Pollo Amigo

This is the OG location and the ONLY TEG's location I would recommend going to if you are going to…read morego to TEGs. Lines for the al pastor / adobada are always long, but worth it in my opinion. Lines for other food items are usually not as long, but can be at peak hours (closer to midnight). Its one of those places where you go to get your food first and then you go to the cashier in the corner to pay for it. Seating is something you have to fight for // get yourself, so during peak times it can be rough because a LOT of people will steal seats before even having their food, and then they will sit there for 30-40 minutes before even getting their food // eating (so that kind of sucks -- but thats not something the restaurant has ever handled, people just kind of suck in the big 2026, back when I went in 2016-2017 people were more respectful, but times have changed I guess)

Iconic, but overrated. Mediocre tacos San Diegans always recommend. To be clear they're not bad,…read morethere's just much better taco/mexican places. Try it once bc it's the thing to do when in SD, but only this location. Gaslamp location somehow worse unless you're blasted. Their adobada is probably their best meat. Al pastor was ok but surprisingly lacking in flavor. Carne Asada was all smoke, overwhelming smoke taste and not in a good way. Service was quick with their unique ordering system. They keep the ambiance simple with decently clean tables which is nice considering the large crowds they deal with.

Saturday night (around 9:00 pm)

Crispy!

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Carne asade tacos, adobo tacos and tostada

De Cabeza el Unico

4.7(1.1k reviews)

1.2 mi

This is the best of the best place to get Cabeza it can't get any better then this! Thank you all…read morefor doing such a great job and making it such a great experience for my Family and I!

Tender flavorful head and cheek tacos on soft corn tortillas are recommended here by the friendly…read moreand 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.

Taco de cochinita pibil Taco de cabeza

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Michelada

Los Panchos Taco Shop

Family-owned & operated

Very consistant ,Great Service,Highly Recommend this Taco Shop. Perfect for all the famiky and good…read moreprices. We love it

Authentic Mexican food and affordable prices. Fast service…read moreand clean ambiance great food and fresh ingredients fish tacos and quesadillas were probably the

3 Tacos de Papa Doña Maria

*Caldo Casero... CALDO DE RES #SimplyMexican

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Los Panchos Taco Shop #SimplyMexican

El Huevo Estrellado 1

4.5(398 reviews)

3.2 mi

Had the carne asada plate and chicken tacos. The carne asada plate was 7.0 out of 10. The beans…read morewere a bit dry, the rice felt like it was refrigerated, and the car was good. Good amount of food, did enjoy the chicken tacos. Food overall was okay-good Not bad but didn't stand out

A random Mexican spot in SD will always be better than anything in LA. This proves it…read more 5/5 food Really really tasty hard shell taco. Loved the shredded chicken. My wife told me the best burrito she had eaten was the surf and turf that we just ate. Their salsa... Spicy! 5/5 service Very friendly and always refilled the free chips. I'm never in Chula Vista but if I am, I'd come back 4/5 ambience Feels authentic but is small and on the older side

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Chips & Guacamole

El Patio

4.2(763 reviews)

2.8 mi

Customer service was great They were very attentive. The food was a solid 4/5, the rice was very…read morewell flavored. The ambiance is a 5/5 because the music is not too loud to the point were you have 2o raise your voice to talk over it and the decor really made it feel like we were in Mexico,

Had carne asada fries- they're loaded with the works (guacamole, sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo)…read more Great authentic atmosphere

Beautiful inside

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Outside Mural Painting

El Viejon Seafood

4.1(131 reviews)

6.7 mi

We very much enjoyed our meal at El Viejon in Chula Vista. When dining in, you order at the counter…read moreand they bring your food to your table. It is a small location but they really have maximized the space. We had no trouble getting a booth. We ordered the fish ceviche bowl to share, which was delicious. A generous shareable serving and the fish was perfectly "cooked." Ceviches are served with your choice of tostadas or chips. I would prefer more pico and perhaps some avocado. But overall it was a 9/10 dish. I also ordered a grilled fish taco with rice and beans. The fish taco was so flavorful and stuffed full with toppings and a large piece of grilled fish. This taco was outstanding. 10/10. My partner had the surf and turf nachos which he also rated highly. I think they could have used a little more cheese. But he said the steak was tender and juicy. The shrimp were seasoned well and there were a lot of them! Everything was delicious and we will be back for sure!

We had the pleasure of having lunch here on Friday afternoon. Service and food were both excellent…read more My sisters and I ordered carne asada nachos and the surf and turf burrito. Everything was delicious and tasted fresh. Staff was friendly and they thanked us as we left the store. Very nice experience for our first time trying it. Highly recommend and we will definitely return.

Bye bye Crudo

2 Birria Tacos

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Porkbelly Taco

Taqueria Revolucion

4.1(1k reviews)

3.8 mi

Solid food. Clean space. Fast service…read more I found the meat a bit too salty for my liking, but overall still yummy.

Got nearly everything on their menu and nothing was close to standing out…read more Most of it felt like microwave food. The adobada was the only what that was halfway decent. Inside wasn't too clean and bathrooms were horrendous. Server was very nice. Will never return.

Salsa bar

Birria taco Carne asada taco

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Kalaveras

3.9(409 reviews)

3.1 mi

We went to Kalaveras for Happy Hour and we really enjoyed it! This was the Chula Vista location on…read more3rd Avenue, used to be the old Fudruckers. Parking shouldn't be an issue, they have spots in the front but then there's the big garage right behind it, and it's free. There's also street parking but you might have to pay. The place itself is very spacious and clean. They also have an outdoor patio for dogs. I do know later in the evening it gets louder and more like a club vibe, but it's not bad. Service was perfectly fine. I had no issues at all. Staff greeted us with a smile when we walked in. They were always checking up on us when we needed things. No issues at all. I thought everyone was doing their jobs. Happy hour is so worth it here. $1.99 tacos! I had the carne asada, birria and Chicharonnes tacos! While the meat portions look small, y'all need to realize this is happy hour street tacos! Adding some salsa from the self serve bar, it was so worth the price. We had 11 tacos, cheese nachos, 2 beers and 1 margarita and it was about $50! So worth it! I highly recommend Kalaveras for Mexican food. Great vibes. Great happy hour prices. I think this place is good for large groups also. It may not be kid friendly later into the night but it's very worth it!

Was visiting San Diego for the weekend and my friend recommended Kalaveras for Sunday Brunch…read more They opened at 10, and we were one of the first to get there. The brunch buffet is definitely worth the price. The food was excellent, the service was attentive and fast and the music and indoor area was cool. I can't wait to be back in San Diego to have brunch at Kalaveras again. Authentic Mexican food, friendly service and great vibe.

Kalaveras Chula Vista has the best Sunday Brunch in town from 10am-2:30pm

Ceviche Sunday Brunch at Kalaveras Cantina Urbana in Chula Vista, CA.

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12/6/2025 - San Diego Water & Sex on the Beach

El Pueblo Mexican Food & Bar - Carmel Valley

4.5(579 reviews)

26.1 mi

Just in case you didn't know.... I need to update…read more.......... El Pueblo is still amazing as always it's the perfect place to grab a casual bite and a tasty cocktail at a relatively reasonable price The service is always stellar here. Yeah they're slammed and they make mistakes and sometimes it takes longer than others but there's generally a reason for it. I can get loud and rowdy on game days so be prepared. There are days that are quiet and calm, and you can have a great conversation You have a choice of sitting at the bar or indoors or side patio with high tops or back patio with tables and fire pits. All our excellent choice Choices. If you want to sit down and order from your seat, the bar is your only option. Other than that, you can order food from either the food counter or from the bar. drinks must be ordered at the bar. Salsa and water are self serve. Soft drinks are also self served after you've bought the cup. Come on in and have a fabulous time and don't expect some five Diamond treatment. Just a good time.

The El Pueblo $1.39 fish taco deal cannot be beat! Their fish tacos are the same price all day 7…read moredays a week. You can choose between corn and flour tortillas, and the tacos are a good size with good flavor. There is also a self serve salsa bar. The restaurant is typically pretty lively in the evenings. They have both a large indoor and outdoor space. They always have a sports game playing on the television and a bar in the middle of a restaurant. The staff are also very kind and efficient. Definitely a place worth checking out!

Order at Registers

Fish tacos!

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Best fish tacos (on flour tortillas)... and even better for $1.50 each

La Puerta

4.2(4.8k reviews)

9.3 mi•Gaslamp

Five stars all the way!!! Amazing food, fresh chips and salsa oh and service that cares the taco…read moreplate was full of flavor and the portions were spot on! Everything tasted good

I'm so mad about this place!! Hubby and I headed down to SD…read moreto get away from the heat in the OC. On the drive, I decided I wanted Mexican food. I picked a place off Google but when we landed there we were not comfortable stopping to park, so we looked again and decided to check out La Puerta not realizing it was in the Gaslight District. I am not a fan of the Gaslight District, which is why I am so mad!! I'm going to HAVE to go back to the Gaslight District!! The food was AMAZING!! I HIGHLY recommend the Potato Flautitas. It's the kind of dish I'm going to dream about, I'm salivating now just thinking about them. I also did the Pick 3 Street Tacos (and actually ordered a 4th). The Ranchero Shrimp and Grilled Veggie were top notch. The Conchinita was recommended by our waiter, and it was interesting, tasty but different. It could have used a little more pickled onion. The only one I would not recommend (shockingly, I thought it would be the easy pass) was the carne asada. It was too greasy. My husband ordered a carne asada quesadilla and said the same, it was too wet and soaked through the tortilla. But there were no many other delightful options, I would say just don't go traditional. But honestly my favorite thing on the plate was the side dish rajas con crema, seriously, that alone is going to drag me down to the Gaslight District. I'm even considering going to a Padres game just for the excuse. I'm salivating again! As for our waiter, Colin, he was fantastic. Very informative, made great suggestions and seemed genuinely pleased by our satisfaction. He was smiling the whole time, friendly and stayed very present. I highly recommend you get yourself through the door at La Puerta and sit down for a meal ASAP. (We ate the food so fast I forgot to take pictures.)

Restaurant

Chicken with fried cheese tacos

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Harland Hazy IPA

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6 reviews that are not currently recommended

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

Ces E.

0

1

0

3 months ago

Great food and service! Came to the store around 6:30pm and had the last chicken! Highly suggested to call prior to going to make sure they still have any whole chicken left if that's what you are going there for! Parking was easy and didn't have any issues finding the store. We ordered the whole chicken combo (comes with tortillas, rice, beans, and really simple but good salsa)! My daughter who is a picky eater loved everything we got from their place, so that's always a plus! read more

Cristina R.

10

11

5

9 years ago

love this local spot . chicken on the grill so flavorful and good prices . i make weekly trips for sure here !

Juana A.

0

14

1

11 months ago

Good food and nice welcoming people. Food is good and tasty. Will go back and buy again.

Patricia R.

0

5

0

15 years ago

good food and very clean I highly recomend... prices very reasonable..

Brian I.

0

3

0

15 years ago

The chicken there tastes amazing great food !

Jacob b.

73

14

4

13 years ago

Great food, good price!

Pollo Amigo - mexican - Updated August 2026

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Joel, if you're seeing this, I went. Don Panchos was a childhood favorite of mine when it was still…read morecalled Los Panchos and so I was worried it wouldn't live up to expectations. It was just as good as I remembered and still as cheap as ever. Fed 3 people with 3 agua frescas for $34.

Not sure why it has 3.5 stars. Honestly the best taco shop in SD. Full of flavor, fresh…read moreingredients, prices are GREAT. The only thing to complain about is they're right next to the best bar in IB and close at 10. Food quality and service is amazing!!! If you've never had a taco shop experience stop by here first!

Mrs Rice's Oriental Restaurant

3.8

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Finally came here to give this og place a chance. I ordered the combo 7 which is teriyaki chicken…read moreand steak with rice and veggies. It's a good portion that maybe 2 people can share (depends how hungry you are). Both the chicken and steak tasted good and the veggies helped with the sweetness of the teriyaki. I love that you can serve yourself howich hi er you want as well as salsas. I see this as a somewhat healthy fastfood option (get the veggies lol). Would recommend trying this place for change from yoshinoya.

Food was good, chicken was soft and juicy and steak was delicious. Recommend combo numbers 7 for…read morewho love chicken and steak.

De Kotija Taco Shop

4.3

(44 reviews)

The food is good. Last month I tried their carne asada burrito and was happy with the size and…read moretaste. Monday I was in the area so I swung by. They had a sign by the door advertising mini street taco Monday, $1.75 I ordered 5 carne asada taco's with no onions. The mini taco's were loaded with meat. Each taco had a double corn tortilla. The red hot sauce had a good kick to it. Service was friendly and inside was clean. I'll be back!

This has to be the WORST chips and guac I've ever had in my life. First of all WHO serves chips and…read moreguac to go like that- the chips got soggy so fast what probably added to that was that this "guacamole" was 10% avocado 90% water and even then most of it was tomatoes. The taste was AWFUL not even bland- BITTER. I asked for salt and lime and I was given lemon instead I tried to make this work but ultimately had to throw it away after 3 bites the worst 9$ spent. You're better off at Chipotle!

Vega Caffe Mexican Deli

4.1

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Food and service is always exceptional here at Vega Caffe. You can go anywhere from a deli sandwich…read moreto a salad to seafood to Mexican plates to street tacos, açai bowls, and flan. There's no wrong turn here...affordable fresh and delicious every time.

Please check this place out!!! Their employees are really nice and welcoming, the mango smoothie is…read moreincredible and refreshing, and their food is freshly made and authentic.

El Shrimp Bucket

4.0

(41 reviews)

Not really a food truck. More like a truck with a trailer behind it…read more Whatever--this is OUTSTANDING Mexican seafood. The prices are high. Much higher than you would expect from a trailer/truck that looks like this. But the food is very, very good. We tried the lobster quesadilla, a shrimp burrito, and 3 street chicken street tacos. The tacos were 3 for $9 but were packed with delicious, fresh chicken. The shrimp burrito (about $15, yikes) was not small but not enormous but it was PACKED with incredibly fresh shrimp. Both the quesadilla and the burrito had an amazing smoky flavor to them. You can get enormous crappy burritos from any old taco shop for about $8 or $9. The shrimp burrito was pricey but terrific. You make the call. I would return.

I like a good food truck, and I am surely a fan of one that makes a great grilled fish burrito as…read morethis one. That being said, I ordered the "wild" grilled mahi mahi fish burrito for $7.00. The burrito came with freshly prepared pico de gallo with mango, shredded cabbage, a house chipotle sauce, and of course the griddled mahi mahi fish all wrapped in a soft warm tortilla. The burrito was quite tasty and the pico with the chopped and cubed mango pieces was great, but as whole, the burrito did need more mahi mahi because the burrito was just not generously filled as it should of been. The mahi mahi was well seasoned and prepared, perhaps a little over, but still was moist and tender. Regardless of the what I felt was a lack of fish, it still was a very good burrito. I tried all three of their salsa that came in the plastic squeeze bottles and they were all terrific and packed some very good heat. The gents who own El Shrimp Bucket are from Mazathlan and still have family back home that run and own a fishery that specializes in shrimp. They receive only the best Mexican White Shrimp from the fishery, so next time, I for see a pile of unshelled and cooked shrimp sitting in front of me.

Raymundo’s Taco Shop

4.6

(9 reviews)

I live close by and love supporting new local businesses. I've already ordered from here…read more Couple times now, I wanted to finally write a review. The carne asada fries or chips asada are a must They pack them good! We also tried the bean & cheese burrito, California burrito and fish tacos combo dish. All were delicious! I was very surprised how good the red rice was Normally in other taco shops it's always bland or dry This one had small onions (which I loved) very fluffy and moist. Also the cabbage in the fish taco were diced so well. Little details like that matter when eating a fish taco. Great costumer service! the ambience was vibing.

We got the carne asada fries and 3 beef rolled tacos. Both of them were very good. We usually check…read moreout different taco shops and this one hits! Nice customer service and reasonably priced. Cook takes pride in preparing the order. The place was clean and the hot sauce was good. Recommend!

Luzita's Taco Shop

3.4

(62 reviews)

Been going here since I was a kid lol. I love their calis. Not too thick and big just perfect !!read more

We will never come here again. I ordered a chips with guac and cheese (nachos style) for $6.10 and…read morea carne asada burrito in a bowl (same as a burrito without the tortilla for $10. Both items were very small portioned and skimpy on the guacamole. Super disappointed.

Lucita Taco Shop

3.6

(34 reviews)

Hit and miss days. Parking lot has plenty of parking spaces. We have had rolled tacos, burritos,…read moretacos....some days its good and other days not so good. Portion is inconsistent. But the 4 star is because MOST of the time they are on it. Service is great. Today the lady was awesome. She was patient as we ordered multiple street taco orders with all of them being different. You can pick and choose from carnitas, chicken, carne asada, birria, etc. They have both the green and red sauce....we usually prefer the green sauce. The one thing I miss that they don' do....I want to say it changed after covid, but we used to be able to get chips, salsa and grilled/picked veggies on our own. I use to love to grab bag for the road!

I've coming here for years and I must say their food quality has gone down . The recipes changes a…read morelot and the roll tacos have very little meat (mostly tortilla) . Guacamole is watery and California burrito depending who cooks that day is a hit or miss .

El Pollo Grill - Bonita

4.1

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I love both El Pollo Grill locations close to me. The Bonita and Otay Ranch locations. They're…read moreconsistently good and very tasty. Today I ordered the beef taco and a fish taco. Both were delicious. I feel like their salsa bar is a level above other taco shops in the area. Service is always on point and the restaurant is always clean. They are ranked in my top 3 taco shops of all time! Well deserved.

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