Vallarta Express

Locally owned & operated

Family-owned & operated

Always wanted to try this place because of the name, seems like a good place to have a drink and…read morehang out with awesome people

My friends and I stopped by The Hills Pub for breakfast, and we definitely left happy!…read more We ordered the all-you-can-eat waffles, and let me just say--they are very much worth it! If you're a waffle lover, this is definitely something you'll want to try. I ordered the Breakfast Burger, and it was delicious! The flavor was on point and definitely worth trying. It also comes with fries, which were a great addition to the meal. And if you're a ranch lover, this is your spot! They do not disappoint when it comes to ranch. Overall, we had a great breakfast, and the food was flavorful and satisfying. Definitely a place I'd come back to!

Remodeled back yard

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Hoops

Toasted La Mesa

4.0(617 reviews)

0.3 mi

Great bottomless service, our waitress filled up my glass as I drank which was amazing lol. I…read moreordered the chicken and pancakes which all together I rate a 6.5/10. - Comes with 3 THICK pancakes and three southern fried chicken tender with "hot" syrup. - Syrup tasted like regular syrup mixed with hot sauce which I wasn't really feelin. I think it would've been better with hot honey and syrup on the side? - Again these pancakes are THICK and flavor was "meh" so you prolly won't even finish them all and you might need to ask for extra syrup (like myself) I honestly think the chicken and French toast would've been a better option and I might ask for that accommodation next time if I order the same thing (I prolly won't, I like to try new tings hehe). Overall pretty restaurant with great natural Lighting but it still needs to prove itself in the flavor department.

I was surprised by this spot!…read more Part of the Toasted Gastrobrunch group, Toasted has several other locations, including those in Imperial Beach, Oceanside and Del Mar. This particular location is a stylish, full-service restaurant. And, overall, the restaurant prices itself on its modern take on breakfast, brunch and dinner. Some of their go to items are Eggs in Purgatory, the Smoked Salmon Toast, the Stuffed French Toast and their mimosas, which change regularly (and you can get the bottomless mimosas for $25). I am a super fan of their potatoes, Eggs Benedict options and gently cooked eggs. The ambiance is cozy and cool, and even though it gets very busy, it doesn't feel crammed or overwhelming. I appreciate the attentiveness and thoughtfulness of the team here. They appear to have planned comfort over everything, because even the tables are crammed next to one another too close that you can hear your neighbor breathing. Plus, the space is bright and open with a clean and modern feel. I love that the large windows let in plenty of natural light and, when it is cooler out, a lovely breeze. Given the food, ambiance and service, it really is a perfect spot for brunch. Other food options include (and are sometimes on rotation): roasted salmon, duck tacos, short ribs, burgers and wood-fired pizzas. They also serve wine, beer and craft cocktails. They also have lots of vegetarian and gluten-free options.

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Farmer's Table

3.9(4.1k reviews)

1.0 mi

We came on a Sunday early morning 8:30am and there was plenty of seating. We also had dogs in our…read moregroup and we were accommodated in their outside patio in front of the restaurant. The service was good and our server was friendly. The inside of the restaurant is spacious, has a bar and the outside patio has plenty of seating as well. By the time we left, the patio was full and the inside was pretty full too. We ordered two sets of Omelettes (California and Ensenada) and two sets of chilaquiles (red and poblano). The food was very tasty and everyone in our group thoroughly enjoyed their meals. We were especially impressed by the poblano chilaquiles (they had a nice kick to it). Overall, we would go back.

Meh. I was a fan of the pizza joint that was in their location but that's not the reason I am not…read moreinto this place. Their menu tries too hard. The food doesn't need to be that complicated! Focus on the ingredients not making them unrecognizable. Everything I've ordered has just been okay and I got resentful when the expensive came. The ambiance is cute, the restaurant's bar is lively and fun. The service was good. The food just hasn't matched up. I've been there maybe five times and have tried and tried again, but felt the same each time.

Acai Bowl

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Oreo waffles $18 (6/1/25)

Curbside Eatery & Drinkery

3.9(471 reviews)

0.8 mi

Great place to stop by for an early weekend lunch. Since it was early, I decided to go with the…read moreAngus sliders, which were better than your average sliders. The caramelized onions and bacon jam make a huge difference and make it worth getting sliders. Heads up - if you have tots, they do have high chairs for both high top and regular tables but they don't have a kids menu.

The service can be better I wish the servers would write our orders down with the Toast device or…read morejust write it down on a note pad instead trying to taking everyone's order by memory then asking twice what did we order and then it comes out wrong. As for the food it was good. The burgers were small but not too bad of a taste. The vibe there was nice. Watching the game while eating was fun to experience. Even so the service was somewhat okay I still gave a good tip. I would order drinks at the bar instead of getting food next time.

Super clean restroom

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The Lunch Box Cafe & Deli

4.4(581 reviews)

0.7 mi

My daughter suggested we come here for the first time and boy am I glad I listened. The food was so…read morefreakin good and pricing was inexpensive. Everyone was very nice that worked there. We sat outside and it was beautiful. Absolutely will come here again!!! Sooo good!!! I ate like a baby hippo and I have no regrets!!! Worth it!

READ ENTIRE REVIEW... Service, amazing. You can tell these…read morepeople have worked there for YEARS and the customers are ones probably who've grown up going there. If you want quick, comfort food it seems the spot. I will say the potato salad has a liquid ish base to it and no other spices or veggies inside. The sandwiches lack a lot of flavor and excitement. I think this spot is perfect for a shopping center where you wanna carb up and just get with the family a quick meal. Everyone was so nice but if you're into food with flavors and spice and excitement I think it's a pass. I'd be back for some muffins at the register and a friendly waitress however.

The inside of the restaurant .

29Nov2022 Yummy !

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Entrance

Sunshine Pancake House

We just finished eating breakfast here, and it was an excellent experience from start to finish. We…read morewere seated quickly, the food was outstanding, and the service was amazing. The ambience was family friendly and welcoming. They serve Farmers Brothers coffee. If you have not tasted this coffee, you must try it. There is no bitterness to it and it's very smooth. I love when restaurants serve this brand of coffee. I ordered the vegetarian omelette. It was baked, generously portioned, incredibly filling, and absolutely delicious. My nephew had the strawberry waffle which looked very delicious. I also want to commend the entire staff for their exceptional service and hard work. They were attentive, friendly, and kept everything running smoothly throughout our visit. It's clear they take pride in providing a great experience for their guests. We will definitely be back and highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great breakfast!

Delicious pancakes, friendly staff, fresh OJ, and a great atmosphere. The staff are so attentive…read moreand there's a lot of seating. The patio is also dog friendly! (For dogs under 40 lbs). They even brought out a water bowl for her, so kind. My family visits once and month and it's a great time every time. I order the pigs in the blanket every time with a plethora of fresh syrup options. It's delicious. My wife always changes her crepe every time and they're all delightful. Fresh homemade whip cream does it every time for her.

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Sunshine omelet

La Mesa Bistro

4.1(1.1k reviews)

0.7 mi

We are regulars. We love their food. They have delicious coffee options to choose from. They also…read morehave a huge menu and good sized portions. We tend to get the same things. Our favorites are: Big breakfast- comes with coffee or OJ, bacon eggs, potatoes, choice of toast. Club sandwich with fruit - my kid said this is the best club sandwich she's ever had. Chocolate chip pancakes for my other kid. Line goes fast. Nice area to eat inside or outside. Outside is dog friendly seating too! Quick service. Kind efficient staff.

It was supposed to be great. Owned by the people who own Swammis. Well it was okay…read more We ordered a salad and a wrap. The Thai wrap was just dry chicken, tomatoes in a dry wrap with hot teriyaki sauce. Nothing a Thai about it and would not order it again. The steak on the salad had a lot of fat and while the salad was good it was har to cut the steak in the bowl provided. Would have been better on a large plate. Lots of the breakfast items loooe s great and hive hears good reviews. Maybe today was just not their day.

Main area

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Shrimp sandwich on hoagie

Casa Gabriela

4.2(867 reviews)

0.8 mi

This was our second time here, this time for brunch! We got the burrito and the queso fundido…read more OMG!! The queso fundido was sooooo amazing! I definitely want to get it again in the future. The burrito was so good as well. I was not too fond of the agave syrup drizzle as I don't like mixing sweet and savory, but if that's your thing, go for it! Eventually I only had room for the filling, so that was nice and savory. The cafe de olla was delicious as well. I REALLY commend this restaurant for not using AI graphics. The signs and menu looked like they were designed by a real designer. Great job! My only complaint was that the table next to us had an iPad kid with loud volume. I feel that restaurants should impose policies of not letting personal devices be so loud as to not bother other patrons.

We had a 6pm restaurant but still wound up having to wait until 6:15 for our table to be ready…read more Which was no big deal, because they were very busy that night and they had a nice little waiting area. The host was very nice and personable so we didn't mind waiting at all. The decor/ambiance was nice throughout. Sadly we got seated at one of the bar height tables on the patio that had EXTREMELY uncomfortable tall metal chairs that had an unusual tilt to the seats leaning down towards the back (all 3 people in our party were super uncomfortable and left with horrible back back and numb legs). So just a tip, make sure you request to sit at a normal height table, they seemed fine in comparison as far as we observed. On a positive note, our waitress was very friendly and attentive, unfortunately we were not able to change tables when we asked but we understood because they were so busy. We were determined to make the best of it though because we were all really looking forward to the food and drinks after reading so many good reviews. We all ordered different specialty drinks which were fine, a little to syrupy and overly sweet for our taste but I could see how some might like that, the presentation was seriously lacking compared to the photos on their website though, again we just chalked this up to them being busy so no big deal, just a bummer because we wanted to cute tasty drinks for our ladies night out. The biggest bummer though was the food... We ordered everything our waitress recommended, so perhaps the kitchen was just having an off night because they were so busy.. It did take well over an hour to get served after ordering, but we are troopers and wouldn't have minded waiting so long if the chairs hadn't been so uncomfortable. But we were seriously disappointed with every dish, everything was "fine and edible" but lacked any real flavor. These are the dishes we had: Appetizer - Tabla de Antojitos (presentation was okay) platter included: Chicken barbacoa empanadas (very bland) Sweet potato, caramelized onion & chipotle taquitos (flavorless and used regular potato not sweet potato) Mini queso fundido (was literally just cheese and beans with no chorizo or seasoning at all) Bacon wrapped jalapenos (these were okay, just nothing special) Entrees - Enchiladas Marisco Suiza - Presentation was good, it was a pretty dish thanks to the sauce and looked promising, but unfortunately the food was very bland, seriously lacking in the flavor department. Birria de la Abuela - Presentation was lacking it looked like someone just threw the food on the plate, and it was edible but not good. Crispy Carnitas - This we all agreed was the most edible thing we got. Presentation was lacking, but the beans and carnitas had good flavor and was cooked just right. It still wasn't "great", but it was better than everything else we had ordered. Overall we were pleased with the staff we encountered during our visit all very friendly, but very disappointed in the food. We left in agreement that we could've spent a fraction of the cost at just about any of our local friendly taco shops for the same or similar dishes and had much better tasting food.

Chicken Tinga Empanadas

Main dining room

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Lobster & Black bean Chipotle Flautas

Black Bear Diner

3.8(1.4k reviews)

3.2 mi

Past visits have been great. Today was disappointing. After being seated, the server Nevah took our…read moredrink order and disappeared. Literally. We noticed her several minutes later serving other tables. More minutes past when I asked another server, Brook, if she could bring us another server to take our order. Brook was exceptional in taking an interest in our visit. Brook brought us our beverages immediately and took our food order. Nevah later came by with what seemed like a less than sincere apology. We told Brook we would ask for her in future visit. Upon leaving to pay, the young short girl, her name tag was turned over. She had extremely long thick eye lashes. She was extremely rude and stand offish. No kind words after taking our payment she immediately went back to her conversation with a co-worker. We will be back and will ask for Brook.

Big bear Burgar & onion rings are great. Just fries was to salty…read more warm . Not Hot fresh I would go back. nice place for FAMILY

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Public Square

4.5(1.2k reviews)

0.8 mi

Public Square has been closed since April after staff walked out and eventually quit due to unpaid…read morewages. Unfortunately, this place was on the decline leading up to these events. It would usually take a half hour to get a simple drink order. Food that was previously wow turned into meh (I'm looking at you, shashuka). I don't blame the baristas. I don't think the business owners ever properly streamlined their ordering process / menu to get items out effectively. I hope we get something nice to replace this space.

This place gets a lot of hype for their scones, but honestly, that was the only thing special. They…read moreoverall they are very expensive and service is slow. Be prepared to wait, or order a mobile order for pick up. Cleanliness...could be better. Looks clean from ground level, but if you look up the plants and ac vents are covered in layers of dust. Scones were fantastic but not sure that makes it worth the wait.

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Their logo

This wall

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It's so beautiful inside!

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28 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Nice N.

4 years ago

I came into this location last night there was four cars it took about 45 minutes just to get to the front and another 15 minutes for the food once getting the food I noticed there was a hair in one of my plates I called the location they gave me the managers number he told me to text him and he would take care of it by 2 p.m. today I am calling him now and been calling him since 2 p.m. his calls are going straight to voicemail I tried calling the location and spoke to a Veronica I think her name was and all she could do is laugh and say she doesn't know when people will be in for their shift I just want a refund taking care of I don't want to come back to this location ever again they're very rude this isn't something that I did this is something that happened and I paid for it so I expect what's rightfully mine back I'm not sure why it's taking 2 days to do so when he was at the location when we called it yesterday and he said he would have to take care of it today and past 2 p.m. and we still haven't heard back from them called them probably 15 times texted about 10 called the location three times and Veronica can only laugh first she said she would be able to take care of it cuz she's a manager and then now she's saying she will not cuz we have to speak to the other manager I didn't want to make a review over this I expect it'll be taken care of and they're not doing so it wasn't a small piece of hair it was very large and disgusting I got 3 plates and none of us could eat it that's how bad it was read more

Dante W.

2 years ago

Didn't know what to expect as this was my first visit - place is super clean and presentable which isn't the norm for a fast Mexican food spot. Greeted warmly right away. Saw the lady in the kitchen prepping a huge amount of carne asada so I knew that had to be the thing to order. Carne asada fries - large portion and very beautiful presentation- tasted great. California burrito was on-point and very tender and tasty. Potato tacos, my wife said they are the best she's had. Great overall and will be back soon. Seriously, can't stop thinking about this place and the food. Go and visit! read more

Goldina R.

1 year ago

The menu contains some acceptable choices, yet my dining experience turned out to be unsatisfactory. The service staff moved quickly while showing no friendliness and failed to accommodate special requests from customers. The food arrived at the table with temperatures that were either cold or failed to meet expectations. The prices at this establishment seemed excessive for the standard of food quality, which varied from one dish to another. The place would be tolerable only if you need Mexican food during late hours, but I would not suggest it to others. read more

Brian M.

7 years ago

The food is delicious! The rolled tacos had a pretty decent crunch to it. The sour cream was a bit watery for my taste, but it still had good flavor. They put a healthy amount of lettuce and sour cream, which I like! The chicken also had good flavor to it and was seasoned well. It tasted better than most I have had. The time they took between placing the order and getting the food was about 5-6 minutes which is nice. The employees seemed courteous and prompt in servicing you. read more

Jeremy C.

4 years ago

Do not waste your time or money at this place!!! These people are not only clueless about good Mexican food, which is the easiest damn thing to make in the world! But they also have no idea of what customer services! Again do not waste your time or money at this place! read more

Juan V.

9 years ago

Best tacos in town!! The carne asada was really on point and it was on fresh made tortillas. You can really taste the difference here. I would most definitely come back here in the near future. read more

Bianca S.

3 years ago

Hi, what's going on with the smell permeating around this restaurant? It smells like you guys are burning corpses and rubber every time I pass by or use the Starbucks drive thru next door. read more

Lucille H.

9 years ago

Burrito was decent. Not top quality like it should be when your North of 7 bucks for a burrito... salsa was good. probably wont go back due to cost/quality. Slow drive through. read more

Gabriela B.

9 years ago

It was a nice experience. Very clean and the people were very friendly. The portions are awesome and it tastes delicious! Would definitely go back. read more

Emery R.

9 years ago

Great new drive thru taco shop, love their red (orange) salsa. Their breakfast burritos are bomb!! Have yet to try any of their plates...

Ray R.

9 years ago

Good stuff very good meal I think I won't eat for another week lol. Nice people and I will be back soon. 24 hours so that's a plus

Ryan B.

302

5 years ago

This is how they serve you a quesadilla I will not be going back here for sure in the past it's been good but it's going down hill

Cynthia R.

9 years ago

Best chain in San Diego for Mexican. Great portions and the carne asada is cooked properly. Brand new location in Grossmont.

Vyacheslav T.

193

108

6 years ago

I get the feeling this place is self sabotaging itself. Someone working there does not want this place to be good lol read more

Lee A.

5 years ago

I used to love to order here but the last time 2x I ordered the foods are not good and the service is not good ..

Daisy D.

8 years ago

When you have to wait over 30 mins for Drive thru so not worth it!! Too many good taco shops around to come here.

Erika B.

3 years ago

The employee rushes the order and there was a homeless person sleeping in the restaurant. It stunk in this place.

Phillip J.

9 years ago

I love this Mexican restaurant! There food is amazing and each bight you take is a burst of flavor!

Thalia L.

8 years ago

I used to work down the street and would eat here 3-4 times a week they're tacos are the best!

Lindsey L.

8 years ago

Food is good but been here 4 times and it's 15-30 min drive thru wait every time. Never again!

Vallarta Express - mexican - Updated September 2026

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Love this place but their food prices are outrageous. Unless you get one of their daily specials,…read morethey are too pricey. Charging over 20 bucks for carne asada fries is ridiculous. Food is good and service is decent, but they are driving away regular customers with their prices

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I thoroughly enjoyed my breakfast burrito today 3/6/26. It was absolutely delicious with a handmade…read moretortilla. Just the right amount of beans, potato, bacon, egg, and cheese. Salsa bar is stocked with a variety, but the green salsa is outstanding. Highly recommended one try that salsa! Customer service is great here greeted at the door at the counter and whenever you walk out even from the chef in the back. Very friendly, personal employees. The restaurant environment is spacious, clean, and even though the bathroom is outdated, they still keep it up to par. I highly recommend this coffee shop a try!

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How are you going to charge $1.50 more for LESS food?!?!…read more I used to pay a $1 for delicious tacos with the works - onion, cilantro, lime, guac. They're now $2.50 which isn't that expensive all things considered BUT they cut the guac and the lime. I ordered the same meal I usually do and got tortilla, meat, onion on half the tacos, and way too much cilantro. The service has always been a bit lacking but it's also gotten significantly worse. The women working do NOT want to work and act like YOU are an inconvenience by existing let alone being a paying customer. I probably would've rated this 5 stars a year ago because the tacos are good, it's close to home, and had decent pricing so I could over look the service. Unfortunately, this place has gone way down hill. Like others have said, there's too many other taco shops to put up with the BS anymore.

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It was just Ok. The Boss Lady and I were hoping for great food, since we don't get this in East…read moreTexas, but it was somewhat disappointing. We miss SoCal Mexican and wanted to love this joint. The cheese on some of the plates was cold and not melted. The flavors were great and the salsas were on point! I had the fish tacos, which were good but I wish that they had a grilled option. Probably won't be going back

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I've had a few different items from here and they were all good. Couldn't believe I had never been…read morehere after finding out my bestie had been enjoying it for years because it's close to her house. Almost everything I've gotten has been delicious from the rolled tacos(the meat could use a little more flavor) to the carne asada fries to the surf & turf burrito which is humongous. Make sure you call your order in and pick it up because they're always busy and you will have to wait.

This was my first time here, and unfortunately, I wasn't impressed. I ordered the chicken torta…read morecalled "The Illegal," and the chicken was very tough and dry. It also felt like the torta was mostly just chicken, without much else going on. The menu said it came with Oaxaca cheese, but the cheese seemed to be cooked onto the bread to the point that it was crispy, so I really didn't get the flavor or texture I was expecting from Oaxaca cheese. I understand that I came later at night, but I still expected the food to be fresh and enjoyable. Overall, the torta was disappointing, and based on this first experience, I'm unlikely to return.

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Delicious! The carne asada is bomb, the shop smells good when you walk in. The guys are nice and…read morethe salsa is soooo good. I got carne asada chips but I forgot to get a picture, they were good af tho and I'm born n raised in SD.

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We recently moved nearby La Esquina and we are thrilled this is our local taco shop! They are so…read morefriendly, gracious with their salsa and everything we've had has been great. The potato tacos are stellar, the carne asada is juicy and delicious. The carnitas was a little too juicy, and got the tortilla a little soggy, but tasty! Love this place.

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