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    Vaquero Mexican Grill

    3.4 (77 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican
    Closed 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Vaquero Mexican Grill Photos

    Business Info

    VAQUERO MEXICAN GRILL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    a man sitting at a table
    Leslie Y.

    I've been coming to this place for lunch for almost 20 years. A lot has changed, including ownership, the name (it was called El Norteno Tacos before), and obviously the price of a 3-taco special (for about ten years, it only cost $6.80). What appeals to me is what hasn't changed. The same lady hand-presses the corn tortilla remains there, who always gives me a smile when I looked at her. The horchata is just as sweet and rich (although it is a bit too sweet for my taste), and most importantly, the quality of the meat. I am glad that their menu hasn't changed much. It's one of the few places in Southern California where you can order a cabeza taco. Lengua is rare enough, but I can't think of another taco joint where you can count on them having cabeza. The caldo de res is to die for, and even though I am still alive, my opportunity to eat there is slim. After working at the Kaiser Permanente Normandie North building since 2004, I finished my last urgent care shift today. I intentionally walked there for lunch, savoring not just the tacos, but the fond memories of all these years of taco-eating. It's the end of an era as I transition to aviation for my second career. I will be sampling burgers at various airports in the near future. Stay tuned!

    There was more lettuce than anything
    Neisha S.

    I usually come here for the posole which is delicious but I prefer the garden location . Recently I went in and preferred a protein bowl. It looked nothing like the picture and was just thrown together. It was more lettuce than anything and just in a styrofoam box . A complete disappointment !

    A stale dry chicken enchilada!
    Stephanie B.

    The service was awful.and the food was worse. As long as it took to be ready it was cold and overcooked (stale)!

    the receipt for the restaurant
    Joyce A.

    El Pastor Taco was excellent per my son. Asado was too greasy for me and there's a lot of sauce to it. The half chicken meal with rice was good! Located close to Kaiser PCH. We just happened to pass-by the area yesterday before we go to the cemetery. Health issue, they have B rating when we came. But, like any restaurants, there's always room for improvement and for sure they learned from the violation and probably working on it. For sure it's a minor offense. Other than that, it's a good place to visit. Try variety of the things they have in their menu. 11-1-2020

    AFTER MURDER SCENE
    Mc D.

    The food was good and it was bomb. The taco shells were good and the texture. Every bite was a crunch. 1000% Recommend.

    Justine C.

    I was so disappointed when I received my order . I seen reviews and comments and been wanting to try this place. So tonight I was thinking I'm going to support my local businesses during this hard time . So we made a online order . And waited ..... Food comes and I was like YES FINALLY!!!! Open my tray and tacos looked great!!!! Took a bite and dang POTATOES!!!! When I order chicken . I don't even wear potatoes. So I thought it was only one tacos not all 5 we ordered. NOPe it was all 5. I called and they couldn't help me at all . I was so upset. Waste of money especially during this rough time I'm California .

    Tripas and Chorizo tacos
    Jesse M.

    We were in the mood for some tacos with homemade tortillas. This place was recommended to us by a friend. Since we had not eaten here before, we only ordered two tacos each. We had ordered two tripas, a carne asada and Chorizo taco. The tacos came with onions, cilantro and chili verde. They gave us some pickled carrots and red and green chili. The meat was cooked just right. The tripas were not steamed or under cooked and not cooked too crispy. I do like my tripas to have a little crunch. The tortillas were definitely homemade and were fresh. One of the of the reasons I would return back. Even though the place received an A, the floor was pretty dirty and we had to clean our own table. The cashier was not too friendly, but probably because I don't speak Spanish. Give it a try. The tacos were good if you don't mind the cleaning your own table.

    Beef Stew X 2. Delicious, especially with hot sauce!

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    2 years ago

    The food was not as good as I expected. The restaurant hygiene was also poor. I don't think I will go back.

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    6 years ago

    This place is so bomb. Homemade corn tortillas The carnitas are so good. They are always so friendly too. Most definitely eat here

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Vaquero Mexican Grill

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    Maya Mexican Restaurant - Avocado dull my Con Pata Soup never arrived burrito don't look appealing the quesadilla over cooked...I will buy from here again...

    Maya Mexican Restaurant

    4.2(196 reviews)
    2.2 miWilmington
    $$

    Last time we were here was around a year ago. The food was as amazing as it was on our first visit…read more Drove up from San Diego this past weekend and all I can say is it is worth the time, traffic, and money! Family was happy with their food. We'll keep driving up here until San Diego has a restaurant that can match the quality of the food! Spice is life! Sad how many restaurants cater to those that choose the bland and boring. I'm speaking of the restaurants down here in San Diego that claim to be authentic but in reality are more for the tourists. This food has flavor and heat! Tastes as homemade as the food your abuelita made using all her secret ingredients. Service was amazing, the lady that took our order was very personable, warm, and welcoming. You definitely made life long customers out of me and my family!

    Ordered for delivery via Ubereats on 11/25/25 the following: a "2 for 1" Special- 2 Hard Shell…read moreTacos with rice, beans and a small salad (Ranch Dressing- would've preferred Thousand Island Dressing but they don't carry it- only Ranch or Avocado dressing. I haven't personally experienced the in store dining ambiance but have friends who have. As far as the meals- they were of good portion size along with being tasty- I can tell that- Rudy the proprietor of this business- knows how to prepare and present good food along with providing great customer service to his diners.

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    Maya Mexican Restaurant - Inside

    Inside

    Maya Mexican Restaurant - Chilaquiles con Huevos

    Chilaquiles con Huevos

    Maya Mexican Restaurant - Chips and salsa

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    Chips and salsa

    Top Shelf Tacos

    Top Shelf Tacos

    4.3(1.3k reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    This review is mostly based on customer service. Service to me is almost always more important than…read morethe food itself. Haven't been here in a while. They had a food truck parked out front. We asked if they had any plant-based or vegan options. They only sold burgers however the lady that helped us was very sweet, polite, and kind. She told what they had and what we could order inside instead. We walked in and the gentleman named Oscar G. cashed us out. He was also very friendly! Very professional and knowledgeable about the menu and non-dairy items. Provided us with what we needed right away, the container for the salsa and brought out fresh ones for me. Very nice guy. The food came out right away. The portions were big in my opinion. The prices were decent, the portion was great, and best of all the service was good. Their self-serve condiments was a PLUS! I've been to a lot of taco spots and these were by far the freshest and crispiest cucumbers, fresh cold salsa, onions and cilantro was also fresh. The food was good and filled us up. It was simple but fulfilling. Will definitely be back and highly recommend it. There are plenty of indoor and outdoor seats as well.

    I stopped by Top Shelf Tacos in Carson on Taco Tuesday, where tacos were only $2 each. At that…read moreprice, it was easy to try a little bit of everything. I ordered the asada, carnitas, al pastor, tripas, cabeza, and lengua. The asada was tender with a nice grilled flavor, but my favorites were definitely the tripas and cabeza. Both were a little greasy, but in a good way--they had a lot of flavor and were probably the standouts of the meal for me. One thing I liked was the condiment bar. You can load up your tacos with as much onion and cilantro as you want, plus they have radishes and lime wedges available. They also offer two salsas, a red and a green. Both tasted good and had solid flavor, although I was hoping for a little more heat. Overall, it's a solid taco spot, especially on Taco Tuesday. Good variety of meats, reasonable prices, and plenty of toppings to customize your tacos. I'll definitely be back when I'm in the area and craving some tacos.

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    Top Shelf Tacos
    Top Shelf Tacos
    Top Shelf Tacos - Loaded nachos! Yuma!

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    Loaded nachos! Yuma!

    Mariscos Rosarito - Squid Ceviche

    Mariscos Rosarito

    4.3(180 reviews)
    1.4 miWilmington
    $

    Mariscos Rosarito has been a favorite of my family's for years. When I was younger, my mom would…read morealways stop by after work to pick up their shrimp cocktail, so it's a nostalgic spot for me. Every summer I start craving seafood, and I'm so lucky this place is so close to home! This time we got the shrimp ceviche, octopus ceviche, and aguachiles. They were able to make the aguachiles a little milder for us. It was spicy, but in the best way. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and definitely hit the spot!

    Mariscos Rosarito - a casual Mexican seafood restaurant/deli that serves up delicious ceviches and…read morecocktails. It was located on our way back from Palos Verdes to Long Beach, so stopped in to check it out. It is located in a small strip mall with limited parking, so my wife waited with the car running while I ran in. The first thing one notices is the deli selection of refrigerated ceviches. It is similar to what one can get at the deli section of a Mexican supermarket, including being able to order by the pound. One can get in/out quickly if one just orders what is available in the deli counter. There is also a decent size dining room, where one can order and eat the standard mariscos dishes that the area is well known for. They do accept credit card, and one pound of ceviche de pulpo and half pound of ceviche de camaron cost under $20. It came with 3 orders of tostadas, limes, and hot sauce (thinking half a pound is considered a serving so my order was meant for 3 people). It was packaged well for easy carry out. Brought it home, and it was delicious. The thing I most appreciated was the value: how much seafood was in the serving. Octopus has gotten really expensive, and the amount of meat they gave (vs mostly the vegetables and liquid that the Mexican supermarkets seem to give now) was very generous. This included the shrimp ceviche as well. Both used the lime vegetable ceviche mix that tastes pretty similar to others that I have had. It's always a pleasure to find a new place that serves your favorite dishes but with more value AND is close enough to stop-in without driving too far. Mariscos Rosarito is that place for me now, and I look forward to trying more of their dishes in the future.

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    Mariscos Rosarito - Ceviche prices

    Ceviche prices

    Mariscos Rosarito - Octopus Ceviche

    Octopus Ceviche

    Mariscos Rosarito - Menu

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    Menu

    Tacos El Goloso - Chicken was dry

    Tacos El Goloso

    4.6(569 reviews)
    0.6 miHarbor City
    $$

    Love the birria tacos, quesadillas, and agua fresca!! Fast and friendly service. Parking can be a…read morelittle difficult because it's a small parking lot, shared with 7/11.

    This review is about Tacos El Goloso, located at 1605 Pacific Coast Hwy, Harbor City, CA…read more My daughter is an EMT. While on duty, she stopped at this location and placed an order. Before her food was ready, she received an emergency call and had to leave immediately. That's the reality of being a first responder--when a call comes in, you leave immediately, no time to wait for your meal. Before leaving, she politely asked the cashier to cancel the order and refund her card. Instead of showing understanding or offering assistance, the cashier was dismissive and unhelpful. After completing the call, my daughter contacted the restaurant, apologized for the inconvenience, and again requested a refund. She was initially told that the receipt had been thrown away. Later, the receipt was apparently found, but she was then informed that if she wanted a refund--or even the food she had paid for--she would have to return to the location in person. The problem is that she lives more than an hour away and was only in the area because she was working. I called the following day in an attempt to resolve the issue. Unfortunately, I was met with the same attitude. The employee refused to provide her name, refused to provide a manager's name, and refused to provide any contact information for someone who could address the complaint. To be clear, this is not about the cost of a meal. Had the employee been courteous, professional, or even remotely helpful, we likely would have let the matter go. Emergencies happen. Schedules change. We understand that. What prompted this review was not the lost food or the refund itself--it was the employee's rude attitude, lack of professionalism, and complete unwillingness to help resolve a simple customer service issue. I will also acknowledge that by the end of my phone call, I became frustrated and was not as polite as I should have been. I regret that. However, that frustration came only after repeated attempts to handle the situation respectfully and being met with rudeness and resistance at every turn. A business can recover from a mistake. What it cannot afford is employees who treat customers with contempt and then refuse to provide any way to contact management when a legitimate concern is raised. Management should be aware that this employee's behavior reflects poorly on the entire business. If this is how customers are treated when they encounter an unexpected emergency, then potential customers deserve to know before choosing to spend their money here.

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    Tacos El Goloso
    Tacos El Goloso - Tacos Dorados de Birria 30

    Tacos Dorados de Birria 30

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    Vaquero Mexican Grill - mexican - Updated September 2026

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