I loooved these tacos! We had spent the morning at the beach, so we were hungry and had stopped in this food hall for breakfast. When we came back (Sunday afternoon), it was buuuusy! El Puerto didn't have much of a line and we love tacos, so that was our choice. The line got crazy after we ordered. I got 2 al pastor tacos, which comes with onions, cilantro, and guac. My husband got the birria tacos. To drink I got the horchata and he got the watermelon drink. I think the food was done pretty quickly, and it came with 3 different salsas to try. Whatever the red one was I fell in love with! I thought the tacos were really good, I loved the crispieness of the meat. The horchata was also really good. Service and food was top notch! If I lived here I would be here for tacos quite a bit. Good amount of meat in each taco, only complaint is they have 1 size of drink. Other than that, awesome place! read more

After wandering through Windmill Food Hall for some potential dinner options, El Puerto Street Tacos is what stood out. Coming from the Bay and having authentic Mexican food readily available at every corner, I was coming in here expecting to have my cravings satisfied... The corn tortillas are advertised as being homemade which made things that much more exciting. El Puerto Street Tacos has a decent sized menu. Here you will find tacos, quesadillas, nachos, burritos, fries, and a bunch of add-ons|sides. My order consisted of: Al Pastor Tacos x1 Carne Asada Tacos x3 All tacos are served with cilantro, onions, and guac. Each serving will also come with a slice or two of lime- A MUST IMO!! Everything looked good at first glance but the flavors unfortunately fell short. The asada was so very bland. Salsa is 100% necessary but be advised that the green salsa has some heat and may not be for everyone. With the al pastor costing $4.68 and the carne tacos being $5.23 each, the tacos are quite small in size. 3 stars overall and that is primarily factoring in the homemade tortillas. I could have easily eaten those tortillas plain!! I'm not sure if i would come back given all the other neighboring eateries but if i did, i'd be more inclined to try the nachos. read more

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It's located in a beautiful food hall so you can correctly assume that food prices are probably not going to be budget friendly. I got the two-taco chicken combo which comes with rice and beans. All the ingredients are fresh and it's tasty, but the portion is not enormous and if you're a big eater it will not satiate you. But good news is that you can always get more food either at the same place or another since there are quite a few options at the food hall (again, assuming you have some extra food funds). Story time: When I was grabbing my plate, a person came up to the counter to ask for more green salsa. The friendly cashier was like, "wow, I don't know how you do it...it's super spicy even for me". So, when I tried the green salsa, I cautiously tried it with the information I gained from my eavesdropping...and sure enough...it's is QUITE spicy. So, be forewarned. But also, if you like it spicy...you'll be happy. read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - I didn't hear the question, but the answer is tacos! - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Staff /cooks were rude when they messed up the order . They fought over fixing it and I ended up with a burnt piece of crap. Never coming back and would definitely not recommend this place. read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Burnt quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Inside the food hall.. fast service.. good taste. Overall the hall itself is cool! The bar there is yummy! read more

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I came back a month later and was not disappointed. We got asada fries, birria taco, and a shrimp taco. Everything was delicious. The meat was soft and tender. Fries were perfect crispy on the outside and soft inside. I just wish the toppings were more for the price. Taste wise, 5/5. Price wise as far as the toppings, adjustments could be made. read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Birria taco and shrimp taco - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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This review is just for the watermelon agua Fresca, which was refreshing. Prolly don't need so much ice next time , as it tasted watered down. read more

Ordered 2 birria tacos à la carte and an horchata. They ran on the smaller side but were good and not super heavy. I asked for one without cheese and they accommodated this request easily. The woman taking orders was super sweet and worked quickly to take orders. read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Located inside the Windmill Food Hall. There is indoor seating but fills up fast during lunch time. I got the Two Taco Plate - shrimp tacos, beans, and rice. The beans were a lot better than I thought they would be. Very good food and fills up. read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Two Taco Plate - shrimp - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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This spot was awesome Before I get into the food I gotta talk about the hot sauce. I have a very high spice tolerance and this was HOT. I wish I could have brought a gallon back to Santa Monica The woman working was nice and did a great job with lots of customers I got a surf and turf burrito and it was delicious. The size was larger than expected and both the carne and shrimp tasted great. Props for having Topo Chico as well read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Surf and Turf Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I stopped by for breakfast and noticed they make their tortillas fresh on-site, which instantly won me over. We ordered the Machaca breakfast burrito ($11), which included shredded beef, eggs, cheese, onions, and bell peppers--though I asked for mine without the bell peppers. The burrito was a bit small for the price, but the quality made up for it. There was an impressive amount of beef, which was a nice surprise, especially since most breakfast burritos tend to be heavy on eggs and light on meat. The beef itself was tender and juicy, though I did wish it had a bit more flavor. The burrito comes with a choice of red or green salsa, with the green being the spicier option. Extra salsa will cost you 50 cents. There's plenty of seating available since the space is shared with other food hall vendors and it can get noisy during peak hours. read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Machaca breakfast burrito - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

La señora que atiende, siempre de muy mal carácter. A parte de que a los tacos, casi nada de verdura, cebolla y cilantro. Atiende de muy mal gusto. Esa es mi opinión personal, yo que estuve hayer ahí con mi familia. read more

So this would have had 4-stars, but unfortunately had to settle on a 3 for my first experience here. I came here wanting a Mexican chicken bowl and asked if they could accommodate and the person at the register was super nice and rung up a bowl with chicken, avocados, beans, etc...I also asked for a side of chips with queso. Well, when I got back - the chicken bowl had no chicken...and I got two of those so it was disappointing. No phone number to call and I wasn't going to drive back, but overall disappointing for them to forget the protein! The chips just had some shredded cheese on top, so not the liquidy queso I thought I was going to get, so overall while the bowl I did eat was healthy and vegan---it missed the mark on expectations! read more

Hair in my food is bad enough. Having the manager secretly delete the photos from my phone like I wouldn't notice.... Came in for breakfast and ordered chilaquiles. Food was average for around here until I found a 6-inch hair in my mouth near the end of the meal. I decided to handle it privately instead of blasting it online. Soooooo, why is it now online?? When I told the manager, she was defensive, letting me know that most of the food was gone (which just made me wonder if I had failed to catch any other hairs and swallowed them). She suggested the hair "could have blown in from outside", even commenting it was "really clean," implying it might not have been in the food at all (it was clean because I had pulled it out of my mouth. I still got a refund, but while "reviewing one last time" the two photos I'd taken, she deleted them from my phone while I was distracted with a staffer. I caught it out of the corner of my eye but figured I misread her actions. When I checked my "recently deleted" folder in the parking lot. My suspicions were confirmed. - That was way not cool. The staff was friendly and professional throughout. It was the manager (possibly the owner) who made absolutely everything awkward. I don't think the hair was from the cooks. They all had on hats and shorter hair (if any) showing. The hair was long and the same color as the manager's and it was most likely hers. Anyone who lives with someone with long hair knows that it gets everywhere and has no place in a commercial kitchen uncovered for even a second. read more

We stumbled on this place when driving down to San Diego and in search of a restroom... just being honest.. Located in a food hall slash wedding venue in Carlsbad just off the 5 freeway. Lots of food choices in this hall and restrooms to boot. Chose this because we love tacos and it smelled good. Proper street tacos with good seasoning and a nice watermelon drink . Service was good and fast with no complaints at all. There is a donut place, Italian, a coffee shop.. lots to choose from at this venue. Good road trip stop. read more

I stopped by here for lunch one day and grabbed a delicious burrito! They are located in the Windmill Food Hall in Carlsbad. Parking was very easy. The layout was cool and open. Really cool place if you're not sure what you want to eat and you're starving. Haha Lot's of options but I was craving tacos that day. Ended up spotting the surf and turf and had to try it. I am a surf and turf burrito connoisseur. (Wow, I had to spell check that a few times.) Customer service was great. The guy from the coffee shop next door actually helped me when I ordered the food. Seems like they have a good relationship between stands. The surf and turf burrito was huge, flavorful, full of whole shrimp, tender carne, lots of chipotle sauce and it had other boring stuff. It all went together very well inside a nicely toasted tortilla. The cilantro sauce was good too. I will be back here or try out another one of their locations. read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Nice browned tortilla. - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Ate there two days ago at 9am. Tacos Al pastor & rice. Got food poisoning, still feeling sick. read more

We stumbled across this place as we were exploring the Windmill Food Hall. Behind the glass window, a guy was heating up tortillas on a huge heating plate and I felt that was the sign for us to try this place out. It makes no sense, I know, but signs don't always make sense. THE FOODS | Mexican cuisine. We ordered... - Two Tacos Plate | Comes with spanish rice and refried beans. 1. Birria | The corn tortilla is crisp and dipped in birria juices for added flavor. This is the taco to order! 2. Carne Asada | Tender and juicy as well. The smear of guacamole is a nice touch of creaminess. - Birria Quesadilla | Similar to the birria taco but with a crisp flour tortilla instead. The melty cheese warms my little heart while the birria meat oozes with juices. A side of guacamole and sour cream completes this exciting dish. Highly recommend. THE DRINKS | Aguas frescas and bottled drinks. We tried out... - Horchata | The flavor was there but it seemed a little too chalky. Not sure I would order this again. THE EL PUERTO STREET TACOS FEELS | It's a small nook of a eatery in a bigger food hall. The vibe is casual. THE PARKING SITUATION | Free parking. Find a spot nearby or don't. WOULD I COME BACK? | Yeah! The birria alone is worth coming back. read more

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The Windmill Food Hall has been a favorite spot of mine for the last month and decided to try El Puerto! I ordered three rolled potato tacos that came with lettuce, pico and avocado with a side of rice. The rice wasn't my favorite but the tacos were solid. The salsas were tasty and the food was ready pretty quickly. read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Located in the food court area in the Windmill Food Hall at Carlsbad Village. Look for the windmill! Got this in addition to our other choice of food for lunch. Really liked them-the corn tortilla were good (only one). The carnitas was moist and juicy as well as the chicken and beef. They came with a dollop of guacamole on top and a side a yummy sauce. Price was fair for these tasty tacos. There were more items on the menu too but we didn't try as we were ordering other food from the other vendors read more

Three of us stopped by on the way to a wedding. The burritos were great. My huevos rancheros over easy eggs came with rock hard eggs so they refried them and gave me raw eggs which were not safe to eat. The sauce and beans were good. I showed the staff my raw eggs and asked if he would eat them. He said no and walked away without offering a refund or replacement. Probably will not go back. read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Over easy egg was inedible - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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I still dream about this California burrito!! Situated in the Windmill Food Hall in Carlsbad. Authentic mexican food and workers/owners. The CRUNCH in this badboy California burrito is amazing. I think it comes from the crispy fries. The salsas are also so yummy! I got mine with pico de gallo in it for extra cost. Very good, would def check out. read more

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I got the Adobada Taco Plate - first off, meat is cooked to perfection. Default is Corn Tortilla but you can ask for Flour. You get a dollop of guac on top, which is the perfect creamy topping. The pinto beans were creamy and together with the rice, it was the perfect pairing. I was asked if I wanted mild or spicy salsa. Silly me chose Spicy cuz I handle spicy. DUDE, I don't know what kind of peppers they use BUT WHOOOAAAMAMA! that stuff is cray! it is still burning my yummy as we speak. I regretted getting it, but i slurped a bunch in my taco and ate it with my beans and rice. I would say the only part I didn't enjoy is the lingering aftermath of that salsa but that's prob just my body. side story: I was going to pick up my food after my buzzer started going off. On my way back, I saw the lady at the front desk hollering and waving at a customer. TOO LATE. We watched in horror as he tossed something in the trash can. The lady quickly went to fish it out and I saw two of those plastic reusable small picnic-style basket/containers. She told me that they have to buy so many of these exactly because of this! Poor restaurant owners & staff - looks like they'll ask people not to throw these away (or expect them to know?) yet it ends up being thrown away. Maybe have a sign out so people can see and remember? read more

It's never fun to go to a Mexican spot I end up not liking. Second day of a weekend getaway with the woman I love, we decided to stay close to the beach and head to the Windmill Food Court for a nicely advertised breakfast. Sadly, El Puerto appeared to be the only stall open in the whole of it actually serving morning fare. We ordered some stuff to split and sat to enjoy the morning. I started with a Carne Asada Taco. The meat was well marinated, cooked with a good char, and the cilantro and onion on top were nicely chopped and fresh. That guacamole, on the other hand, was textured as if it had been machine processed instead of being hand mixed, giving it a thick and almost paste-like consistency. Additionally, the flavor had an overly sour taste to it, either from too much lime/lemon juice or from some preservative they may have added to keep it from going brown overnight in the fridge. The same went for that salsa which was pureed with no chunk or separation of ingredients, just a thin gruel that had been blended into a sour and unappetizing slush. As much as I love verde, I didn't touch any of our multiple tubs after the initial sniff and taste. Which brings us to the Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Burrito. Normally, when you get a breakfast burrito (or make one at home), you can see a whole griddle filled with your fixings, heated up and mixing together in a crispy, greasy, freshly made, glorious mess. Biting into the burrito here, all you get are well separated chunks of what I am sure were pre-packaged, frozen sausage crumbles, cheese that had been seared stuck to the tortilla, and dried egg that certainly would have benefitted from some actually good salsa. At this point, I would normally say that our meal may have suffered from coming to a lunch and dinner spot for breakfast or that it may have just been an off day. But pureed guac and burritos with pre-made crumbles are too much to overlook. The tortillas themselves aren't bad, but everything inside is too horrible to get passed. With so many other selections here at the Windmill, it's hard to say if I'll take the chance on El Puerto ever again. read more

Food is not very good. I ordered a California Burrito and it was just plain lousy. I also ordered an orchata drink and it did not taste anything like an orchard. It was soo bad that I returned the orchard. It was a lousy lunch. read more

Fresh homemade tortillas high quality asada. The food was delicious. The salsa was yummy. I would definitely come back here just for this place. The ambiance is fun family friendly and the food is top notch! read more

I stopped in tonight 4/4/24 after I visited the flower fields across the street. I looked up some of the places inside the food hall and this one immediately caught my eye. I ordered 3 rolled potato tacos and the surf and turf burrito. I got my items to go but ate the potato tacos in the car. They could use a tad bit of salt but other than that they were delicious. I ate my burrito when I got home (1.5 hours away) and my burrito was still warm. It was quite large so I was able to split it with my sister. It tasted great as well, all ingredients were evenly distributed throughout the burrito which was great. I also got some mild salsa and that tasted excellent as well. I was super happy with my choice. read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Potato Rolled Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Went for fish tacos ala carte. Very pleased the fish was grilled, not fried!!! Taste is authentic and price is a great value read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Forgot to ask, and I'm so glad the fish was grilled and not fried!!! Taste is authentic, and the price reasonable Fish Taco Shrimp Taco - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Came the food hall at around 5:30pm. Inside was pretty loud but child-friendly. I ordered the California burrito. It was ready within 5 minutes! I've had better cali burritos in SD but this one wasn't bad. read more

After a long day, I was looking for a quick place to eat, and I found El Puerto Street Tacos in the windmill food hall. I ordered four different tacos Carne Asada, Al Pastor, Shrimp, and Carnitas. The shrimp tacos and the Carnitas tacos were fantastic flavorful juicy all around pleasant experience. The Al Pastor and Carne Asada flavorful but the meat was dry. All in all the very good experience. if you're in the area and looking for a place to eat, I highly recommend this taco stand. it may be called street tacos, but be mindful it's in the windmill food hall. read more

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We stopped for a bite to eat on a Monday evening about 8:30pm. A little late but we had been on the road. We had the carne asada fries and they were great. The fries were crispy like I like them and over all flavorful. The salsa could be better but it was good. The gentleman that took our order was attentive and professional. The food hall altogether was clean. Give them a try if you're in the area. I'm sure it's busy on the weekend but there are quite a few choices and there's a bar in there too. read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - El Puerto Street Tacos storefront. - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Hey everyone. I'm not here to hurt small business. I'm a small businessman myself. However, I'm so tired of the post pandemic' gouging, small portions, misrepresentation, attitude and just lack of what used to be something to look forward to. Now it's more of a dread. I rather stay home and cook something delicious and plentiful myself. I'm much better. However, I like being out with people I care about too. Unfortunately, restaurants know that, and they no longer care about anything but their bottomline. Look at this $15 burrito. I didn't know whether I should snort it or eat it ad it was such a pinner. They have the balls to call it Carne asada, but it ain't. It's a pinchr' french fry burrito. Shame on you! Just don't bother eating here. You won't get any meat period. Lame af. I feel robbed and hungry. SMH read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Don't do ir. - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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This place is located in the windmill food court. Catalina was at the register. She was really helpful when asked about questions drinks. Got the Pineapple Spinach water. It was REALLY yummy. She gave me samples of the different drinks and I settled on that one. Cool atmosphere and awesome customer service. I'll definitely be back! read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Pineapple spinach drink - took it after I started drinking lol - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

If you like good authentic Mexican food, skip this place. This is located in the windmill food hall and it appealing to the population around it which doesn't really consist of very many Mexicans so the flavors are bland and very flavorful. We ordered the Birria anchors and Al pastor quesadilla. The Birria nachos were underwhelming. The Birria meat was tender but just bland and so was the guacamole on it.. the Al pastor quesadilla didn't have much flavor either and was super greasy and soggy. The tortilla on it wasn't a good quality tortilla either. Just not worth it. read more

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Fish taco is now $5 +t. Maybe worth it if tortilla was fresh made as advertised. It was made there, but I can imagine how much better this uninspired fish taco could be if the tortilla was hot off the empty grill you see in Food court window. I will try again someday. Maybe if around read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Sticky dining area near an ok bar..food court - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

The sandwich was awesome. Salsa was real deal. Love it. Little pricey but worth it. Definitely will come back to try their tacos. read more

Excellent tacos, burritos, beans, rice, aguas frescas and salsas! This will be our new to- go spot when we come visit Carlsbad!!

Got a Cali burrito. Prices are definitely higher than this current menu. Pretty sure I paid $15 after adding salsa fresca. Crispy Fries were the best part and good thing because really not a whole lot of the other ingredients which is disappointing for the price. Absolutely no sour cream, barely detectable cheese, and maybe a hand full of meat. The carne asada was either chewy or had a texture more like stewed beef. Let the tourists think this is what a Cali burrito should be. I regret not just getting the Craft Pizza across for almost the same price. read more

Came here with my lady. Looked around a bit and took a chance on the Surf and Turf burrito. I can confidently say it's the best burrito I've ever had. Highly recommend it read more

I would rate this a 31/2 star. I ordered two tacos, one carnitas and one grilled fish. The tacos were good, fish was moist and not dry and the carnitas tender, both were a little bland. I asked for mild salsa but maybe should have asked for one mild and one spicy to give it a little kick. I do like that they make the tortillas fresh to order. read more

El Puerto Street Tacos - Carnitas and fish tacos - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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