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    The Taco Stand

    4.3 (1.6k reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    THE TACO STAND ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - The Taco Stand

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    Emily P.

    waited around 25 mins for my food, best to order online and pickup! quesadilla is huge and can probably serve 2 people. it's very cheesy but overpowers the al pastor unfortunately Al pastor tacos are amazing! not dry and has a good amount of meat There are some tables inside and also outside, but it got full quickly during lunch time

    Sharon B.

    Fun little taco restaurant in the San Diego downtown area. There's free street parking right outside that we were lucky though to snag. It's a small restaurant but there's plenty of seating inside and out front. Giselle took our orders and was great at recommending their favorites to us. The tacos were large and prices were very reasonable. Ordered the carne asada and the camaron tacos this time. Orders are made to order. Delicious! We will be back when we're in the area again.

    Menu
    Cecilia B.

    We ordered the California burrito and fish taco. The meat was perfect, not chewy at all. The flavors combined real well. The burrito was big enough for two people to share. The salsa selection was decent. The fish taco was okay but I would not order again. Feel like the fish had a fishy taste if you know what I mean. They have Diet Coke They make fresh tortillas I would definitely come back and re-order the burrito and try other tacos.

    Secret Menu
    Winston L.

    The Taco Stand in La Jolla was one of the best taco experiences I've had in my life, so we had to check out this location in San Diego. This location does not disappoint. We went twice last week. Once on a Wednesday night as dinner for the kids. There was about a 15 minute wait as most ingredients are made to order - fresh corn tortillas and grilled meats. While we waited, we watched the chefs make our food. Upbeat music was playing and the employees were having fun. Kids had trouble finishing their tacos even after me taking my obligatory dad tax. Friday morning, we stopped in as they were opening. It took them a while to get started prepping meats, so unless your order was egg based, you'll have to wait a bit. We waited about 25 minutes being the first customer to get our order in. The food? You have to get their tacos. The fresh corn tortillas, large portions of taco filling, and the plethora of salsa options makes for a very memorable and customizable dining experience. I will usually get some combination of Baja (fried fish), Asada, Camaron, Pollo, and Al Pastor. I don't think you can go wrong with the tacos. They are on the bigger side, so I think most people would be happy with 2-3 for a meal. One item that I thought was just ok was the Pollo Ranchero Burrito. By going burrito instead of taco, you lose out on fresh corn tortillas and get a premade large wheat tortilla. The chicken is the same as the taco - well seasoned with really good char-grilled flavor. The other things were fine - rice, refried beans. I believe there is a convenience factor in just having everything in one wrap, but this burrito was a bit flimsy and a bit of a risk if you're eating it on the go. The TLDR version is come here, eat their tacos, be happy.

    Emily G.

    Been to a couple of their other locations in SD area but not this one. Cashier was friendly. There's slightly more indoor seating here than the other locations as well as outdoor seating too! Came around 11:45 on a weekday right before the lunch rush so only waited about 10 mins for the food to be prepared. Like their other locations, my tacos had a generous amount of meat. My go-to is carne asada, al pastor, and pollo asado which were juicy and flavorful. Salsa station in the back was convenient and clean. 3 tacos for $13 and was such a filling lunch, couldn't ask for anything more satisfying !!

    In my MAR Y TIERRA BURRITO
    Darlene N.

    I love The Taco Stand everywhere and ANYWHERE ELSE other than the downtown location. I accidentally ordered to this location instead my go-to in North Park and was readily reminded of why I avoid this location at all costs. The service is rushed in how they interact with customers, how they prepare your order and evidently with this visit, in how they prepare their ingredients as well. I ordered 3 burritos via online ordering. Came in 20minutes past my expected ready time and still had to wait another 20min onsite. The wait wouldn't have been as irksome if not for the fact that every burrito was hurriedly "wrapped" in foil with bits and pieces exposed due to sloppy wrapping of each burrito. And to top it off, one burrito had pieces of avocado skin WITH THE STICKER and all inside. I was instantly so grossed out at the thought of how carelessly they are preparing their food at this location. Highly recommend any other one of their many locations.

    Fresh Tortilla
    Volkan K.

    Food is made to order. Fresh tortillas. It is the best taco shop as a chain restaurant. It isn't "fast" food at all in all honesty it took 20 minutes in line 25 minutes for the food but was perfect time to catch up with family. The food is delicious, grilled chicken to a was great, the fish taco was burnt a little so didn't like that. The steak taco was great. It has about 4 tables outside and a small bar to sit inside. The team works like a well oiled machine. You can watch them cook and make all the tortillas from scratch

    CARNE ASADA TACO, AL PASTOR TACO, CAMARON TACO
    Thomas K.

    Delicious tacos. Not too much seating indoors so it might be good to take it to go. We enjoyed the asada and camaron tacos the best. Would recommend

    Stacey W.

    Of all the taco places we tried while on our visit to San Diego, this one was my favorite. They have a salsa bar with a hood wide variety, the also have pickled onions and carrots. The salsa variety here was great and I really enjoyed the salsa verde they had here. We ordered a variety of tacos and burritos to try as well as a bag of chips. It was a legit sized bag of chips that was quite large. They had run out of the cactus tacos which we had wanted to try. All in all a great place for tacos and this one stands out from the others for the salsa bar.

    San Diego Airport new terminal
    Sean O.

    Shockingly good chorizo burrito. Cheese on tortilla grilled in and crispy. Salsa was nice and hot for the habanero, but not overpowering. I highly recommend giving this place a try on your next trip.

    CARNE ASADA BURRITO
    Areeba Z.

    I got the carne asada burrito. It was a little loosely packed and soggy by the time I ate it, but boy those flavours did not disappoint. The carne asada is the bomb. Get it! With all toppings!

    Trinh T.

    The Taco Stand is a fast casual Mexican restaurant in Terminal 1 in the San Diego airport. It was a great location to enjoy real Mexican food while waiting for a connecting flight. My Overall Rating - 4 Stars (Atmosphere, Service, Food, Return) Atmosphere - The Taco Stand is one of many restaurants in Terminal 1 of San Diego airport. There really isn't much of an atmosphere, because you're in an airport. You can see the workers preparing your order. There's also lots of seating throughout the terminal, but you'll have to look for a free seat or table as there's no dedicated seating for Taco Stand. 1/2 Star. Service - You order at a kiosk. At first, I thought it would lead to long lines, but after standing in line and observing people ordering, I realized it was a faster more efficient way to order. A dedicated Taco Stand server checks the orders, assembles them, then calls out the next name. It's fast and efficient. 1 Star. Food - I was drawn to The Taco Stand because the menu items were more Mexican than Tex Mex (I get lots of this in Texas). While Taco is in the name, I ordered a Carne Asada burrito and chips with guac. First, the guac was made fresh. The avocados were ripe and creamy, but they also a little bland. It could have used more seasoning, but the generous portions of tortilla chips were salty enough to add some more sabor. And the burrito? It was huge. I asked Taco Stand to cut it in half (option in the kiosk). Thank goodness I did, because I got to experience the beautiful cross section of grilled tender carne asada and rice. It was super fresh, big, and I couldn't finish it. 1 1/2 Star. Will I Return? - Yes. There are several food options at Terminal 1, but none of them were of interest to me except the Taco Stand. On my next layover, I'll be back. 1 Star.

    Menu
    LuCy t.

    Taco Stand was amazing and lived up to its hype. We ordered the Al Pastor burrito and their newest Secret Menu item which was the Mar Y Tierra taco (surf & turf taco on a flour tortilla). The salsa bar was great and had pickled red onions that were seasoned. Really enjoyed that along with the fresh pico de gallo and the creamy cilantro salsa. Saw someone order an elote and regret not ordering it, or the horchata since it was unlimited refills. So happy to know there's a Taco Stand in Costa Mesa! Will def visit that when we get back home. Next Morning update: still thinking about my dinner last night... *drool*

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    29 days ago

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    1 month ago

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    1 month ago

    This is definitely one of the best burritos I've had I go all the time, everything about this place is amazing.

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    11 hours ago

    Great food. Great people. Great service. This is coming from a very picky Mexican that grew up in a Mexican family restaurant.

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    The Taco Stand Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Taco Stand

    Are there still gluten free options safe for celiac?

    You should call them to confirm, but they should have quite a few gluten free options. Their standard taco is made with fresh corn tortillas made to order. However, the burritos looked like they were all made with a large pre-made wheat tortilla.

    How many tacos per order?

    You order the tacos individually. One per order

    Do they have a Taco Tuesday deal?

    They do not

    Is there a long line?

    There was nobody in line when we were there.

    View All 6 Questions

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    Quixote

    Quixote

    4.0
    (677 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$$

    Loved it here. Things to note 1. Parking is bad so plan…read moreaccordingly and be prepared to walk a block or 2 to get to the restaurant 2. It is very dark in here. I had to take photos in night mode so it looks a lot brighter than it actually is. If you are going with someone older or who has trouble seeing in the dark, they are not gonna see anything lol 3. I heard reservations were required months out but i went in the same day. It was the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend around lunch time but they took walk ins left and right so maybe just dinner is what needs to be booked in advance? The decor was immaculate and everything that came out was delicious and it came out very fast. It is connected to the Lafayette hotel which has the jungle room, bowling alley, pool and multiple bars. You can easily spend the day here. Mmmm not if you have kids though. 10/10 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
    (4k reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$$

    Delicious food, great view, and wonderful hospitality!…read more On our last evening in San Diego, we went to Coasterra to wrap up our vacation there. This restaurant came highly recommended by major Visit San Diego websites, and we felt we should give it a try. Located right next to the water, the restaurant offers expansive view of the harbor and the San Diego skyline. Sitting is about 50/50 indoor vs. outdoor, and we chose the indoor sitting as it tended to get colder in the evening. Parking is available out front, but we took Lyft there. We came in around Happy Hour, and we were able to score two appetizers for $11 each. We got fried calamari and fish cervice as appetizers. For entree, we had the fish tacos and scallops. Both of the appetizers were excellent, and the cervice was so light and flavorful. My husband loved his scallop entree, and the taste and presentation were original and outstanding. My fish taco was enjoyable as well. For dessert, we had fresh churro that was paired with ice cream, which was excellent as well. Our meal came to $143 with taxes, which was a very good value with the quality and services offered. Our waiter was attentive and friendly, which made us felt right at home. As for the ambiance, it felt modern and relaxed. There were diverse customers from locals, tourists, and business people. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience and we will return.

    We discover a gem. Our server Case is a 10 star server in a 5 star rating system. The atmosphere…read morewas all of the 5 stars. The table side guacamole was all five stars. The main courses we ordered we not what our taste buds were looking for. The flan ( Yes, the flan ) was the best flan I have ever consumed. As dense as a cheese cake and coconut flavors of the islands. We lookd forward to giving the place another go because of the Service, the Atmosphere, and the guacamole. We hear happy hour on a week day is the best time to indulge.

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

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    Main dining room
    Puesto at the Headquarters

    Puesto at the Headquarters

    4.1
    (5.6k reviews)
    0.8 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.

    We had dinner at Puesto at The Headquarters and overall had a very enjoyable experience. Audrey was…read moreour server, and she was friendly, attentive, and helpful throughout the meal. Our table tried an assortment of tacos, and there wasn't a bad one among them. The Tamarindo Shrimp Taco ($12) was especially memorable--crispy and packed with flavor. The Surf & Turf Taco ($15) was another standout, with tender filet mignon, shrimp, and plenty of bold flavors. The Special Taco USA Smash Burger ($10) was a fun twist, featuring a flavorful sauce with just the right amount of heat. The Chicken Al Pastor Taco ($10) was hot, tasty, and exactly what we expected. One person ordered the Chicken Suiza Enchiladas ($32), which featured two generously sized enchiladas topped with chile verde sauce and served with a fresh salad. We also shared sides of herb lime rice ($6) and black beans ($6), both of which were delicious. The atmosphere and location are great, and Audrey's service made the evening even better. While the food was very good and beautifully prepared, the prices are on the high side for Mexican food, which keeps this from being a full five-star experience. Still, we'd happily return the next time we're in downtown San Diego.

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

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    The Taco Stand - mexican - Updated June 2026

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