Great Place to go for good Mexican (fast food) in PB. Service was fast and friendly. I had the Christain Burrito which was a mix of California and Breakfast Burrito (Eggs and Crispy Bacon added in). It was good, bacon added some texture. There were only 2 salsas at the salsa "bar" and both were just ok. They did have a drive thru, small parking lot, all you can drink coca-cola mix station, and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating --- all are pretty rare in this part of PB especially on Garnet Ave. Bathrooms were locked and required a special coin. I can see this place getting a little rowdy on weekends and late nights. read more

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Great food!!! California burrito the best in town good service a lots of salsa authentic

This place is located on Garnet Ave. As with most places around here, no parking but we were at an Airbnb less than a mile away so we walked in for take out. I should have taken a picture of the menu because online they don't seem to show the complete menu and the menus posted are all old so the prices are lower than they currently are. The burrito was $12.40 but it was very large (see photo). Very good burrito. And definitely make use of the salsa dispensers. Glad we stopped in. read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - Pollo Asado Burrito - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

I knew from the moment I heard her voice at the drive through, I should've left. I've never heard a more irritated employee in my life. When I felt the weight of my California burrito.. another red flag. Way too heavy. I knew it was mostly soggy fries with minimal meat. And almost $20. Ice cold sour cream, unmelted cheese. I'm from San Diego. There is no passion and no pride in Mexican cuisine anymore. It's truly sad. When I saw the woman that took my order looking run down.. tired.. unfriendly, I should've cancelled my order. The funny thing is I was going to add to my order but she didn't open the window until my food was ready. I'm glad she didn't. The picture shows how offensive this burrito is. Would rather die than go back. read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - California Burrito - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Solid Mexican grub. They're efficient, food is tasty, portion is good and the salsas are great! They have 2 types of salsas: one red (supposedly spicier) and the other is green. I like them both. The red is tangy, creamy with a slight kick and the green adds a nice tangy saltiness. I got the adobada super nachos this time around and as usual, it's amazing. read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Everything on the menu is amazing! Great food, great service, great value! This place is a must experience!

I've been eating at Vallarta for over 25 years, and 10 years at this location. I just discovered the Christian Burrito! This burrito is the size of a small toddler... Basically, it's a California Burrito on steroids. It comes with bacon and two over easy eggs wrapped inside the burrito. Where has this been all my life!? The Philly Torta with Chicken was equally delicious. However, the onions and peppers were mostly on one half of the torta. This can be easily corrected by ensuring that the ingredients are spread evenly. The French fries are shoestring fries, like McDonald's fries. Larger fries, such as steak fries would improve this combination meal. I have been to hundreds of Taco Shops as a native San Diegan. Vallarta is hands down the best due to their large portion sizes and generous use of guacamole & sour cream. It's time to take a trip to Vallarta! read more

They're gonna make me fat. It's so fuckin good!!!!!!!! I'm in the hospital unerring it to me because I'm craving it so bad lol. Love it here! read more

My friend and I had a quite a disappointing experience at Vallarta Express Taco Shop in Pacific Beach. I will never go back for a number of reasons. Despite being the only car in the drive through this particular night our order took an eternity. After waiting outside for 25 minutes as instructed, the food never arrived as promised. Upon going inside, we endured another 15-20 minute wait. Way too long to wait for an empty taco shop. In hindsight, we now know why it was empty. The chimichanga I ordered was unappetizing, with an odd-tasting sauce I've never encountered in Mexican cuisine. I generally like all the different flavors associated with Mexican food and sauces. This was the first chimichanga sauce I've ever met that I didn't like, thanks guys. The $5.35 each potato tacos majorly lacked flavor and my friend's chile burrito was deemed disgusting. The quesadilla barely had any cheese, we might as well have been eating a tortilla. After adding two drinks because we got thirsty waiting for close to an hour for our food our bill was $60. 2 people, a taco shop drive through order, an hour wait & a $60 bill! Never again. Complaints fell on deaf ears, as the manager was always absent when we reached out starting from the first night to the last failed attempt to contact the manager days after this horrid dining experience. This pricey disappointment, bad food and the perpetually absent manager ensures we will never return. read more

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I'm obsessed with this place. Everything hits. The burritos are huge. Your food comes out super fast and quality is still there. Never had any stomach problems from this place. read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - Quesadillas - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Bf went to sleep dreaming about the burrito we door dashed that we ordered again before leaving home. This time we went to the restaurant. He got the Christian Burrito. He says you don't get many burritos that loaded with different things in the burrito. It's basically an elevated California burrito with bacon and an over easy egg. He loved it. I wanted to try something new and tried the breakfast burrito, no meat, add rice. It was missing the potatoes. I asked them to add potatoes in the burrito I already had but they trashed it instead and made a new burrito. That broke my heart. Overall, their menu items are elaborate for meat eaters. Any changes throws them off and they'll mess up. They weren't friendly about much. Didn't seem to care they messed up. I should have just stuck to the vegetarian burrito. Door dash menu is more informative than their menu on site. Menu onsite just lists their food not much details. Bf meat burritos 5/5 My vegetarian experience 3/5 Customer service is 1.5/5 Overall 3.5/5 stars, I'll round to 4 because of how great it was for the bf. read more

I've gone there and got good food if you don't mind gristle in your meat, but other times I got food here and couldn't swallow the first bite it was so expired, I used to go there quite often for a couple weeks but after the bad beef on my nachos supreme, I skip it. I sometimes pull through for a horchata, no lie, but that's all I will consume from there. Trust lost is not easily regained. read more

I honestly can't believe I am typing this, but my burrito had metal shavings in it. Absolutely disgusting. read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

I usually come here and use the drive thru which I did tonight again! My go to is the Pollo asado taco because it has tons of chicken on it which is grilled and makes me feel like it's somewhat a healthier choice. The drive-through was pretty quick tonight so didn't take too long to get my food. You can sit inside if you want they have plenty of tables and some TVs Inside. read more

I hate writing bad reviews but this is to help the owner, very bad customer service from ab older woman who works there. terrible attitude makes customers not want to order here anymore. read more

The cook in the morning is very rude, I enter the restaurant and was standing at the counter several minutes before he appeared, once he came his exact words were " what do you want" I replied I'm here to pick up a order, I was in awe by his attitude, maybe it showed on my face because his next words were what is your problem, needless to say I will never attempt to order from here again, very bad experience. read more

Sad to be writing this as I was hoping this spot would satisfy my craving for a late night burrito. I am vegetarian, so I ordered the Veggie Burrito (veggies, rice, and beans - according to the menu). The flavor was actually fine, and I was enjoying my burrito until I bit into something that was far too chewy to be a veggie... turns out there was a chunk of some kind of steak or pork. I haven't had meat in 6 years so this was a really unpleasant surprise for me. Very disappointed as I didn't feel appetized to eat the rest of the meal after this. For items that are labeled as veggie I would expect them to have more care when it comes to not accidentally slipping in a meat chunk :( Also, when we walked in I should have known things weren't going to be great because it smelled really bad in there like they needed to clean their bathrooms or something :/ There's better places for Mexican in PB. Try Rigoberto's or Oscars! (they were both closed when I was craving a late night burrito so I settled and learned my lesson unfortunately) read more

Simple, straight forward, and satisfying. Drive through took 5 minutes and my surf and turf burrito was great. For 12 dollars it ain't the cheapest burrito around but it's hefty and it'll do the job. Food: 7/10 Service: 6/10 Value: 6/10 read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

I eat here at least 3-5 times a week and tonight was the last time. Ordered a pollo asado burrito through the drive through at 1am. HUGE mistake. The chicken was so dry and overcooked I almost choked . There was almost no guacamole at all and the whole burrito was cold. I was starving and so I tried to suck it up and power through. I ate a few more bites before I decided to call it . When I rolled into the place a bit later 3(am) to ask for a refund. They refused. Claiming that they make everything fresh and that I already ate half of it. They said that they don't give refunds and that I have to call a customer service line. Acting like I'm the problem and that I should have not eaten half of it if it were so terrible. Their quality has been really off this year and the fact that they're 24/hours is the only thing that they have going for them now. Terrible customer service to not offer a real solution when your customer gets served a bad product. read more

I hate to do it but this place is garbage late night... I'm probably garbage late night to even go here The food is so sloppy, tastes like items that have been on the hot line for hours and put on a flat top. Guac is watery as if it's been on a cold line that is under health code. Enchilada tastes like a cinnamon churro with raw cheese and when you ask the staff working they say "did he put too much" and walk away with no care in the world. On to the next crap drive though or door dash order slop they give out Service, quality and upkeep is non existent in this establishment read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - Philly quesadilla?! - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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The prices here aren't cheap but you also get a large portion for the price you pay. I came back after a couple of years of being away from San Diego and the California burrito still hit the spot! For $11.05 the California burrito came with steak, fries, rice, pico de gallo, guac, sour cream, and lots of cheese. It was massive on its own and was easily split between 2 people. The steak was cooked well-done but wasn't too tough and had a nice charred flavor to it. There was a lot of rice in the burrito so I didn't taste the fries as much. I wouldn't have minded if the burrito didn't have rice because the rice was a little mushy. I couldn't come here without getting their super fries ($14.40) with steak! The container was PACKED with crispy fries and every bite had their smoky steak, guac, sour cream, and lots of cheese. They also threw in some of their salsa verde and salsa rojo with my order, although I found the salsa to be rather forgettable. The salsas aren't spicy and both of them kind of tasted the same. For a 24 hour spot with huge portions I think the quality is fair! I'd much rather eat here than a lot of other late-night options. read more

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I had the combo #5, which includes a Chile relleno and an enchilada. It might as well be called #5 plate of regret. The enchilada sauce was sweet. That really made it difficult on the palate. Now the star of the show!!! The Chile relleno. It was relleno alright but with all the seeds. It had more seeds than cheese. The cherry on top was not a cherry but rather a hot mess. The presentation was horrible. It looks like the chef was in a rush. Overall, I'm staying away from this restaurant. read more

That was the most disgusting Mexican food we have ever eaten. 2 hard tacos, rolled chicken tacos, no drinks and guacamole for $28. I would be afraid to feed my dog the slop that they served. BTW....Someone needs to tell the big guy not to use his bare hands dishing out cheese and lettuce. Yuk! read more

Carne asada fries? Or a random half half ass bag of cheese? Cost us $20.95 i am confused, are we supposed to cook ourselves? read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Not tasty, LAZY beef tacos. A piece of disgusting plain hamburger meat tucked into a corn tortilla and deep fried... does not make a beef taco! Please do better and after reading all your bad customer reviews, service needs huge improvements as well! I approached the staff about my dissatisfaction cooks included, and they just blew me off, ignored everything I had to say about the hamburger taco they sold me read more

Their carne asada tacos are tender and juicy, and the homemade tortillas are perfection! Friendly service and great value - a must-visit for taco lovers! read more

Horrible service!, horrible hygiene!, and too expensive! They were not apologetic at all! Their service just kept getting worse & worse in just a few months, but THIS was a shock after being good customers for over 15 years! Neither of us chew gum & we don't have any children, they literally spat on our food! Unacceptable and disgusting! Having an autoimmune disease, this scared the shit out of me. read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - GUM was in our food! - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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I got the California burrito with steak and a horchata. Absolutely loved the fries in the burrito, it was the crunchiest fries I ever had in a burrito and pleasantly surprised that it did not go stale. The steak however was very tough and dry. The burrito was also a bit too dry from a lack of sauces. The horchata was a little watered down and too sweet for my taste. But overall, it was a decent meal and I would try other items in the store. read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - California Burrito - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Just ate a seal from a container that was in my burrito. Not sure how much of it I already ate. Not going back there read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - Seal from container - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Decent fish taco! Son loved his chicken taco. Salsa bar was decent. I thought (green) mild was spicy, kid loves spicy food & thought it was pretty good too (better than (red) hot salsa. Has a great shaded outdoor eating area made letting the pups stretch their legs. 2 tacos, $12.12. Not bad! read more

I absolutely love this place, bless the people that work late here, they are amazing at keeping things on time and it's my go to 24hr spot, absolutely amazing food. I recommend the Adobado tacos, sorry if I didn't spell it right lol, but they are spectacular read more

Extremely lazy service, poorly wrapped burrito that was cold. Sad. Better off making something on your own for $8.

Its a 5 star because of the surf and turf burrito... OMG This is the absolute best Late at night it was served cold so beware. STILL 5 stars because of burrito and their menudo is pretty good too. read more

Worst Mexican food in San Diego and even worse service. These Assholes think it's funny to leave customers trapped in their drive through for over an hour without warning you that they're out of almost everything including carne asada and pollo asado... and that bits an hour plus weight to get through the line until you're trapped and have to wait. Avoid getting trapped in their sick drive through trap game and just don't even bother eating here. Plenty of other Mexican food paces to try that aren't POS's who will laugh at you after you're stuck in their drive through for over an hour... nope not kidding... they do that shit and don't give a FK. Don't waste your time or money with these MF'ers read more

Honestly, this was a good spot to eat at after a night out at pb! Their carnitas hit the right spot BUT BEWARE, me and my bf found multiple pieces of metal wire in our burrito and torta. Tried to give them grace after the first time, but then found multiple pieces- had to throw it away because I was terrified. I then brought the piece to the cashier and told her that I needed to let her know because that is dangerous if someone ingests it and she took it and looked at it and just laughed or specifically "oh haha" with a smile on her face. Anyways, will not be coming back here after that reaction. Try at your own risk! read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - wire in food - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

This used to be my go-to spot for a breakfast burrito. Today I received the worst burrito ever. Tortilla and ham were burned. I also asked for no salsa (trying to save them money instead of throwing out) and she even repeated, but I got salsa. I would normally just say "they were having a bad day", but when I called and told them it was burned, she demanded I come back now to get another. All the streets around my house and this place are blocked because of the Leprechaun Run, so I said I would take of it the next time and she said "no, you have to come by now." When I said I will not return, she said "OK." read more

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BOMB carne asada fries ADDICTING red/orange salsa/hot sauce Open 24/7 - hell yes Is it loud in there? Yes. Do they SCREAM numbers and orders through the loud speaker until your ears hurt? Yes However if you're trying to get the attention of tens and twenties amounts of drunk people, totally understandable lol read more

Vallarta Express - Garnet - Carne asada fries - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Vallarta's was always my go-to spot in PB after a night out at the bars back when I was in college! I typically order a chorizo breakfast burrito or a cheese quesadilla and they're both delicious. The chorizo burrito is the best, the burritos are huge and the chorizo has great flavor. The only downside is that the burrito can get veryyyyy oily. Nearly every time I go, the oil soaks through the wrapping, bag, napkins, and gets everywhere. That's the only downside I've had here at Vallarta's across the years. Highly recommend this place if you're craving some quick and solid Mexican food! They're open late and have a drive-thru which is always a plus. read more

Love this location to pick up food to enjoy on the beach! I'm a huge fan of the Vallarta chain in general, but this location offers affordable, delicious and filling food near the beach which is hard to find. Surf and Turf burrito- carne asada and steak rolled into a deliciously soft and stretchy tortilla. Plenty of steak and plenty of shrimp, a great deal! Adobada fries- skinny fries loaded with tons of adobada, sour cream, guacamole and cheese. Delicious and addicting, can't go wrong with any of the fries at Vallarta! Fish tacos- really crispy battered fish with a creamy white sauce, delicious with their green salsa! Definitely stop at this location if you're in Pacific Beach and want some legit San Diego grub to enjoy at the beach! read more

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Vallarta is always first choice for drive through Mex. Tostada Grande is freshly made, burritos are gigantic, plates are great. Love their classic refried beans, too. If it's not too hot out, try the caldo de pollo (chicken soup). Staff there is always nice. Eating outside is pleasant, thought we usually do drive through. Hope they never close! read more