried then refried. Still good. And the tortillas they came on are my favorite!! Very strong corn flavor! Service wasn't anything special but he was fast and polite and washed his hands frequently. If I was in the area, I would definitely try more of the menu.

Rodrigo's Taco Shop

3.8

(322 reviews)

Always worth the drive no matter where you're coming from…read more Delicious food, excellent service and a clean and comfy dining area. You must try their carne asada fries or chips. Everything else is on point too. You won't be disappointed. Been coming for years and plan on doing so until I kick the bucket. Be sure to tip. Friendly family owned establishment. Support small business!

This is not a review about their food even though for us it was less than ok…read more Yesterday my husband and I placed an order to go in person. We used our cc card and hit "skip" for the tip. When asked, my husband told him he didn't want a receipt. As we sat waiting for our order I noticed the register showed a paid amount of $7 more than the order cost. We asked him about it, and he started stammering and said the amount is different because of the tip. So obviously he added an unapproved 20% tip to the order. I said to him, "so, if people don't ask for a receipt you automatically decided to add the maximum tip?" He agreed to refund the tip. Needless to say, we were both disgusted and very disappointed. Unfortunately, from now on, we will have to ask for a printed receipt even at sit down restaurants. Don't judge, we always tip 20% at sit-down restaurants.

The Burrito Factory

3.5

(123 reviews)

Met the husband here for lunch. Service was quick. Self-serve salsa bar with carrots, lime, and…read moreonions was nice to have. Fountain drink machine was also nice on a hot day. Decent amount of tables. I ordered a steak and egg burrito and a carne asada burrito. Burritos are decent size. The only downside I had was that the burritos were mislabeled. "Asada" was written on the paper but it was actually the steak and egg burrito. The wrong burrito was placed on the wrong plate. Other than that, this place has plenty of parking and convenient if you work nearby. Prices are decent, and in this economy, that's a plus.

The Burrito Factory has much improved their Mexican food quality and it is consistently very good…read more Their salsas are delicious and there is a lot of variety. Prices are reasonable and they do not kill you with an aggressive tip policy. It's just good food for a good price. The restaurant is clean and bright. Steak n egg burrito for breakfast here is a must try.

Isabela’s Mexican Food

(39 reviews)

We stopped here for a quick taco each as an afternoon snack. There are great deals in combination…read moreplates, which include rice and beans. The place was empty inside, with 2 teenagers from Scripps Ranch High School sitting outside in the front patio seats and finishing up their sodas. I walked in and the place was clean and seems to be recently renovated. The chairs and tables were clean and inviting. I also like the wall art of Mexican Food Dishes that they had. The menus were very clean and clear, making for an easy ordering experience. We ordered: 1 carne asada regular size taco, and 1 pollo asado regular size taco, to go. The gentleman that took my order was older and he has good customer service. After I placed my order, he showed me the salsa bar to the left of the counter. I thanked him and proceeded to get the salsa verde (tomatillo). One other man came in to make a to go order while I waited for my food. I was able to catch a Women's UEFA Soccer game on the television inside the dining room; this was convenient. After about 10mins, our 2 tacos were ready. We ate them in the car while parked in the lot. The tortillas were a bit tough and had an authentic flavor, just too tough. The carne asada was also tough meat to chew and the flavor was just OK. My Husband's pollo asado taco was also OK. We remembered why we had not been back here after visiting about 5-6 years ago when we lived in the neighborhood. It's just not our taste style to eat here. The flavors are not as bold as we like and the tortillas are tough. The tomatillo salsa was decent and the customer service and location condition is great.

Hidden gem that I found after doing Pilates upstairs! It's quiet, seems very low key... produces…read morereally really good food. I'm pretty picky about my Mexican food, living in San Diego after all. I got a potato taco, birria taco, and nopales taco. All good! The potato was a bit not crunchy enough but I ate it last so maybe that's why, but flavor is still there!

Californias Taco Shop

(97 reviews)

Ordered their hash brown breakfast burrito for dinner. Bacon is crispy and the burrito was well put…read moretogether. They have a fresh salsa bar which is always a plus. Service is fast and friendly. Gets busy for dinner which is good sign.Their green avocado salsa is creamy with notes of garlic. I will come back to try something else. Was delicious

Was good when it first started. Then Tuesdays started having deals. Food was served cold. Seems…read morelike they cook it in advance and serve too temp food when it gets busy. Serving Room temp fish tacos ruined this place for me. Giving two stars because the burritos are good when served hot.

Salsa Mexican Food