This was our first time at Puesto and it was FABULOUS!! I was the winner of an Instagram contest by San Diego magazine and we were invited to enjoy a variety of salsas and burritos. The location is on Wall Street in the busy downtown area. Parking is challenging and I didn't want my 82 year old grandma walking too far. The restaurant is colorful and well appointed with wood accents and beautiful chandeliers. Our meal was outstanding!! The chips and variety of salsas and perfect guacamole was beyond amazing- a fantasy of flavors. The fillet mignon burrito was delicious, tender and so flavorful!! The fillet mignon was tender and generous. The rice and beans were perfectly cooked inside the burrito. The chicken al pastor was flawless- so flavorful and tender. The Birria burrito was a dream of tender flavor. The entire meal was beautifully served and cooked. I highly recommend coming to Puesto. My 82 year old grandma said it was the best burrito she ever had in all her years!! I agree with her!! We will be visiting again soon!! Thank you Puesto for a wonderful meal and fabulous time with family! read more

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Great place. We came here for lunch and were seated immediately. Service was super nice, attentive and polite. Ambience is very pleasant. It's more of a casual place but their food is definitely stands out. We had cucumber salad-amazing! Salads flight-very unique and delicious. Local fish ceviche- super fresh and delicious. Mushroom taco-amazing. We also had a mocktail which was pretty good as well. Absolutely loved the place. So happy to eat some Mexican food in the area and it didn't disappoint. read more

Puesto La Jolla - Local Fish Ceviche - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

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The chips and salsa is complementary and honestly had so much flavor - I could only imagine how good the flavor of the food would be. I came in for their Horchata, which is made in house every day. They also had special menu for the World Cup which included grilled octopus tacos. This was so flavorful. I have never had octopus before, but I was so excited to try it. This is a nice place with indoor and outdoor seating and the windows open because of course it's La Jolla and perfect I want to shout out my waitress Ellie for being so kind and helpful. She's amazing say hi if you can she's the best. read more

Puesto La Jolla - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Hey, if you go -- grab a small bite first. Portions are kinda small, that's just how they do it. Heads up. But the food's good. Worth it if you're around here. Stop by. read more

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Great food, delightful atmosphere, but our server Ryan was the biggest jerk I've had at a restaurant in decades. The only reason why this isn't a 1 is because the A hole abandoned our table and another sever picked it up and was awesome. Ryan literally failed to get our drinks, others delivered our food and he never checked on us - instead he spent 20 minutes socializing with the people at the next table about his real estate ambitions. We were literally at the next table and he couldn't be bothered by us. That said if you go, if you get a guy waiter - ask his name. If it's Ryan, leave or insist on someone else. You'll be rewarded with great food and drinks otherwise. Only food we didn't like was the pulled pork, but other things we ate were good. read more

Puesto La Jolla - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

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You have to get the potato taquitos it's astonishing on the taste buds. We also got the guac flight. It was a very interesting take on guac but, I like it I think that it's different. read more

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Delicious food. I had the lobster taco. Hallie was one of the best servers I've had in awhile. I love that they leave a carafe of water. From start to doggie bag... All is first rate. read more

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Puesto has been around for over a decade and was one of the earlier upscale taquerias in the SD area. The La Jolla branch is closer to my house although the parking situation is much worse than the Mission Valley location which has a shared lot with the neighboring businesses in the shopping plaza. I decided to order some tacos to-go after a gym workout. When I came to pick up my food, there was a solid line of people waiting for open seats in the inside dining room and on the front sidewalk area. I chose the following items for my post-exercise nourishment... * Duck Confit - cilantro chimichurri, black beans, spicy avocado mousse, pickled red onion * Maine Lobster - black beans, crispy onions, avocado, crema de cilantro, jalapeño pico * Chicken al Pastor - crispy melted cheese, hibiscus & chipotle tinga, avocado, piña habanero pico * Tamarindo Shrimp - crispy shrimp, tamarindo-chile sauce, classic guacamole, cilantro Each of these tacos was flavorful and tasty. I did appreciate the two seafood offerings more than the poultry ones. The succulent lobster meat was very enjoyable. There was also something about the tamarindo-chile sauce that really enhanced the profile of the shrimp. Their prices have always been on the high side, but it's what you pay for gourmet-style tacos. read more

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We swung by Puesto yesterday for lunch. I ordered a mango margarita as my drink and filet mignon taco for my meal. I also ordered the herb lime rice and black beans on the side. The mango margarita was perfect in every way. I'd recommend that for sure! The filet mignon taco was super tasty and filling, but do I think it was worth $13 for one? Probably not.. I was expecting the taco to be bigger for that steep price. The rice was addicting and I'm glad I opted for it as I would've been hungry still after the one taco. The service was pretty good. The ambiance was lively and it was a happening place. I'm giving Puesto a 4/5 as I think the pricing is a bit on the steep side for what you get, but the vibes and food were great overall! read more

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Located in such a cute area. Great outdoor seating. Good selection of tequila, they had our favorites- tapatio and G4. The margs were delicious made with real lime juice. The fish taco was very good as well as the guac, chips and salsa. I'm only giving it a 4/5 bc they do not offer queso :( read more

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Shoutout for our wonderful server Ashlee! So kind and thoughtful and told us about the secret menu! As always we loved the food but having her made our experience even better! Cheers! read more

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Came here during my work trip with some colleagues- taco Tuesday hooray! Lively atmosphere and friendly staff (though a little slow), taco Tuesday deal was great! If you can, try the lobster taco. So much lobster and spiced to perfection. Had an amazing time, would definitely try another location back home some time. read more

Puesto La Jolla - Grilled Shrimp Taco Lobster Taco Baja Fish Taco - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

Puesto La Jolla is serving Mexican food and drink in their trendy, modern interior and exterior spaces. SERVICE attentive, helpful, knowledgeable w recommendations FOOD 5/5 December Taco of the Month Taco de Pulpo En Recado Negro tender grilled octopus over a crispy cheese blue corn tortilla, smoky morita salsa (low heat), and flavorful guac 4.5/5 CEVICHE ZARANDEADO* GF Tender Bluefin tuna, serrano and chipotle aioli packing a lil more heat than I wanted, pickled onions, crisp blue corn tostadas read more

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First time trying Puesto and lucky us it was Taco Tuesday which is 50% off tacos. I was in the mood for fajitas but I was disappointed it was not on the menu. Excellent consolation was Taco Tuesday. We ordered chips and salsa. The chips are a little thicker and definitely not greasy. Thank you! I ordered one chicken, one fillet mignon and one carnitas taco. I'm not a spicy loving person so I got all the sauces on the side. All three tacos are stuffed with meat on a blue tortilla. The tortillas are smaller than normal but it was stuffed full. The chicken was very tender and moist. The fillet mignon was tender and it had a nice char and smoked flavor. The carnitas taco was ok but not on the same level as the chicken and fillet. Excellent from everyone we encountered at the host stand and Devon our server. This restaurant has an upbeat vibe. read more

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Honestly, best tacos ever! Had the chicken tinga and surf&turf tacos, to die for. The salsas were fresh and flavorful. Drinks were amazing and great vibes. Service was equally amazing! Will definitely be back read more

This is a great spot in La Jolla! Great authentic vibe, close to a lot of fun stuff. Staff was extremely kind and the food was delicious. I personally loved the guac sampler and thought there were so many interesting pairings that worked well together (I never thought Parmesan would go so well with avocado!) Everything had a bit of a fun spin and the plates were both pretty and delicious. Will be back to try more! Definitely recommend!! read more

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So cute inside and the tacos and margaritas were top notch. We also loved the guac sampler. We went on a Sunday and had to wait a little bit it wasn't too bad. Still thinking about the filet taco and their homemade salsa. read more

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Amazing !! I know I'm super late to making a review but my boyfriend took me on Valentine's Day 2026. The food was amazing and the meat melted in your mouth! The corn was also phenomenal and the environment was beautiful to be around. The service was also very good for it being a busy Valentine's Day afternoon. read more

Puesto is a popular Mexican spot in La Jolla but I found the meal overpriced and underwhelming. We were able to sit outside which was quite nice. Our server was attentive and personable. I tried the following food items: -passion fruit mule (4.5/5; sweet, delicious and well balanced) -shrimp ceviche (4/5; decent flavor, but I didn't get a single piece of mango. Sauce was tasty) -short rib birria enchilada (4/5; tasty overall. Birria was well cooked and seasoned. Nice sauce and avocado and onion on top were nice touch but rice and beans should be included for $30 enchiladas...) Overall, the food was decent but for the price (not a single taco cost less than $10), I expect better. read more

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So good! I recently discovered that this is the original Puesto location--and it completely lived up to the reputation. I've loved their other spots, and this one absolutely did not disappoint. Puesto has truly figured out how to elevate the humble taco into something extraordinary. Every bite was packed with bold flavor, thoughtful ingredients, and creative flair. You can really taste the care and quality in each taco--delicious doesn't even begin to cover it. We opted to sit outside since the wait for indoor seating was a bit long. It was a little dim once the sun set, but the atmosphere was still relaxed and enjoyable. And the service? Excellent. The staff were friendly, attentive, and clearly well-trained. If you're a fan of tacos (or just good food in general), this spot is a must. read more

Puesto La Jolla - Short rib and Mushroom Tacos - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

Came across a hidden gem!! Very clean and airy giving it a true beach town vibe Loved the food. Their tacos were fresh and house sauce was on point. Their chips and salsa were fresh too! Our server was a very friendly young girl who loved to talk read more

Puesto La Jolla - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

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I love Puesto atmosphere and service. That only is a 5 star. Staff is very friendly. Also it is so nice to enjoy the sunshine outside and the orange color is like a visual vitamin. The tacos are amazing, flavor on point...bit $12 for a huitlacoche taco is certainly a bit too much. I understand is about the location...so we only stop there for a bite before going for a beach walk. read more

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Puesto La Jolla makes some of the best American / Mexican food I've had in a long time. And yes, I did say American / Mexican food. Don't get me wrong, I'm not comparing Puesto to Chipotle or Rubios or Baja Fresh; they are way more elevated than that. But, coming from Southern California I had East L.A. in my universe and now living in Chicago I have Pilsen 15 minutes away and you can't get more authentic Mexican food than that; outside of Mexico City of course. But, there is a place for American / Mexican food and Puesto La Jolla is one of the best! On this Friday night Puesto was packed - a very good indication of what's to come. Us four ordered: * Guacamole and Chips - of course and it was delicious * A Jalapeño caesar with Little gem, breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, jalapeño slices - loved it * Crudo verde - Ensenada kampachi, avocado, hoja santa leche de tigre, tomatillo - excellent * Potato taquitos - Queso fresco, guacamole, garlic jalapeño salsa, chile oil - picture perfect * Taco Plate - with Wagyu brisket * The bar worked on all cylinders The service was top notch and the ambiance was modern cool. Us four really enjoyed this dinner! read more

Puesto La Jolla - Jalapeño Caesar Salad - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

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I love Puestos and have been to their other location in seaport. I was in town visiting and decided to come here for a solo lunch date. The restaurant is very pretty, modern, stylish and they have these large garage doors that open to the outside. I ordered the potato taquitos which were good but I wish they had drizzled some sour cream and cotija cheese on top. They sat on a bed of guac and shredded cabbage. It was also a lot of food for one person, I think 2 taquitos would suffice. The esquite was great as usual and horchata was very refreshing. The setting was great for a solo lunch date and my waiter was excellent and always checked up on me. The service was wonderful and that's why I love coming to Puestos. read more

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Loved the surf and turf taco--super flavorful and delicious. Quick service and chill vibes read more

Puesto La Jolla - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

Here's my honest review about Puesto La Jolla! Came in with a party of 9 but had a reservation and they were amazing at honoring it. Once we go seated, our waiter Jayden G. was incredible. He made our entire experience a fun and entertaining time! He gave awesome recommendations and provided our group some great customer service. I was very pleased with his service as he made us feel welcomed and supported. As for the food, it was solid, good mexican food. Prices are decent and it isn't the best mexican food I've had, but it definitely was yummy. Service was great and wait time for food coming out was minimal. It was a positive food experience for my friends and I. One thing to note, I did hear some of the staff members in the back making fun of my "elite yelp status" in a taunting way. I did not appreciate such and was somewhat taken aback by these comments. I'm reviewing this location from the perspective of my food experience and customer service, but I definitely don't think you should be making fun of a customer overall. Try it for yourself and see if you enjoy the food forsure! read more

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Another excellent time at Puestos. The food is the star of the show, always great and some of the best tacos in SD. Service is also always great. Never fails coming here. read more

4.5 star if I could. Someone asked me what Puesto is, and honestly, the best way I could describe it: a high-end El Torito, in the best way possible. It's a small, open-air concept just a few blocks from the beach. The vibe is lively, and the servers were attentive throughout. Pro tip: there is a secret menu. Ask about it. I won't spoil the surprise, but trust me--it's worth it. Now, I'd love to gatekeep this, but I won't: Agua de Piedra sparkling water. Hands down the best. Crisp, refreshing, borderline elite. I'm low-key obsessed. We started with the guacamole trio, and to my surprise, the one with pomegranate and candied walnuts was the MVP. Sweet, tangy, crunchy. The Parmigiano Reggiano guac was just okay, extra umami, which I liked, but my wife didn't. The passion fruit ceviche? According to my wife, it tasted like spaghetti. I'll let you decide what that means. The cantaloupe mule was a strong cocktail choice. Not too sweet, just the right balance of fruit and booze. Taco-wise, yes, they're $10-$20 each. But once you bite into that ribeye taco, you'll get it. Premium meat, great execution. Worth the splurge. For dessert, they comped the churro/ice cream plate for our anniversary, super thoughtful. But if I hadn't requested candles (even had it noted on the reservation), they would have forgot , so that was a small miss. The churros themselves were cold and came off a little stale, but probably just from soaking in the amazing ice cream. Maybe next time, stick a warm churro on top instead of layering minis underneath? Still tasty. A couple heads-ups: * Parking: We used the structure in the alley. It's tight. Narrow spots, sharp turns, some confusing one-way areas. Next time, I'll aim for free street parking instead. * Flies: Because of the open-air layout and proximity to the beach, flies were definitely a thing. A few fly fans would go a long way here. All in all, Puesto delivers elevated Mexican food with a cool vibe and solid service. Just come ready to spend a little, dodge a few flies, and maybe circle the block for a better parking spot. read more

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Stopped here for lunch and although they were busy, we were seated pretty quickly. They have an outside patio next to the street, with umbrellas for shade. The restaurant has an open wall, providing additional "outdoor" seating, as well as plenty of tables inside. Service was super friendly and attentive. I chose 3 tacos: Huitlacoche mushroom, Wagyu Suadero Brisket, and the Short rib quesabirria. Although on the pricey side ($10-$13 each), the tacos were all outstanding and I'm sure I'll be going back for more :) read more

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One of my absolute favorite spots EVER. Incredible drinks, incredible food. Big shout out to Laura & Mickey. Wonderful service all around. 5 BIG stars. read more

Puesto La Jolla - Drink - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

Food is just ok. The filet is soft but super salty. Birria is also super salty. I love the salsa came with the chip but that the only thing. Service was quick and friendly just one small thing that doesnt make sense to us. The drink came with the kid meal can not be togo?? My kid didnt finish it and want to take it togo but not allow? It is not a buffet or all you can drink type of thing. read more

Puesto La Jolla - Cucumber salad is super sour, not recomd. - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

A very modern taco spot in La Jolla. Their Nogada Guacamole was delicious! Love the candied nuts and promeganate as toppings. Their Horchata was not bad, a bit too sweet for me. The tacos were recommended and I enjoyed the uniqueness of the pistachio salsa on the filet mignon. The chicken taco also had very good heat. The short ribs one was so-so. Overall, I thought the meats were on the drier end but loved their fresh purple tortilla. read more

Puesto La Jolla - Chicken al Pastor Tacos, Short Ribs, Filet Mignon Tacos - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

Sat at the bar and enjoyed a couple of tacos, guacamole and beer. Service was amazing, Chloe was delightful and knew the menu. She helped us pick beers and tacos. You've got to visit her at the bar read more

Puesto La Jolla - Menu - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

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We had lunch at Puesto last Saturday. We got there right before the rush and it was busy. Our wait was only about 15 minutes. I had the Mushrooms Tacos with rice and beans. They were delicious! We ordered the guacamole, chips and salsa. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. The restaurant is a nice size, with a very nice bar and TVs for sports. The bathrooms are very clean. I would definitely come back again when in San Diego. read more

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This was the very first restaurant stop in San Diego...and before I get to the foods, I must confess I was very disappointed in the lack of patio seatings in the back (as pictured in Yelp). It seems this is one of several location, and they must have included patio pictures from the other locations??? I find this extremely deceptive. I know some businesses do this...but why not keep the outside pictures honest...just to the specific location?? Just a pet peeve. In any case, we started off disappointed because of the deceptive pictures of the patio seatings. BTW, the place was very small, but nice. Just not what I pictured. *SIGH* ANYWAY, on to the foods. We started with this Chicken Flautas app...and it was SO good! Very much like Taquitos. Then I ordered Short Rib Quesabirria, and I think my husband got the Baha Fish. Again, SOOOO good!! Same with their dessert, Tres Leche. DEE-Lish! We agreed that the foods here were SUPERB. Foods were also beautifully presented. Drinks were amazing too. Frankly, I forgot what I had, but check out the pic! Once we saw and ate the foods, I got over my issue with the outdoor pictures on Yelp. Still, we vowed to return to another location of Puesto...possibly one with a bigger, better patio seatings. read more

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Small portions, overpriced and terrible service. Once our food was served, I had to get up to ask for silverware and napkins. We asked for waters and according to our server, it was taking him a while because they ran out of water glasses. The tacos were meh. The chips and salsa were delicious but we expected more from this establishment. read more

Went for dinner and it did not disappoint. The ceviche was divine! Fresh and complex, my mouth is watering thinking about it! The birria tacos were also amazing, I loved the little cheese crust on it. Portions were generous and the ambience was great. Seemed very busy so would recommend trying for a reservation. Service was wonderful. Would definitely go back to try their other ceviche options! read more

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Whoa! This place really blew me away! From the shot of patron to the mango watermelon, the food and drinks were amazing! Beyond that, our server, Delaney, went above and beyond!! Couldn't be more pleased! read more

Puesto La Jolla - Watermelon Margarita - Mexican Near Me - La Jolla, California

If you like tacos, and you like big fat tacos. Puesto is where you want to be. They have a very extensive cocktail menu as well as some fresh juices . I had the pulled chicken and brisket tacos honestly, two was enough. The only thing I wish is that they double wrap them like they do in Spain. Great flavors. A good size restaurant on the inside and a very nice patio, which is dog friendly . Right in the heart of La Jolla Village walking distance to everything. read more

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Excellent Mexican restaurant just around the corner from the main drag. Plenty of outdoor seating. Our server was friendly, helpful, and efficient. He said they were particularly known for their tacos that were covered in cheese and deep fried. He also explained how they could help modify items on the kids menu to accommodate particular sensibilities. Kiddo ordered from the kids menu - she got the quesadilla and carnitas taco with the passion fruit agua fresca. The agua fresca tasted more pineapple than passion fruit, though it was tasty. I didn't get a chance to taste her food, but she was happy with it. We ordered the chopped salad, short rib quesabirria taco, chicken al pastor taco, and the Baja fish taco. Everything was very tasty. My husband asked for hot sauce and our server brought us a delicious habanero salsa. Everything tasted even more delicious with the salsa. I really liked how the salad had a good variety of texture, taste, and crunch. The signature crispy cheese tacos were delicious, though I didn't love how much grease there was. For dessert, we ordered the toasted hazelnut tres leches at our server's recommendation, and it was quite good. Loved the contrast of the crunchy hazelnut crumble and the tartness of the raspberries against the milkiness of the cake. Would definitely come here again read more

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