Alexa was fantastic. Took care of me at the bar, was great. Alexa has a great attitude. Always very attentive with all the guest i see her interact with. I have dealt with her in other occasions and shes always been amazing. read more

Awesome service. We are from the Imperial County, El Centro California. We were craving for some authentic tacos. From the moment we walked in and showed us to our table and brought us out tacos, we were amazed on the quality of the food and taste. Our server Esmeralda went above and beyond, great smile very impressed with her overall service. Alejandro was also amazing gentleman. I will definitely come back read more

great atmosphere and amazing food. waitress Esmeralda was extremely helpful and considerate. I would come back without a doubt.

Lacking 1 star for something so simple -yet cannot be under looked- and the reasoning behind it is that in order to get a full authentic street taco spot in Mexico experience you have to have all condiments and necessities at reach - we asked for a side of jalapeños and grilled onions but they never came- until I had to ask for a second time and by then we were already on the last bite - so eh' if it's a busy night be smart enough to ask for all your savory garnishes from the get- About the Bar ! Best seat of the house -imo Michelada mix with rimmed cup was lots of draft beers - and they do have HappyHourDeals!! Best treatment tho' man working it gave us a taste of house michelada with a twist- we tried the Jamaica flavor and it was amazing and refreshing! Not a common flavor of choice to mix with beer - but it pairs nicely! Give it a try! Meats we had , asada and adobada ordered vampiro which is a hardened corn tortilla with melted cheese and your choice of meat Quesa tacos - corn taco with melted cheese on tortilla Good size tacos and generous servings ! Will go back to try the Tripa and cabeza stuff ! read more

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Great food and even better service. Everything we ordered was delicious, and the entire staff was welcoming. A special thank you to Alexa for taking such great care of us. She was friendly, helpful, attentive, and made the whole experience enjoyable. It's clear she genuinely cares about her customers and takes pride in providing excellent service. We'll definitely be back. Thanks again, Alexa, for making our visit a great one! read more

04/18/2026 My friend introduced me to this place. Here is what I had: -Lengua Taco ($5.39) 5/5: Tender and juicy; I would definitely order this again. -Birria Taco ($4.59) 3/5: Tasty, but the meat was a bit dry and nothing really stood out. Service: 4/5 The waitresses were pleasant and checked on us often to see if we needed anything. Would I return? Not really--it is a bit too far from where I live. read more

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Yikes! Too much hype, not a lot of substance. I gave 2 stars because I couldn't bring myself to round a 2.3 up to a 3... As someone who grew up eating (and still is) the best tacos Tijuana has to offer (extinct places like Loma Bonita, San Cosme, Tacos Jalisco, to still-open greats like El Franc, El Ruso, San Juan, etc. and even the original Las Ahumaderas, which are decent), the Chula Vista location was a massive dissapointment! The interior is really nice, but it does not live up to the actual taco experience. I went today not expecting perfection, but at least something good locally that could come back to when I have that craving. Nope! I always try the "trinity" at a new taquería to gauge the quality of their tacos (asada, adobada and cabeza), then order more if I like what I got (tripa, suadero, or more of the same if delicious). Visually, the tacos looked very promising, but the best thing about them ended up being the guacamole... Asada: As we say in Tijuana, "malitos"! The beef was unseasoned, did not have the signature charcoal smoky flavor from Las Ahumaderas in Tijuana, very chewy (we say "tosudos" and "con mucho cebo") with rough fatty parts that I had to spit out. It's as if they used the cheapest cut of beef from Walmart to make them. Adobada: Visually exciting, but that was it. Poorly seasoned even though the adobo/marinade had a deep color. The meat has a very weird aftertaste that was unpleasant that even the worst adobada I've tasted does not have...until now. Cabeza: Tasted like meat boiled in water with zero flavor, more like soft shredded beef from a San Diego-style taco shop than a taqueria. I even foumd a bone piece that I had to spit out. The green salsa tasted like Herdez salsa verde from a can... I asked for the check asap, paid and left, never to come back. For all the hype I was hearing about this place, it was not warranted at all. read more

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My partner ordered the asada and cabeza tacos. The asada is a bit bland and the cabeza tasted mostly of oregano. I ordered the mixed quesadilla with asada and adobada, the adobada had more flavor and I liked the guac. We ordered a side of beans and they tasted really good, not canned or frozen beans- they were very fresh. The servers were nice but they didn't really check on us. The vibe is cool though, they have cool neon signs and outside they have a big screen which would be good to watch a game or a fight here read more

Las Ahumaderas - Asada and adobada quesadilla - Tacos Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Famously known from TJ now they here in San Diego. Of course it's not the same exact taste or price of TJ, it has its pros & cons. First I like to say the customer service is good, attentive, fast & it's pretty clean inside & the vibe is good. Menu is very extended from tacos, Tortas, menudo, burritos, crepes, baked potatoes & a good bar with TV's. Let me start with what everyone loved, the Crepes, the kids loved it so much we got 2 & Baked Potatoes with carne asada, Chipotle with the trimmings were also very good & the tripa here is very good. The tacos were ok, Tripa was my fav but the others needed more seasoning, Birria, Asada & especially the Adobada were a bit bland & thier guac they use was a bit bland too & the Cabeza was a bit dry to my liking. Tho they probably have some of the best handmade corn tortillas I've had & kind of made up for some of the bland meat, those tortillas are very good. They are a bit pricey compared to other taco spots, about $5 a taco so if you a big back like me & eat alot it can get pricey. Menudo was ok but you come to a taco shop for the tacos not menudo but hey if you bring your Tata & Nana they may want a bowl with a taco. Overall it's ok, a bit pricey but a good vibe & good to have a family event especially if they like drinking with the bar they have. If I was invited I go again & get a few Tripa tacos. read more

Las Ahumaderas - Tacos, beers & laughter & celebrating my pop's EL Jefe's 71st birthday, Salud :) - Tacos Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Mexican food Street tacos Jugos Adobaba Al pastor. Asada Fast service Restroom outside with code Amex accepted Small parking lot. Good for large parties Limited vegetarian options Table side salsa Large menu selection read more

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Best tacos in San Diego !! And I have lived in SD for 12 years and havent found a spot like this. Tortillas are handmade. They also have lengua and tripas which tells you its very authentic. Legit spot! I had asada and suadero tacos. Sooo bomb!! the bartender was so nice. And he made the best PALOMAS!!! JUST HOW THEY MAKE THEM IN MEXICO. read more

This place is great The food here is amazing, the servers are very attentive! as well as Álex the manager who came and checked in on us multiple times great service, very cool spot to go to if you want a lot of options read more

Neon lights, tacos stacked, micheladas & margaritas rimmed with chamoy this place does not play around Every taco was loaded and messy in the best way. The adobada and asada were top tier, and the salsas had me sweating (but like... happily). Came hungry & left full & buzzin Loud, chaotic, and delicious; 10/10 would come back. read more

Las Ahumaderas - Tacos Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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Walked in expecting counter service but was shown a table and ordered via a server. This was just one of many food stops of the day (sampling the local fares) so we ate light. We tried three tacos, the Asada, Pollo & Cabeza. All felt authentic to Mexico and had great flavor, especially the Cabeza. To us $4.59 each was more than a fair price. They came out quick as well. The place was clean. The restrooms are outside requiring a code which was provided to us by the server as we were seated. All around service was fantastic. Only drawback at the end was apparently no one ever pays by card here as it took a bit to find the machine and an employee that knew how to use it. Didn't tarnish a great outing. read more

Overall the service was top notch with awesome food! Ambience feels authentic with music playing in the background. Thank You Esmeralda! Great Service definitely coming back read more

Las Ahumaderas - Ambience - Tacos Near Me - Chula Vista, California

My family and I visited this place to check it out. Parking is limited, so on busy days you might need to find a spot elsewhere. Once inside, the host or hostess is friendly and acknowledges you right away. If there's availability, you're seated promptly. The food is served quickly, and the flavors are genuinely delicious. However, I gave this place 3 stars primarily due to the pricing. I spent $80 for dinner for three people, which included four small tacos, one burrito, one corn, and one kids meal. That's pretty steep--definitely not Tijuana prices, and it's not fine dining either. Just too expensive for what you get. read more

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The food here, along with the customer service, is ALWAYS a hit or miss... tonight it was a miss. I ordered a pick up order through Uber Eats, because you can't phone in your order in advance. Sure, you can call it in, but they don't stay preparing it until you come in, in person to pay. Anyway, I ordered two orders of adobada/carne asada fries, and the guac was nasty and brown. Not only that, they only gave me the spiciest salsa I like spicy, but daaaammmmnnnnnnn! I don't think I'll be coming back anytime soon. read more

Las Ahumaderas - Adobada fries - Tacos Near Me - Chula Vista, California

I was recommended this spot by my friend who grew up in SD, so I had high expectations. You walk in and order first, then you pick up at the counter in the back. There was a wide variety of options and the ordering process is pretty straight forward. I liked how the inside was clean and well maintained. The tacos were ok though. We got the carne asada, cabeza, and adobada tacos which weren't that flavorful. Even with the sauce it felt kind of bland. I have had more fatty and flavorful tacos elsewhere. Not sure if I would come back... I would probably go to Tacos El Gordo instead if I was down here and wanted tacos. read more

Las Ahumaderas - Tacos - Tacos Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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I used to frequent Tijuana quite a bit we would always stop by the famous "Taco Alley" before crossing the border back to the US. My boyfriend and I were surprised to see that they opened it here in Chula Vista. This place is huge but confusing. I was expecting it to be similar to Las Ahumaderas where you sit down in front of the cook and they give you the tacos right then and there. However, the experience is far from it. We had to order at the bar where we then received a buzzer that let us know when our tacos were done. I feel like one of the key components of a taco from Las Ahumaderas is the charcoal taste. That was missing from these tacos which then makes these tacos mid at best. Not to mention the prices are way more pricer per taco compared to other places. The concept of this place is interesting. I can see they're trying to make it like a food court situation where you could get dessert, tacos, and drinks all in one place. While the concept is cool, there are definitely better tacos down the street. Overall, I wouldn't come here expecting it to taste like just like the Las Ahumaderas in TJ. I'm glad to say I tried it but I personally wouldn't come back. read more

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The food is delicious. I had the baked potato with al pastor and Carne Asada. I like the al pastor a little bit better. The potato was huge plenty of seasoning and very filling. I had to take half to go. I was super happy that they had Happy Dad here the death row grape flavor. It's one of my favorites is actually the reason why I stopped in. I will be back to try the taco Tuesday and I will try some desserts and more Happy Dad had it with a rim of Chamoy and Tahin highly recommend! My server was Laura. I sat at the bar and she was very helpful with recommendations. I love that they have happy hour here and that the food comes out perfectly hot and full of flavor. It feels like you're in Tijuana. The vibe is loud like Mexico, but still fun and warm with music. read more

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Me encanta venir a comer a estos tacos aparte de que son los mejores tacos de San Diego, Sara siempre nos da un muy buen servio Gracias read more

Las Ahumaderas - 2 tacos de asada y un quesataco de adobada - Tacos Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Server was great. Had adobada taco tripa taco chicken taco quesabirria taco. Nothing was seasoned. The only thing that was good was the birria even tho it was dry it tasted ok. The cucumber agua fresca was amazing. The only thing I'd come back for. read more

Alexa was amazing!! Food was , fair prices, and great service! A+A+A+ We'll definitely be back for more!

I don't throw around five stars lightly, but Julio behind the bar at Las Ahumaderas earned every one of them. We have a reputation in Canada to uphold when it comes to politeness, and I take it seriously. Julio made me US look rude. My friend and I sat at the bar on a whim, and what followed was one of the most genuinely hospitable dining experiences I've had in San Diego -- taco shop or otherwise. Julio has a gift. He reads the guests, makes thoughtful suggestions without being pushy, and checks in at exactly the right moments. Not hovering. Not absent. Just present, warm, and clearly proud of what he's serving. The man redefined courtesy for me, and I didn't think that was possible. With people like Julio running the bar, it's a destination. Ask for him. read more

Came here to watch a World Cup game as a walk in and we were charged a $20 table fee that was not disclosed ahead of time. When we asked the manager about the charge we saw on our receipt, they said every table was getting charged $20.. this is something that should have been mentioned before we sat down. Before leaving, I ordered a burrito to go, and it took 50 minutes to arrive.. I understand it's busy but the wait was crazy, and for the price - a $17 burrito with no rice or beans included - definitely felt overpriced. Will not go again and would not recommend. read more

I visited Las Ahumaderas in Chula Vista, CA on Thursday, 1/23/25, around 11 PM. For dinner, I decided to order one Carne Asada Burro & two Birria Quesatacos. The food was quite tasty and flavorful. The carne asada in the burro was seasoned to perfection. It was delicious, especially paired with the hot salsa. The Quesatacos were also delectable. The inside of the restaurant was very lively and inviting. I liked the nice decor and entertaining music. The customer service was very friendly. The parking lot was spacious. Overall, the price point of the food may be just a tad high. However, the food from "The Original Tijuana Taco" restaurant is appetizing. I recommend trying this place out. read more

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The food and the ambiance are amazing! It's all the good of a taqueria plus friendly staff that make you feel welcomed. Loaded potato with arrachera is the best (arrachera melts in your mouth) Kechona quesadilla with hand-made corn tortilla is premium And the elote en vaso was the best way to close the meal read more

This place is a 5 minute walk from my home and I wish it was good. The staff and their service sucks and I generally always have a poor experience if I order and sit down. So we always order out with just the entrees to avoid any problems. The food is fairly bland, yet always seems to upset my stomach quite a bit. Me and my wife have written this place off, hopefully something drastically improves in both the food and service areas. On top of all of this the food costs an absolute fortune compared to most places. You are guaranteed to have a better experience, better food, and better service at somewhere such as tacos el Gordo or other competitors. Plus you will likely pay less as well and they won't be asking you for tips or trying to get you to sit down. read more

As a parent of a child with food sensitivities/autism, I was really disappointed by this restaurant's strict no outside food policy. My partner and I were purchasing food from the establishment ourselves, and we even bought a drink for our child. The outside food we had was only to accommodate our child's sensory and dietary needs. For many families, bringing safe foods is not about preference -- it's a necessity. Children with sensory issues, autism, or food sensitivities often cannot simply eat from a regular menu. Unfortunately, there was little understanding or flexibility offered, which made the experience feel stressful and unwelcoming. It's unfortunate that as parents, it feels like you can't even go grab some tacos without needing to arrange daycare for a child with sensory issues. I hope the restaurant reconsiders its policy or allows reasonable accommodations for families navigating these challenges. read more

This place was honestly the worst tacos I've ever had in my life. No flavor, and very expensive. 2 tacos and a soda for almost $20 dollars is outrageous. I did want to try it and now that I have I will make sure that I never go back. Waitress was very nice so we did tip her $10 but other than that me personally the worst tacos ever read more

Las Ahumaderas - Tacos de adobada - Tacos Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Well. My Mexican wife liked it so that's good enough for me. But here is my input. Good carne asada, great adobada, lengua was uhh. Average. Salsa was great , agua fresca was great. Verdict 5 stars read more

We decided to try this place because I wanted tacos de cabeza. I was not too happy with my tacos but I was not disappointed either. They have such a variety of food to choose from. From tacos to crepes to corn. Everyone liked their tortas, tacos and crepes and we all were very happy with the service. Usually when you sit outside, you get forgotten but we were not and they checked on us often as well. We will come back again and happy to know they are on UberEats as well. It is really uniquely decorated as well. read more

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Excellent service !! Fuimos atendidos por Alexa , muy amable Nos explicó el menú , muy servicial y atenta .. Los tacos están muy ricos , arrechera esta súper buena.. Thank you so much.. read more

This food is delicious You have to try the loaded bake potato.. Soo good Everything was clean, tons of space for eating in. The atmosphere was fun and casual. Service was friendly and quick Will definitely be back Parking is tight. Restrooms are outside and small. read more

Las Ahumaderas - Crepes menu - Tacos Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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Excellent service very friendly and welcoming, fast service food was served hot, tortillas were fresh the salsas are flavourful 5 stars for Alexa read more

I should have known better than to come here. The restaurant has 3 stars and now I know why first hand. I went last week and ordered the family meal which was front and center on their menu, this is where all of the problems started. 1. The family meal says it comes with 32 tortillas. They gave us 15.. Yes 15 and said they were double tortillas.??? We had to argue with the server and they gave us 10 more. 2. The family meal comes supposed to come with 6 tostadas. Those were nowhere to be found. 3. One of our drink glasses was very dirty and had some sort of blueberry residue on it. 4. When we got our bill there was auto gratuity of 18% which was not deserved at all. They also charged the credit card fee three times and had to refund after we asked for an itemized receipt. The tacos weren't even that great. I don't see the point in even going here when Gordo is down the street or unica is right next door. Live and learn I guess. My hope is this review convinces and saves someone their time and hard earned mo​ney if they are considering going here. read more

I've been here 3x and have not experienced the poor service that is in other reviews. It is definitely pricey as previously reviewed but I like the food. Their carne asada is the closest I've found to Tacos el Gordo (I haven't been able to eat there since covid but I'll spare you the details. Los Ahumaderas salsa is very tasty as well. I love that they put beans on their carne asada chips too! read more

Las Ahumaderas - Asada chips - Tacos Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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There was a alive fly in the cilantro Cup and thats nasty. the carne asada fries were to much. This place is a cash and grab read more

Las Ahumaderas - A fly in the Cup of cilantro - Tacos Near Me - Chula Vista, California

To the owner please fix your ordering and your pay process it's getting ridiculous here. I came in today las ahumaderas , and the overall experience is a little bit confusing. I don't think they know how to take orders properly. It's been over two years, and I think at this point they should have it locked in. Unfortunately, it's still a confusing process. Other than that, the food is great, but the service is starting to go downhill. They need to step up their game. read more

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Yo creo que es un lugar muy amigable y la comida es buena me gustó más que otros lugares me gusta comer bien y rico y el Ambiente es bueno los tacos muy buenos y más que como los keto tacos read more

Las Ahumaderas - Tacos Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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