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    Taco Centro

    4.2 (42 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Order Taco Centro Takeout or Delivery

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    TACO CENTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Happy hour specials
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Taco Centro

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    Tyra S.

    My Hubs and I checked out this Taco Spot in Little Italy. It's fairly new, but I think it's worth a try! It has an awesome salsa bar. It has indoor and outdoor seating. Vibrant decor that makes the restaurant stand out. The staff were super nice! ...and most importantly the tacos are delicious. We tried the Carne Asada and Birria Tacos. They were so tasty and the salsa kicks. For me, the salsa is what makes or breaks a Taco Shop so I really like their salsa.

    Axel C.

    Stopped here for lunch since I was being adventurous. I would say overall, their tacos or I guess they're meats, need some more of that Mexican flavor flavors. I had a Tierra y Mar taco, which is basically carne asada and grilled shrimp, and a Al Pastor taco. The Carne Asada was too thick and kind of chunky so I didn't really like it in granted I'm biased. I really don't like Carne Asada, but you know I had to try it. The Al Pastor lacked flavor. I didn't feel like any of the tacos had flavor to them. I did expect more from this place, but you know sometimes you have to try and see. They have other tacos like chicken, and Birria, mushroom, they also have breakfast burritos, fries, or nachos, they have quite a few options for everyone's taste. And the prices are not that bad for you this place being in Little Italy. For example, the Carne taco is $4.90 and the most expensive taco is $6.90 which is a Sonora taco which I really don't know what that is. They do have a salsa bar and an actual bar for those who like to drink beer. They also have 2 fairly large TVs. They have a lot of seating and I actually like the open seating facing the street. It's not a bad spot. I just expected more.

    Carla O.

    As a total taco lover, I decided to try Taco Centro, a delightful new spot on Kettner Boulevard in Little Italy, San Diego. It's only been open about a month, and while I believe it's part of a chain, this location is just perfect. The menu is expansive, offering a huge variety of fresh Mexican dishes. I ordered the pollo asado taco, and it was fantastic, super fresh, full of flavor, and just delicious. They have a full salsa bar, which was a real treat, and the interior was clean and super inviting. The lady behind the counter was really friendly too. Parking was a breeze; I just paid at the meter right in front of the place. I went in the morning, so I would suggest going during a weekday morning if you can, when it's a bit quieter. But trust me, it's worth it, whether you are in the mood for tacos, burritos, or any of their amazing options. And don't forget Taco Tuesday! I can't wait to come back! 5 Stars plus!

    Jack M.

    Taco Centro makes some pretty good tacos indeed. They also added breakfast items at this location, which I have yet to partake in, but will soon. During this visit at this location in Little Italy, I had a couple of al pastor tacos, one quesa taco with beef birria, and a side of black beans. Not to mention endless trips to the salsa bar. The al pastor tacos came on very good quality corn tortillas, with tender well marinated pork, and a great avocado salsa. The cilantro and onions were fresh, and I loved that they put little pieces of pineapple in each taco. The beef quesa taco was terrific. The beef birria was very juicy and full of great flavors. The beef was not doubt the star here and if definitely shined. The taco came with plenty of griddle tasty white cheese and the tortilla had that great wet yet crispy texture from the birria broth. It was a great taco. The black beans were very well made. They were well tender and well seasoned. The salsas from the salsa bar were all great. I enjoyed the pickled red onions and grilled onions, too. The service was friendly and upbeat. The gents, when I arrived, were ready to roll. They offer a good amount of casual seating.

    Anthony L.

    So freaking good! Stopped by here on my last visit to San Diego and really enjoyed the vibe and Micheladas! They have a fantastic salsa bar with all different kinds of salsa from mild to spicy. I ordered the nachos and burrito and the asada meat and pastor meat were really good. Definitely worth checking out.

    Vivian T.

    Taco Centro has replaced what used to be Bun and Patti down here on Kettner Blvd. The remodeled vibrant blue storefront is hard to miss. Taco Centro offers on the menu tacos, taco bowls, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, birria, breakfast, and Mulitas. They do offer alcohol beverages such as beers, seltzers, micheladas, and Paloma. I ordered two tacos: Carne Asada Taco and the Mar y Tierra. My friend ordered their Camarón Enchilado Taco and a chicken burrito. To put it simply, we weren't buzzed by our choices. The pieces of shrimp in their tacos are quite small. Only receiving about 2 mini shrimps per taco, this just wasn't worth the price. Their carne asada taco, on the other hand, was so delicious, however, for a simple taco being one of their standouts, I was pretty surprised my other taco wasn't as tasty. The chicken burrito had way too much refried beans and tomatoes. It was bland and basically needed so much salsa to save it, and could maybe benefit from having flavorful rice included in the burrito. I will say though, their salsa bar is impressive! They have all the creamy sauces, multiple green and red salsas, fire roasted salsa, peppers, carrots, onions, and even more bottled Mexican hot sauces lined up on top of the bar. It had every garnish you wanted for your food as I took advantage of all the sauces for my meal. I would be willing to give other items on the menu a try, but compared to other taco spots in Downtown SD, Taco Centro is quite average on terms of flavor for the price. There is even another Taco Centro on the other side of town that I feel is more fitting for the night vibes in SD, but it is a convenient location if you don't want to venture out on that side of Downtown.

    Birria single taco and carne asada taco.
    David F.

    The food menu was pretty large. From cheap to high price range. The service received was fast and efficient. I went around 6pm on a weekday (Wednesday) and there was virtually no wait or crowd. It is a new taco shop with a small indoor and medium sized outdoor vibe. I grabbed the birria taco. The meat was tender and fresh. Great spot for a quick grab and go or pre round get together before a grand escape.

    Soda fountain options
    Nayoun K.

    I've been eagerly waiting for this spot to open as we live just a couple blocks away. The highlight is definitely the salsa bar for me. Tons of fresh options, even including grilled onions & chilies, pickled peppers, radishes, and an incredible orange sauce similar to cotixans/vallartas before they watered theirs down. We came for an early lunch and tried the bacon sausage hashbrown breakfast burrito and two tacos. The burrito was on the smaller side but overall delicious as the flour tortilla was fantastic. The al pastor had good flavor, texture is more on the crumbly small pieces side, but the pineapple was too soft like it might have come from a can. The carnitas is cubed chunks, the soft and juicy type rather than shredded and crispy, so I would skip that one. They have a beer & wine license, so I will definitely be back for happy hour ($5 beers between 3-6pm every day) to try more of their menu. Prices are pretty steep at $5 a taco and $16 for burritos, but the quality of ingredients is high. Liked the open layout so that I was able to bring my dog and be at one of the street tables.

    birria
    Danielle S.

    Came to Taco Centro because someone in our group said it was good. We thought the tacos were just okay. We ordered carne asada, al pastor and birria tacos. There was nothing wow about these tacos. The birria wasn't as flavorful and tasty as other places we've had birria. Not bold in flavor and it was weired to us that they put beans inside the tacos. They also forgot to give us the consume for the tacos so we had to go back to the counter to ask for it. Their salsa bar is good as it provides a variety of salsas and condiments. I think that was one of the best things at the restaurant. The restaurant is not very big, it has a small bar on one side with tables inside and bar stools outside.

    Sarah T.

    Hell. Yes. These tacos were ridiculous. Full disclosure: I'm a Northern CA girl that just happens to spend a fair amount of time in SD. There are so many good eats in Little Italy, of which I've tried several. But seeing this new taco place pop up near many of my faves, we knew we had to give it a try. Service was really friendly -- order at the counter, grab a table, some salsa and goods, and your food will be out to you in short order. The salsas and sauces were unreal-- we grabbed a few tacos to taste a variety and had to stop ourselves from ordering more bc it was just supposed to be a snack. Loved all of them -- and each was unique. Highly recommend.

    Gerald P.

    Happy New Year!! Best place to get Birria Ramen is this place right in Kettner Blvd in Little Italy! So so good!! So tasty! Not too salty! Slow cooked for five hours. Yummm! I love open-air eating area. Relaxing to eat...

    Street view
    Mac B.

    New location for Taco Centro on the far end of Kettner in Little Italy. The Al Pastor was great and I liked the Carne Asada, but places like The Taco Stand, La Perla #3, and Vallarta Express have better Carne Asada. Love the options when it comes to the salsa and Agua fresco and the space is open and beautiful to enjoy a sunny day in San Diego.

    Chicken Quesadilla
    MzzWells W.

    An amazing Chicken Quesadilla was made for me today...one of the best I've ever had. I will have to take my family for taco night .

    MEXICAN STREET CORN

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    7 months ago

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    Quixote

    Quixote

    4.0
    (681 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$$

    We're from Anaheim, CA, and drove three hours to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Since we got…read moremarried at Mission Dolores in San Francisco, we visited Mission San Juan Capistrano earlier in the day and kept our "mission/church" theme going by booking Quiote for dinner. I was pleasantly surprised to find it inside the Lafayette Hotel, absolutely gorgeous, and on the 4th of July the pool was packed and full of energy. The hotel has so many beautiful bars that we could've stayed there all day. Our 6:30p reservation was during a busy stretch, but the vibe was great. I love love love the interior design, cocktails, food, and especially that they allow dogs. Everyone was so sweet to her. Food came out fast, too. We ordered four small plates as recommended, but three would've been perfect for two people so it makes more room for dessert. They surprised us with a complimentary dessert and a personalized candle, which made the night feel extra special. I wish we could've seen the plating better because every dish came on a unique, beautiful plate. Staff was friendly and attentive throughout. Highly recommend

    Very trendy, friendly, evocative dining experience! It's located inside the Lafayette Hotel, but…read morethere's also an outside entrance to the restaurant. Beware there's only street parking, no valet service (unless you're a hotel guest), so that can present a challenge. Reservations a MUST on weekends, especially with a group. Now for the food reviews. Everything we ordered was delicious from the squash blossom and smashed tuna tartare appetizers to the El Festin platter (made for groups) . Since the main dining area is kept dark for the dramatic gothic effect, it's tricky to rely on your sense of sight for the presentation of each of the dish. The highlight for me was the chili garlic shrimp tacos. So full of flavor! The only drawback is that many of their dishes are made with nuts. So if you have a nut allergy, which one of us in our group did, the menu was limiting. Overall, it's an incredible place for first timers and out-of- towners. I might return for a special celebration, but not repeatedly. Once is good enough experience, especially with so many other special dining options in our fine city.

    Photos
    Dramatic dining space!
    Dramatic dining space!
    Chamoyada dessert, the mango sorbet was the highlight!
    Chamoyada dessert, the mango sorbet was the highlight!
    Cool and dramatic setting!

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    Cool and dramatic setting!
    Coasterra

    Coasterra

    4.0
    (4.1k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$$

    If you live in San Diego and haven't been to Coasterra yet, you absolutely have to pay it a…read morevisit--ideally before sunset in the evening. It's one of San Diego's top scenic date-night restaurants. You get to take in San Diego's night views from a unique vantage point, and the scenery is breathtaking. Boasting unbeatable ocean views, the restaurant faces straight toward the downtown skyline and the Coronado Bridge. Sunset hour offers incredible photo opportunities. It features a huge outdoor terrace with fire pits and refreshing ocean breezes, making it perfect for watching sunsets, snapping photos, or romantic dates. The weather wasn't ideal the day I went, and I arrived a little late, so I missed the sunset glow, but I still had an amazing experience overall. The menu centers on modern Mexican cuisine and fresh seafood. Must-orders include table-side guacamole made fresh right at your table, ceviche and aguachile with ultra-fresh seafood, fish and shrimp tacos, as well as Mexican paella meant to share for two. Their fried cauliflower appetizer was also outstanding! The bill came out to around $55 per person, and it's totally worth the price given the stunning surroundings. I highly recommend it for anniversaries or anyone chasing one of San Diego's most gorgeous sunsets. It's also a fantastic spot to bring friends and impress them!

    I am a huge fan of all of the Cohn restaurants. Coasterra is one of the only ones in San Diego that…read moreI had never experienced until now. So I was very excited to see what this place had to offer. Celebrated my daughter's 19th birthday here this week, and to be honest, I was not impressed. The location and views from this place are unmatched. Tons of covered patio seating with a breathtaking view of the downtown skyline. As for the food, it was just ok. It was mostly mexican seafood, but there was a good mix of other items like steak and a wagu burger. Everything was served hot and fresh, but in my honest opinion, everything just lacked flavor. Everything I tasted was just bland, and I tasted a little bit of all of my family's meals. But everyone agreed. Maybe we are just spoiled with San Diego Mexican food. My biggest complaint of the night was the service. Our waiter started off well. He took our drink orders and when he returned, asked if we wanted to get appetizers started, which we did. Our appetizers came out and were finished and we still had not seen our server to order our main dinner. This continued to be the issue all night, we were constantly looking and waiting for our server. There were other servers that came around and filled our drinks and took our plates, and they were great! But we really didn't see our main server most of the night. And one of the times that we did walk by, my daughter asked for a new glass of water because she had dropped food into the glass. He took the glass and never came back. I ended up giving my daughter my water. I did notice that the servers at the other tables were awesome. They were attentive, and we constantly saw them checking on their guest. And like I said, we are fans of all of the Cohn restaurants we have dined at before, so the level of service we received is not typical. Maybe our server was new??? I will say, this is not a cheap place to eat. My family of 5 spent almost $240 and that was with no alcohol or desserts. So you would expect to receive a high level of service. Other than the ambience, our experience was just ok. I would highly recommend the restaurants next door, which are owned by the same owner, and have never disappointed us in quality and/or service (Island Prime or C-Level).

    Photos
    Skyline & bay views
    Skyline & bay views
    View from patio
    View from patio
    Main dining room

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    Main dining room
    Oscars Mexican Seafood

    Oscars Mexican Seafood

    4.2
    (2.2k reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    I can't wait to go again!! Oscar's was amazing, best seafood tacos I've tried…read more The restaurant is a bit small and had limited seating, so we ended up eating outside, but it was a beautiful day. I tried the tacos especial (fish, shrimp, scallops) and grilled octopus and they were both amazing! I would get 2 tacos or 3 if you're really hungry.

    First time trying Oscar's, which came highly recommended by a friend. We just wanted takeout so I…read morewas happy to see they offer online ordering for pickup. I ordered 2 battered fish taco and selected 3 salsa options (pink, green, red), but I think only the red was included + white sauce (not sure what it is). This made me wonder why asked customer to select if they aren't actually gonna include it. If that's the case, it should be made clear at pickup so customers know to pack it themselves, especially for first-time customer like me. Fish taco wasn't as crispy as expected (unlike kiko's) and would probably taste better if it comes with the salsa sauce. I also got ceviche mixto to try both fish and shrimp, but honestly the fish was the highlight. I actually put in the note to request more fish ratio than shrimp, but i instead received more shrimp than fish. Next time I'd just order the fish ceviche on its own. Food is ok in general, but the online ordering experience definitely left a bad taste in my mouth

    Photos
    Inside | IG:@socalsnomnoms
    Inside | IG:@socalsnomnoms
    Battered Fish Taco
    Battered Fish Taco
    Fish stew

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    Fish stew
    California Burritos

    California Burritos

    4.3
    (1.4k reviews)
    4.7 mi
    $$

    Overview: very quick and friendly service, yummy California Burrito according to my bf…read more ---- We placed an order through the phone for a California Burrito ($13.90) and a Fish Taco ($5.50) and they said it would be ready in 5 minutes! We left right away to pick up the food and sure enough it was ready waiting for our arrival. One quick drive back home to dig in and the aroma was so enticing. California Burritos is very apt for their name, my bf rates it a 10/10. As a California Burrito connoisseur, he liked the addition of sour cream in it and said the flavors were delicious. He topped it with their green salsa for a little bit of a freshness to cut through the richness and fattiness of the meat and fries in the burrito. He didn't care for the fish taco that much and rated it a 4/10 but said the restaurant overall was a 10/10, as he thought there was too much lettuce and tomato throwing off the ratio of the taco. I, on the other hand, am a huge fan of veggies and liked the ample amount they provided. ---- There's a couple benches outside in front of the shop and seating at booth tables inside as well. It's a bit smaller to sit inside, I recommend sitting outside to enjoy the fresh air and the sunset is beautiful. ---- Overall: if you're in the mood for California Burritos come to the place rightly named California Burritos!

    They do things a little different at this place. The California had guacamole and sour cream. Makes…read moreit more like a carne asada burrito adding fries. That said, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this burrito. It's large, filling, but their sauce had an almost artificial red color to it. Despite the weird look of the sauce, it had decent spice, wasn't overwhelming but wasn't weak either. Parking is very difficult here, and seating is limited. It's a small tack shop style place, made more for to-go orders. Service was fast and friendly. Their horchata is where they really lose a star, it's from a fountain and tastes like it, watered down artificial flavor. However you don't come here for the drinks, you come here for the large tasty California Burritos, hence the name. They've definitely won me over and I'll be back when in the area. That's this critic's review, until next time, I'll be eating.

    Photos
    California Burritos
    Sausage, Eggs, Cheese, and Potatoes Burrito
    Sausage, Eggs, Cheese, and Potatoes Burrito
    California Burritos

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    Puesto at the Headquarters

    Puesto at the Headquarters

    4.1
    (5.7k reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Private events

    The name might be Puesto but the food was PRESTO!!…read more Never been here before but I will ABSOLUTELY return in the future. From start to finish, everything was wonderful and I will NEVER forget my experience. We were met immediately with great service as well as continuing to receive it from every member of staff including our lovely server. Every other member that brought out our food & drinks was just as delightful. The weather was perfect to be seated outdoors in their patio, it matched the relaxing and enjoyable vibe we had. The food, I mean, the FOOD was undeniably delicious and full of flavor. I've literally never had a better taco anywhere else. The Al pastor was exceptionally juicy and tasteful and I'm so glad I went with my go to because it's a meal I'll never forget. The Agua Fresca were so refreshing too, sweet but not overly sweet, just the right balance. Overall, I have another new favorite when I come back out again.

    * catching up on old backlogged drafts so this review may be a bit out of date…read more Booked a big group dinner here as they had lots of spacious seating. We were split into two tables outside. Overall the experience was pretty underwhelming. The food was not very flavorful - it wasn't authentic Mexican food or even good California fusion Mexican food. There are so many better Mexican restaurants in San Diego, it was disappointing to have wasted a meal here. I believe it's a chain so not sure if the other locations are better as I've only tried this one.

    Photos
    Ribeye Taco
    Ribeye Taco
    Puesto at the Headquarters
    Puesto at the Headquarters

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    Taco Centro - mexican - Updated July 2026

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