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The Taco Stand serves incredible tacos just up the street from the beach, and that perfectly captures what makes SoCal such an amazing place to live. We tried almost every taco and the standouts were the Baja and Sonora. The fish in the Baja was perfectly fried. It tasted so fresh and airy. The steak in the Sonora was fatty deliciousness and the melted cheese brought things to another level. We waited in line for 30 min and close to another 10 min for our food to come out. The long wait made our expectations even higher than they already were, but the food still managed to impress us. I highly recommend The Taco Stand! Can't wait to come back!
I saw a long line at this restaurant 2 years ago and figured it was worth a try. I visited The Taco Stand recently and was honestly a little underwhelmed. The restaurant was small but very lively. There is limited seating inside and out. You can see the whole staff hustling and bustling. They have a soda dispenser and self serve condiment bar in the back. It gets congested quick back there. The decor is fun and colorful. Overall, the inside is small but inviting. I ordered a bean and cheese burrito, 2 tacos de carne asada, one Al pastor taco, and a taco de nopales. The tortillas are hand made. That's always a plus. The nopales taco was cold. I was hoping that it would have been grilled because grilled nopales are fire. The nopales happened to be my least favorite item that I tried. The Al pastor lacked flavor. I also thought it needed to be cooked a little longer. It wasn't under cooked but needed more time. It came with sliced pineapples but it was barely drained and the juices made the taco very wet and sweet. The al pastor taco and nopales taco was served with their cilantro lime dressing which was flavorful. The bean and cheese burrito was good and hearty. It paired well with their chipotle sauce. The carne asada tacos were the best. The carne asada was rich in flavor and the meat was cut into good sized pieces. Served with a good helping of guac and cilantro and onions. A little messy but it was a hit. The churros are good. Good size and seasoning and not overly oily. Overall, I would revisit The Taco Stand. The tacos I would order them basic as possible. Just meat and cilantro onion toppings while adding the sauce myself. If the tacos weren't messy I'd give it a higher rating. One thing that caught my eye were the asada fries. Those looked good.
As my first visit to SD in a long, long time, I felt it was necessary to visit one of the most iconic stops in the city! We have The Taco Stand in Las Vegas, but there is truly something special about getting delicious tacos by the water. The wait could get very tedious. The line wraps around the building into the parking lot with cars pulling in & out. You also wait a bit for your food. Compared to the location here in Vegas where I could be in and out in 5 minutes, spending nearly an hour standing around is less than ideal on a trip :/ But....... the food is unfortunately very very delicious. AND THE CHURROS! so yummy and sweet. My favorite is the Baja Taco. An absolute gem.
I'll start out by saying the line is always long at this place... but I can confirm.. that it is SO worth the wait. Once you order your food you don't wait more than 10-12 minutes, even with how packed it is. Workers are friendly, seating area available inside and out, and the food it to die for. The pastor tacos were the winner for me and my boyfriend, with the carne asada being a CLOSE second. The juiciness and sauce on the pastor was crazy. The guac on the asada was also so delicious. All in all, PLEASE TRY IT!!
Decided to try the taco stand on a Saturday morning after a walk in downtown La Jolla. The spot can be a little walk from the downtown. The spot was busy in the morning so recommended getting there early. The service was speedy. My burrito was good though it could use a little more flavor. The salsa bar had plenty of salsa options depending on the spice palate. The prices are good for the portions. Overall a good experience!
Tasty tasty tacos that took about an hour to get. Self serve salsa and toppings bar which is awesome, the different sauces all added something yummy. Had the fish and beef taco which were so much better than a few other places during my trip. My complaint mostly is the wait. I get it, we came on a Saturday but the line barely budged, although when you're inside you can see they're producing tacos and packing them really quickly so what it looks like is they're doing a lot of mobile orders in between standing customers which to me isn't great. Maybe turn off mobile ordering on busy days and treat the people waiting in line first?
the taco stand: they have a few locations down in oc and sd, but we went to the la jolla one. i rlly liked the tortillas and they pack her up!! it is like $4 for a taco but def worth it. meats were juicy and tender + they have a sauce bar in the back w unlimited sauce, pickled onions, and pico de gallo. i def wanna come back for their cali burrito bc ive seen so many videos abt it. warning tho, seating is limited inside and no bathrooms. service was efficient but come early bc lines can get long.
Went on a Sunday around dinner time and this place was POPPING. We ordered online for pickup and still had to wait about 15 minutes when we got there, but honestly good thing we did because the line to order was literally out the door and down the block. The workers were BUSY. Not a ton of seating inside, but we just took our food to the beach and had a mini picnic, which made it way better anyway. They also have a self-serve sauce bar, which I always appreciate. We got carne asada tacos, al pastor tacos, and carne asada fries. The carne asada was solid. Good flavor, decent sized pieces, not dry or chewy, actually pretty tender. The al pastor was kinda underwhelming though. A little dry and just didn't hit the same (flavor-wise). Also not a huge fan of raw onions and they cut them pretty big, so it was a bit overpowering. The fries were really good texture wise, and the steak was just as good as the tacos. Only thing is the nacho sauce on top was a bit much for me. Made everything kinda soggy toward the end. One thing I will say, they are VERY generous with the guac, and it actually tasted really good too. But I still can't get over the price... ~$5 per taco is kinda crazy. I get that they load them up, but still.
3.5 The small restaurant had a long line that moved quickly. Even the wait for the food after ordering was not long. I had the mushroom/vegan taco. The tortilla was great. The mushrooms were sautéed with garlic and were flavorful. What was missing was the spices and freshness of a sea side taco stand. There was a bit of cilantro and a dollop of avocado - but no salsa nor chili powder. I didn't mind the messiness of the presentation. Overall a solid taco choice.
This was a taco stand alright because we spent most of our time standing and waiting. That being said, the food tasted so good that it was almost worth it. The parking lot is pretty tiny--especially considering how it's shared by several restaurants. We must have come at the right time though because one spot actually opened up right when we got there! The line never let up the entire time I was there even though it was already well past lunch time on a weekday when we arrived. I think we waited for about an hour before even taking our order. There was plenty of seating both inside and out, but there were just so many people that not everyone had a seat. Not only that, but many of the people who were sitting were still waiting for their food. After ordering, I think we waited another 30 minutes for the food to be done too. Luckily, some people left and we were able to take their seats before the food was done. The entire menu looked really interesting and yummy, so it was hard to make a decision. There was a small fridge by the doorway that was full of alcohol and soda in glass bottles. They even had churros being fried right next to the register! I ended up going with three soft tacos--baja, carne asada, and al pastor. Each taco was loaded with plenty of things already, but there was also a sizeable sauce/salsa/topping bar in the back to get even more! The tacos were all a pretty good size. They were packed with flavor and cooked perfectly. The fish in the baja taco was especially delicious. The fish was fried to perfection It's too bad that this place is so far away from where I live. If I lived nearby, then I would try to find the slow hours and then go all the time!
This is hands-down the best tacos ever. They make their corn tortillas fresh in-house, the meats are deliciously grilled, and their unlimited salsa bar is filled with delicious pico de gallo, salsas, limes and pickled onions. Although it does take some time when it's busy to get your food, it is so so worth it. There is plenty of street parking a few blocks down by the neighborhoods. The service is fast and the atmosphere bustling. Only bad thing I can say is there is not bathroom. The tacos are the best I've ever had in the States though, so full of fillings and fresh! The steak and shrimp fries are also delicious and the burritos are highly recommended as well.
Ok, so... the wait on a Saturday is long. It doesn't get shorter in the afternoon or weird hours between lunch and dinner. Long. There's another wait for salsas and soda. Then, there's the wait for food. It's also long. Seating is sparse. Vegetarian review: mushroom taco was ok. Filled to the brim though, with mushrooms and topped with a fair amount of avocado. It just wasn't very flavorful. Chips and guac: chips were good. Guac was ok. Churros: these were good. You get 3 of them along with some condensed milk. Crispy outside, chewy inside, lots of cinnamon and sugar. Salsas were pretty good. Parking was not too bad.
Stopped by here for a weeknight dinner with friends who were in town. The line was wild for a random weeknight however it was definitely worth the wait! I got one carne asada taco, one adobada taco, and shared the mar y tierra fries with friends. As always, taco stand delivers great taste and great quality. I will definitely be back again (either here or any of their other locations!) read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
I always look forward to getting Taco stand every time we visit! We love the Vulcans and pollo asada tacos! read more
2 years ago
Stopped by while in town and loved it. The restaurant is small but really cute. You can watch them make the fresh tortillas, which are delicious. We placed our order at the counter and it was ready pretty quickly. They have salsa bar in the back with some really tasty options. We got a Baja taco, Camaron Taco, and Al Pastor Burrito. The fish in the Baja taco was huge and really light. The shrimp taco has amazing flavor and was so juicy. The burrito was massive and delicious, stuffed with al pastor. Would love to come back and try everything! read more
2 years ago
BEST TACOS EVER!!! Can not express enough how much I love this local joint First time I had I couldn't imagine not coming back again and again 100% recommend anything on their simple, yet exquisite menus read more
3 years ago
We took a random trip to La Jolla and came across The Taco Stand. It is a small stand with a long line, so I definitely had to see what the hype was about. The line went fast and we were ready to order when we got to the front counter. The stand was small but cute. It had loteria decor and indoor and outdoor seating. We ordered the Baja taco, bean and cheese burrito, 2 California burritos, carne asada fries, horchata, and churros. It was all under $60. The food is all hand made including delicious handmade tortillas. I would definitely recommend. read more
YES YES YES YES - line is worth it - parking is fine on parallel streets - guys working are always nice and patient - prices are perfect - cute indoors, very cozy lol - busy environment - seating can be a bit tough but not impossible - EVERYTHING TASTES SO GOOD - shrimp taco is the best thing ever read more
Made this our pit stop on our way back to San Diego from our trip to Disney. We pulled up and saw the long line but parking across the street was easy to find. The line is long because each order is made fresh and to order only. Beware the line for salsa and condiments is long inside too. People get antsy in the line and you almost feel pressured to hurry up and get salsa and condiments which can be difficult, especially when you're trying to get enough for a large order for 6 people. But this place cranks out the food and it's definitely worth the wait. The Shrimp tacos were my fave. They grilled the cheese on grill and then put directly on the tortilla so it's nice and crispy but still cheesy. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and not over cooked. Toppings were fresh and delicious. The carne asada was just as delicious. The meat was cubes into the perfect sizes. The al pastor is authentic as it gets. The elote was one of the best I've had in a long time too. Cooked to perfection and the not stingy with the topping. Definitely see why this place is popping. The food is fresh, delicious and everything you'd want in tacos. Also had the carne a safe fries (not pictured) and I was amazed at how much I loved those too. The fries stayed crispy, they had nacho cheese, shredded cheese and all the toppings. Perfect in every bite. read more
2 years ago
First time here today and you can tell right away that it's a spot to go to. There's a line to order so you know people love the place. Service is efficient. Food is great. I ordered their grilled mahi taco and the tortilla was made fresh in the store. Location is in downtown La Jolla. It's very casual dining. It can get crowded inside but customers politely wait in line for drinks and condiments. They have one in Laguna Beach / Dana Point area closer to home. Hopefully the same experience next time we go. read more
Omg I came back for the churros and THEY WERE SO AMAZING!!!!! So fresh and fluffy and warm and melts in ur mouth. Love the sweetened condensed milk on the side to dip them in. Perfect end to a delicious meal of my fav tacos: camaron, Baja, and Al pastor. Found out they do breakfast burritos in the morning too!! Will have to come back yet again to try that next time. read more
My sister's husband had told me about this place. Surprised I have not heard of the Taco Stand before or their other locations (8 total in 3 states with 4 in San Diego) I arrived right when they opened, only 2 people ahead of me, ordering was fast but food took about 23 minutes to come out. Not sure if everything was made fresh to order or what but it was well worth the wait. Can't imagine when it is lunch time and a long line down the road how quickly one could be in and out which I doubt would happen. Ordered the Al Pastor taco, Carne Asada taco, Baja taco, and Pollo Asado taco. The tortillas were thin and flavorful, some of the best tortillas I have had in San Diego. For sure will try the other locations as well to compare. read more
2 years ago
The Taco Stand is the heart and soul of a San Diego fish taco located in Encinitas, CA. There is a variety of fish, vegetable, meat and seafood options available for an amazing taco, leading with a classic Baja and going into a lot of creative options The Taco Stand has to offer. There are many great sides and other dishes The Taco Stand offers in addition to classic tacos and seafood specialities. Service is fast and efficient. Prices are great. Tacos are awesome. Food: 4.5 stars Vibe: 4 stars Service: 4 stars Tips: Plenty of street parking is available Always busy Good efficient service Inexpensive Classic San Diego Taco read more
2 years ago
These are my favorite tacos ever! The service is so quick, the foods authentic, and the ambiance is fun and fast. read more
2 years ago
Favorite taco in California. I live in LA but sometimes I want to move to SD because of these tacos lol Highly recommend - Asada taco, Asada Fries and Shrimp burrito read more
2 years ago
Took some friends who wanted good SD Mexican food. They loved it! We went on a Friday for lunch and got lucky that the line wasn't out the door. They have limited seating inside and outside, but people typically devour the food quickly because it is so good! We got a mix of tacos and burritos. Everything was affordable with burritos being around $9-$11 and tacos about $3-$4 each. Fish burrito was my favorite Flavorful and balanced with cabbage and avocado so that it was satisfying but not heavy. California burrito and carne asada burrito were tasty too. Tacos were full of food which was great for each bite. None of the food was dry or too greasy. Salsa bar was amazing. Some things included were green salsa, hot salsa, chipotle sauce, a light green avocado crème like sauce, limes, pickled onions, and pico de gallo. read more
7 months ago
3 years ago
Awesome food, awesome service and great atmosphere! The team always in sync! Happy that we came in earlier today and missed the lunch rush! One day we will order something other than carne Asada burritos! read more
1 year ago
Had to try The Taco Stand while vacationing in La Jolla. Based upon the 4000+ reviews and 4.5 stars...seemed like a winner. Excellent experience...very good food...just be prepared for long lines and long wait. Visited on a Sunday night in the early evening...stood in line about 20 people deep and took about 15 minutes to order and about 20 minutes for the food. We tried the chips/guac, chicken burrito, and a variety of tacos (carne asada, al pastor, mushroom, spicy camaron). All food was fresh, tasty, and good value. Burrito was large and delicious...tacos were good (not amazing, but quite good). Favorites: guacamole and shrimp/camaron tacos! Overall a solid 4-star experience. Worth a try! read more
2 years ago
Very good tacos, great salsa selection! Takes a while when busy but worth the wait. Pretty standard tacos, very good pastor. I usually don't like fish tacos but they had a really good grilled one! read more
Deducting one star for the long wait, both to order and for the food. The food was delicious though! Super fresh guac, but the chips were a little stale. Enjoyed all the tacos and the churros too. Love that they have nopales as an option. Wouldn't say it's the best tacos I've had in San Diego, but definitely a nicer option. read more
Spent the weekend in La Jolla/SD and one of my first impulses when visiting a new area is...where do I eat? As a Yelp Elite, I felt the need to check out the best local cuisine out there and report out so I opened my app and started searching...The Taco Stand came up. With nearly over 4K reviews and approx 4.5 out of 5 stars, this place must be good. Ordered a total of 12 tacos: 5 Al Pastor (aka adobada), 5 Carne Asade, 2 Baja (mahi-mahi) and a Modelo Negra beer while I waited. Total time from end of the line to receiving my order was approximately a little over an hour. My thought was these tacos better be good =) Verdict: The tacos were wrapped in a yellow corn tortilla and had a very good amount of choice of protein in each one. Each taco comprised of your usual staple of onions, cilantro, tomatoes, salsa BUT these tacos included avocado and was priced in there. The meat was flavorful almost like the meats were marinated overnight and not just grilled and flavor added on (maybe they were). I don't have any pictures :( but they really don't differ dramatically than what has already been posted in the slew of pics listed in previous reviews. Each taco was around $3.5 to $4 each but felt the flavor justified the pricing. My beer was $6 but eh what the heck. I would definitely go back when I'm in the area. read more
2 years ago
YUM!!! I got the carne Adana Vulcan, fish, and spicy shrimp. The shrimp and beef tacos were my favorite. So flavorful!!! The sauce bar was a plus. Worth the wait for sure. Only downside is that there is no bathroom :') read more
3 years ago
Looked up "tacos" in the search bar and this was one of the first places to pop up and I am glad it did. I ordered four Al Pastor tacos with cheese (additional .89 per taco) and the Mar y Tierra Fries. Everything was better than I was expecting. They add pineapples into the Al Pastor tacos and it complimented them very well. As for the shrimp fries, the combination of nacho cheese, grilled shrimp and meat would have never crossed my mind, but it worked out so well. If my friends ask me where they should go for tacos in SD, I will be telling them about this place. read more
2 years ago
I've been here several times on a warm summer evening but this was the busiest I've ever seen it. I started feeling bad for the kitchen staff because they were doing their very best to keep up with the orders. But the line of customers just wouldn't stop! Of course, this only speaks to how excellent the food is. I order three items here: Sonora taco, Baja fish taco and churros. There is no other taco shop in existence that offers anything as good as the Sonora. And even if you're not in the mood for dessert, at least bring home an order of churros. Five to six minutes in the air fryer, even the next day...You'll be thanking me. And before I forget--you're welcome. read more
Wow wow wow! I am not a big Mexican food or taco eater, but this place just blew my mind. We ordered one of each taco and one of the burritos. I honestly can't pick from any of the tacos since I feel like I'm still recovering from my food coma, but they were all flavorful. The sauces were delicious as well! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
I was told that this is the original location and from my previous experience from a different location, I was hesitant that it would be the same. I ordered the camaron and al pastor taco. The camaron taco tastes the same as the other location I tried but they didn't burn the cheese at this spot. I honestly appreciate that because I like it when cheese is gooey vs it being hard like a rock. For the al pastor taco, this location puts pineapples on it. The other location didn't. The pineapple paired so well and I really enjoyed it! I came here around 10am so there wasn't a crowd. Parking is also easier to find here! Don't try parking in the lot by the store, there's only 3 non handicapped spaces. Save your time and park a block down. I would definitely come back to this specific location again! NOTE: Save your time and don't show them the Yelp check in coupon. They're not accepting it at this time! read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
The taco stand is defiantly a popular place to eat. We arrived to a line out the door! Parking can be challenging, street parking is pretty much the option. If you're in a hurry this place might not be a good spot for you. Also there's not a lot of places to sit either. Don't let the line intimidate you, it moves quickly. They also have a sauce bar that's filled with tasty sauces. With different spice level. Carne asada taco- this was one of the best tacos I've had. Everything about it was good. The meat was well flavored, the tortilla was tasty and guac tied everything together. Plus sauces and toppings like pico de gallo from the salsa bar. Al pastor - there was pineapple in the taco and cream type of a sauce too. It was also good but I like the carne asada more Churros - it takes extra time to make these as they make them when you order them, yes it's pretty good especially when you eat it right away. read more
More info about The Taco Stand
621 Pearl St
La Jolla, CA 92037
La Jolla
Directions
(858) 551-6666
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https://www.letstaco.com/location/la-jolla
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Ask the Community - The Taco Stand
Are the carne asada fries gluten free?
NO. Fries have wheat in the ingredients and are in a shared fryer. They are very accommodating for other items and happy to answer any questions. Great spot.
What is the parking situation like?
Uh, there isn't one. Parking is super tight. Go a block away, and just park on the street somewhere. If you see a spot within 2 blocks, grab it. The lot next door is for Mitch's Surf Shop (which is a great local surf shop - must visit), so they're… Read more
Do they sell deep-fried tacos? -fried the corn taco shell
Just soft shell, but they do have deep fried house made churros and chips!
Where do you park?
There is a very small parking lot shared by other restaurants and shops. You're better off finding parking on the street. We parked around the corner in a neighborhood.
Is it cash only? and do they have an atm machine?
I'm pretty sure I paid by credit card.
Is there a long wait when pre-ordered online pickup?
No just tell the restaurant workers you're here for pick up and they should have it bagged and ready to go
Is your chipotle sauce and cilantro sauce dairy free?
Hello, Both sauces contain dairy. The chipotle sauce has mayonnaise and the cilantro sauce has… Read more
Do they have vegan options?
Very limited. Cactus Taco or Bean Burrito. Not a great place for a vegan.
Do you guys offer takeout?
They do take out, but keep in mind that they don't do phone/online orders on weekends because of how crowded it gets.
Gluten free items?
Hi Karen, Our tacos are gluten free, with the exception of the Baja and Sonora. Our quesadillas… Read more
Are there any recommend times to visit during the day that's the least busy?!?
I have been there once when visiting San Diego, the family and I got there around 6pm and sat down to eat around 7:15pm. A long wait, yes! But damn was it worth the wait. We cannot wait to stand in line for a long time to eat there again! 😉
Is it safe to eat here for someone with a peanut allergy?
Be sure to let them know beforehand, but I believe you should be ok. I’m almost positive nothing in the menu contains nuts.
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The Taco Stand - foodstands - Updated July 2026
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