Decided to try Pure Taco yesterday because the menu is well marked for gluten free options. Service was not great. Chips and guacamole were forgotten and I had to go ask for it after the rest of my food was brought out. Some staff seemed like they really didn't want to be there. No water brought to the table and no mention of where to get it. Music was too loud. Food was lackluster. The guac and sides of beans and rice were OK. The chips were over salted. Pork and rice bowl was dry and bland, with maybe a teaspoon of the sauce. There was a wilted, yellow piece of cilantro on the pork. Isn't garnish supposed to look nice? Cobb salad was likewise underdressed. The greens seem to have been tossed in some sauce but there was so little I couldn't taste it even eating just the greens and the rest of the salad was too dry to enjoy. The slaw tasted like vinegar and nothing else. Feels like the restaurant was put together by a pro but execution is just not there. read more

My husband is a frequent visitor here and I finally got to try it. Two fish tacos, braised pork and pho beef taco! Wow! They are exceptional! Tender and juicy! Appreciated the extra margarita too. A restaurant that can sense your drink need before you even order another one is a great restaurant in my book. Will be coming back again soon. read more

Not authentic Mexican but soooo good and fresh ingredients. Seasoned to perfection read more

Always great food! We love the Baja fish tacos, the corn in a cup and the June Shine Hard Kombucha on tap!

Amazing service food, drinks. Great ambiance. Highly recommend to everyone. Worth the drive. Come check it out. Manager Robert very welcoming and attentive. 10 stars if possible. read more

This place made me feel as though I was poisoned after eating here. Sluggish & slow. It's like fast food but with a bar. Drinks food was bland & not as cheap as it tasted. read more

New favorite taco joint in Carlsbad. The food is very inexpensive but the portion sizes are pretty big! They have a pretty good happy hour. The restaurant itself has a very unique layout. 1/2 of the bar is on the inside and the other 1/2 wraps around to the outside. Their patio is dog friendly. The waitstaff is always great and the food comes out very quickly. I love the skinny margarita! read more

Pure Taco - Fish tacos, shrimp salad, skinny margarita - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Tacos and pork shoulder bowl were really good. The pure margaritas were also really tasty and strong but not too strong! Chips and guacamole was also tasty. My fave style of chips. Service was self service (order and then sit down or order on the QR code) so not much to stay about service. The staff were quick but nice when delivering the food to table. Ambiance was fun. Indoor/outdoor vibey music playing cute indoor/outdoor bar. Will be going back! read more

New taco place in Carlsbad with a llama as the mascot. Definitely has a sense of humor and the vibe is great with awesome music and really tasty drinks! We started our visit sitting at the bar with great service. We had a Passion and a Tiki, and both were delicious. We also started with chips and salsa and guacamole. The chips were super crispy and fresh tasting with just the perfect amount of salt the guacamole was chunky and fresh and the salsa was heavy on the garlic heavy on the salt and refreshing. If you're not a fan of salty foods the salsa may be a little too much for you. If you're not a fan of garlicky foods the salsa may be a little too much for you. We continued our visit with multiple different tacos. We tried the shrimp green curry taco the Korean pork taco, and the veggie taco. The shrimp green curry taco was the star of the show. I'm still craving it and would definitely get it again. The Korean taco was really good. The veggie taco was disappointing. The spices were not there to make the vegetables shine and it just seemed very plain and boring. We also tried the pho beef taco, which was heavy on the hoisin and Sriracha, so if you do not like either of those in large quantities you should ask for it on the side. The pho Taco actually tastes like pho , which was really interesting and surprising. I would definitely get that again. We also tried the Callie Cobb salad which was delicious fresh and filled with wonderful toppings such as pickled onion, pepitas, corn, avocado, and two kinds of cheeses. it was not heavy on the dressing, which was good. They definitely did not skimp on the portions on the salad. It made a great full meal. On our second visit we ordered the Carnitas fries. They were crispy hot and fresh, and loaded with all of the wonderful toppings that you would expect such as pickled onion, citrusy Carnitas, avocado, Cotija cheese, and chipotle cream. When it comes to creamy sauces I always think less is more, so I could have used less on these fries but they were still delicious. There was a ton of Carnitas, which was a very filling. Each time we visited the food came out very quickly, hot and fresh. The vibe is really fun and they do have some merch for sale if you need souvenirs. I think this may become one of our regular spots. I hope you'll try it. read more

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Pure Taco is one of our favorite places in the Village for a quick drink and bite to eat. They always have a great Kombucha on tap and we usually share the California Burrito (sub shrimp) and the Green Curry Shrimp Burrito...yes we love their shrimp as they are clean, large & fresh! Staff is great and we believe it's a reflection of their Manager, Robert. Robert is always friendly and helpful and you'll find him doing everything and anything, from tending bar, to cleaning tables. He sets a great example and his employees say one of the reasons they really love working there is because of him. This past Sunday was my birthday and a friend wanted to take me out to lunch...I chose Pure Taco and we were not disappointed! Thanks. Dan & Helen read more

Great food, but better service. My wife and I ordered several different items since it was our first time. Simple things like not grabbing our menus right after we ordered. We asked for to go containers, provided right away with a bag to put our leftovers in. The food was great, but we weren't crazy about one of the tacos. Our server immediately took it off the bill and we then ordered another taco we want to try. read more

Mexican street corn was best ever- called corn in a cup! Black beans perfectly seasoned and delish Baja fish tacos- highly recommend a stop for lunch or dinner. Wonderful service and a very pleasing structure- high ceilings lots of light and air! read more

Great food at affordable prices, such a fun atmosphere, we will be coming back again for sure! My favorite would be the global taco flight (specifically the Korean taco) read more

We have waited for Pure Taco to settle in before we finally tried out this spot. More seating then we anticipated. Sadly not a smile from any workers or eye contact. No recommendations just Next.... We settled on a burrito and carne asada fries because we were unsure of size. Asked a worker if they wouldn't mind clearing a table which they did quickly but looked miffed that we even asked . Food came quickly from kitchen but hardly hot at all and seemed like a very American version of a spin on Mexican food . Fries and all of their garnishes on top ice cold . Carne Asada had good flavor but must of been kept in a warming dish because it was luke warm and cheese on top was hardly melted. Chicken burrito lacked flavor and was very boring and not worth finishing. Not but 1.5 hours later were we both suffering in the stomach department. Pure taco you can do better ... we have been to your other chain restaurants and feel your quality control is lacking ... read more

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It has only been a couple of months since they have opened, and Pure Tacos is already the talk of State Street in Carlsbad. The tacos are fresh and inventive and unique. The staff that works there are so friendly and love sharing their favorite dishes with you. The cocktails are fun and refreshing. The building is super cool with high-rise ceilings, lots of outdoor patio seating, lively music and indoor bar seating. I tried four of their tacos, each of which I would order again, the ahi nachos (fantastic) and a cocktail. Highly recommend the food and ambiance at Pure Taco - what a great taqueria concept! read more

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We ordered a chicken burrito, elote in a cup, fish and adobada taco with a margarita and a michelada. Total came to $42. The drinks were good. Couldn't taste the tequila in it. Chicken burrito was big but lacked chicken. Adobada taco was not that great. Meat was tough and we paid $1.50 more to get avocado and cheese on it. Thought the cheese would be cotija or queso fresco but it was actually just shredded cheese. Elote in a cup was actually good. However, the serrano or jalapeño in it overpowered the rest. Would recommended hitting up a local Mexican joint instead. read more

Pure Taco - Sorry, blurry but fish taco on left and adobada on right. - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Homemade tortillas and unique taco creations in Carlsbad Village make Pure Taco easy to come back to! Friendly staff, indoor/outdoor seating, order up front then find your seat or full service at the (small- maybe six seats) bar. Dog friendly, kid friendly. Love the green curry shrimp taco and the pho beef taco. read more

Pure Taco - Pho Beef Taco - great flavor! - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Fun little spot! Stopped in after a beach day! Easy menu, yummy food! Thought service was great, everyone was kind and helpful!

Absolutely love this place. I come here quite frequently and their food is consistently amazing. They serve more Americanized Mexican cuisine and is one of my go-to spots when I'm craving this. The food comes out quite quickly and the wait isn't bad at all, if existent. Their California burrito is my favorite dish there and what I usually always get. Their poke nachos are also amazing and perfectly balanced. Their staff is very friendly and the restaurant is cutely decorated and themed. Definitely recommend coming here! read more

Very nice place. We ordered different types of tacos: Korean, Vietnamese, Baja fish, and pulled Pork tacos. They have a good variety on menu. We had also Caesar salad. Everything was very fresh and just delicious. Portion size was excellent. Green salsa so yummy and just the right heat. Excellent value for the quality and taste. Ambience was so nice. The place is clean and has nice atmosphere. It's a big addition to the Village at Carlsbad. I would definitely come back to try the other flavors. read more

The food is amazing, and the customer service is outstanding. The tacos are delicious and the tap hard kombucha is my favorite. Will continue to come back and try new things on the menu. read more

So far---not a fan. I ordered their Cali Cobb Salad ($13.95). It was okay. Nothing special. When I tasted their Chipotle Ranch Dressing I was grateful I asked them to not mix it into the salad but to bring it on the side. This dressing is crazy spicy and pretty awful. I lunged into a coughing fit just tasting it. Tried their "Lemon Vinaigrette". Euwww. Sweet and disgusting. Their Caesar dressing is the best of the lot. The salad would also be improved by a hard boiled egg on top. It's rather sparse small bowl for $14. Trendy interior. Nothing special enough about the food to lure me back any time soon. read more

My wife got the steak fajitas - it was perfectly seasoned, medium rare and extremely tasty. It was topped with some really really good onions, and there was definitely a lot of peppers and spices. And the salsa was pretty awesome, and they had a great garlic/chipotle sauce on the side. The sides of mashed potatoes and black beans were really good, but the chips were too crunchy. It was a nice restaurant with a good atmosphere, and a really good meal. We had the special for two. First, I got the smoked chicken taco - a small plate of chicken stuffed with onions and peppers. Tasted great. I also got a pint of PBR. My wife had a glass of wine. The rest of the meal we split two ways. My wife had the salsa with chips, and the other half had the enchilada casserole. Both were outstanding. Both were extremely savory!! read more

Fantastic new look and inviting location in the ever expanding offerings of wonderful Carlsbad Village! The location offers a modern vibe with both outside and indoor seating. Nice to be able to park in the back of their building with plenty of spaces, and I'm sure they fill up fast during busy times. We were there around 7p, and so all the parking was open. We tried them last night as we were leaving the beach and decided to take it to go. It may be best to order online. Had no access of ordering online so called our order to go. We reviewed many items from their menu to look forward to trying later. Last night ordered the Chips + Guacamole, Korean Beef Taco, Steak Taco and California Burrito. The steak in my Cali burrito was tasty and juicy - A+, and what turned me on to this item was the menu describing it with "crunchy" french fries, but they were not crunchy - still and overall tasty burrito (8/10). The tacos were average, just small for the price, and would of been more ideal with 2-tortillas rather than 1. The chips were OK and the Guacamole was above average - I do like the fresh tomatoes atop the Guacamole! Nonetheless, you can see they use quality ingredients and so we look forward to try new menu items during our next visit. read more

The food is amazing my husband and I always go to get their fish tacos and we get the green avocado looking salsa so good and actually is spicy. We have also tried the pho taco which actually taste like pho ! It is so tasty. We have also gotten their micheladas which are delicious. The service is great the staff is nice, welcoming and helpful. The ambiance is laid back and great place for simple night out to get good food and drinks to relax. Love this place ! read more

Wasn't sure where we wanted to go to dinner...my 7 year old daughter said, "Let's try Pure Taco... we have walked past this place many times. Tonight we stopped in to get food, I had the beer battered fish tacos, my wife a salad bowl, and my daughter had a chicken quesadilla, the food was great with decent size portions...the fish tacos were delicious, as well as the rest of the food... We talked to the guy who was running the place and let him know we lived right around the corner. He introduced himself as Robert, he thanked us for stopping in, he made us feel extremely welcomed....the fish tacos were the best I've had in a long time....very authentic , with genuine hospitality....we will definitely back! read more

I'm here during taco Tuesday. $1.99 for Baja fish taco and $1 off all global tacos. Service is quick. read more

We stopped by here on our way back to Orange County, the place is clean and nicely maintained, we ordered a taco from each kind except chicken, however maybe it worth getting the whole flight deal instead, whoever took our order didn't seem interested to offer nor explain the best choice and I sadly have to say that the steak and Baja tacos were there only ones worth the trouble however the steak ones are $5 a piece. The ones with pork and pineapple were meh, the pineapple didn't even looked ripe so did not add much depth to the dish. The Pho Beef felt weird however my wife thought it was okay, there is a bit of asian confusion going on but whatever floats your boat. The lemony corn was good though, the salsa is just okay, spicy but doesn't tell me anything, nothing to rave about, guac could use some more flavor, chips were scarce and don't look made in house. Would I go out of my way to stop by here again? not worth the time. $50 +4% "service fee for the workers" +tip for 8 tacos, salsa guac and corn. read more

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Pure taco always serves delicious, fresh food that the whole family loves. The shrimp tacos are amazing!

We went to Pure Taco tonight, and it checked everyone's boxes. My husband loved the outdoor seating and layout, my picky eater inhaled her chicken strips and fries in 5 minutes, and I was shocked at how fast our order came. Thank you for the great dinner and service! read more

I have been going to Pure Taco for years. it's one of our most favorite places in the village. The food is so good, not greasy or anything like that and its very reasonably priced. The manager is super friendly which trickles down to his staff. It's a really cool place! read more

If you are looking for a fun little taco place, Pure Taco is amazing! You can't beat their yummy food... my kids even like it- Double bonus is they have a full bar and their Palomas are yummy! read more

I love the menu. The tacos are delicious. The carnita fries are so good! I look forward to going back and trying other items. I did order a drink with a sugared rim and it came with a salted rim. Ewwww. But the bartender was apologetic and replaced it with a fresh drink and sugar. read more

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Good food at a pretty good price. This is a nice spot just slightly outside of the busy downtown commotion. Great spot to grab some drinks and relax. Service was on point as well read more

Went to Pure Taco today. When I got there I thought it was going to be crowded for some reason. But there was just a few people. I ordered the grilled fish tacos and my nephew ordered one dam beef taco. Give me a break!! Well my Taco was just okay. It was juicy. Too damn juicy!! My plate was full of juice!! That's my only complaint!! But it's okay!! I went there especially for the Fish tacos and I felt let down cause I was expecting something better! My tacos were literally soggy! Very soggy!! If they can make better fish tacos I'll go back. Sorry about the bad review but my Taco's were soggy! read more

Consistent and reasonabley priced, probably come here at least twice a week Simpley can't go wrong with a great $2,00 fish taco! read more

CHECK THIS PLACE OUT!! love the vibe, the food and the drinks. Poke nachos were delish, Chipotle chicken quesadilla was bomb and the salsa is great as well. Perfect for date or stop off when you're having a Beach day. Priced well, too! Will definitely be back. read more

Pure Taco - Skinny marg and a tajin rim - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Nope. This isn't it. I see what they were trying to do, conceptually, but they missed the mark. Food lacks flavor, freshness and it's just not good. There are so many other great taco places in the area, this one ain't one of them. read more

Drinks are great (great Paloma's!) and staff is friendly. The pho taco is one of our favorites. Unfortunately their chips are always stale - haven't had a time really when we have come when they haven't been except when they first opened. Really wish they would improve that. read more

Pros: great salsa, cool vibe, great location Cons: Bartender was very tired when we were served. We waited about 15-20 minutes while she was making drinks in front of us to ask what we wanted. Super unprofessional staff-when we needed something the bartender just yelled to the kitchen over our heads. Our chips were stale. We asked for another batch and the kid in the back just looked at us while he got new chips. Seemed a hot mess with 1 bartender and young kitchen staff. read more