Vega Caffe Mexican Deli

Tacos El Gordo hits right every time! If you're a foodie you know that's this is the spot. This is…read moreby far the best location to get authentic TJ tacos. The Carne Asada Taco has a smoky beef flavor, and the quesadilla with corn tortilla has that seared cheese effect that you can only get with Oaxaca cheese, which is like a Mexican Mozzarella. I highly recommend pairing a quesadilla with your tacos. You can order it from any line. I've been going to Tacos El Gordo for almost 25 years now and it is still legit! This place is a San Diego staple that is true to home, and if you're not from San Diego, don't leave without trying it out!

Iconic, but overrated. Mediocre tacos San Diegans always recommend. To be clear they're not bad,…read morethere's just much better taco/mexican places. Try it once bc it's the thing to do when in SD, but only this location. Gaslamp location somehow worse unless you're blasted. Their adobada is probably their best meat. Al pastor was ok but surprisingly lacking in flavor. Carne Asada was all smoke, overwhelming smoke taste and not in a good way. Service was quick with their unique ordering system. They keep the ambiance simple with decently clean tables which is nice considering the large crowds they deal with.

Saturday night (around 9:00 pm)

Crispy!

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Carne asade tacos, adobo tacos and tostada

De Cabeza el Unico

4.7(1.1k reviews)

7.9 mi

This is the best of the best place to get Cabeza it can't get any better then this! Thank you all…read morefor doing such a great job and making it such a great experience for my Family and I!

Fantastic Mexican spot! Don't let the unusual cuts scare you, everything is had was delicious…read more We ordered the head meat, cheek, tongue, lips, tripas, al pastor, and asada tacos along with the chicharron de queso and the head soup. I love soups, and this was definitely a hit. Tender meat with a deep beefy aroma, devoured it even on a hot summer day. Of the tacos, I especially liked the lips and cheeks. Will be back to try other unusual cuts in the future.

Taco de cochinita pibil Taco de cabeza

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Michelada

Los Panchos Taco Shop

Family-owned & operated

Authentic Mexican food and affordable prices. Fast service…read moreand clean ambiance great food and fresh ingredients fish tacos and quesadillas were probably the

Just walking in I love the energy, the music was lively!…read more The quesa birria was just what I needed and so good- a must try Alejandra was wonderful at the front, above and beyond.

3 Tacos de Papa Doña Maria

*Caldo Casero... CALDO DE RES #SimplyMexican

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Los Panchos Taco Shop #SimplyMexican

El Huevo Estrellado 1

4.5(398 reviews)

8.1 mi

Had the carne asada plate and chicken tacos. The carne asada plate was 7.0 out of 10. The beans…read morewere a bit dry, the rice felt like it was refrigerated, and the car was good. Good amount of food, did enjoy the chicken tacos. Food overall was okay-good Not bad but didn't stand out

A random Mexican spot in SD will always be better than anything in LA. This proves it…read more 5/5 food Really really tasty hard shell taco. Loved the shredded chicken. My wife told me the best burrito she had eaten was the surf and turf that we just ate. Their salsa... Spicy! 5/5 service Very friendly and always refilled the free chips. I'm never in Chula Vista but if I am, I'd come back 4/5 ambience Feels authentic but is small and on the older side

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Chips & Guacamole

El Patio

4.2(765 reviews)

8.0 mi

Love the food here! Everything was so delicious and flavorful. The portions were generous, too. The…read morestaff was friendly and attentive, and they checked on us throughout our meal.

Customer service was great They were very attentive. The food was a solid 4/5, the rice was very…read morewell flavored. The ambiance is a 5/5 because the music is not too loud to the point were you have 2o raise your voice to talk over it and the decor really made it feel like we were in Mexico,

Beautiful inside

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Outside Mural Painting

El Viejon Seafood

4.1(132 reviews)

2.3 mi

We very much enjoyed our meal at El Viejon in Chula Vista. When dining in, you order at the counter…read moreand they bring your food to your table. It is a small location but they really have maximized the space. We had no trouble getting a booth. We ordered the fish ceviche bowl to share, which was delicious. A generous shareable serving and the fish was perfectly "cooked." Ceviches are served with your choice of tostadas or chips. I would prefer more pico and perhaps some avocado. But overall it was a 9/10 dish. I also ordered a grilled fish taco with rice and beans. The fish taco was so flavorful and stuffed full with toppings and a large piece of grilled fish. This taco was outstanding. 10/10. My partner had the surf and turf nachos which he also rated highly. I think they could have used a little more cheese. But he said the steak was tender and juicy. The shrimp were seasoned well and there were a lot of them! Everything was delicious and we will be back for sure!

We had the pleasure of having lunch here on Friday afternoon. Service and food were both excellent…read more My sisters and I ordered carne asada nachos and the surf and turf burrito. Everything was delicious and tasted fresh. Staff was friendly and they thanked us as we left the store. Very nice experience for our first time trying it. Highly recommend and we will definitely return.

Bye bye Crudo

2 Birria Tacos

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Porkbelly Taco

Taqueria Revolucion

4.1(1k reviews)

6.1 mi

Solid food. Clean space. Fast service…read more I found the meat a bit too salty for my liking, but overall still yummy.

Got nearly everything on their menu and nothing was close to standing out…read more Most of it felt like microwave food. The adobada was the only what that was halfway decent. Inside wasn't too clean and bathrooms were horrendous. Server was very nice. Will never return.

Salsa bar

Birria taco Carne asada taco

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Kalaveras

3.9(411 reviews)

7.3 mi

We went to Kalaveras for Happy Hour and we really enjoyed it! This was the Chula Vista location on…read more3rd Avenue, used to be the old Fudruckers. Parking shouldn't be an issue, they have spots in the front but then there's the big garage right behind it, and it's free. There's also street parking but you might have to pay. The place itself is very spacious and clean. They also have an outdoor patio for dogs. I do know later in the evening it gets louder and more like a club vibe, but it's not bad. Service was perfectly fine. I had no issues at all. Staff greeted us with a smile when we walked in. They were always checking up on us when we needed things. No issues at all. I thought everyone was doing their jobs. Happy hour is so worth it here. $1.99 tacos! I had the carne asada, birria and Chicharonnes tacos! While the meat portions look small, y'all need to realize this is happy hour street tacos! Adding some salsa from the self serve bar, it was so worth the price. We had 11 tacos, cheese nachos, 2 beers and 1 margarita and it was about $50! So worth it! I highly recommend Kalaveras for Mexican food. Great vibes. Great happy hour prices. I think this place is good for large groups also. It may not be kid friendly later into the night but it's very worth it!

Was visiting San Diego for the weekend and my friend recommended Kalaveras for Sunday Brunch…read more They opened at 10, and we were one of the first to get there. The brunch buffet is definitely worth the price. The food was excellent, the service was attentive and fast and the music and indoor area was cool. I can't wait to be back in San Diego to have brunch at Kalaveras again. Authentic Mexican food, friendly service and great vibe.

Kalaveras Chula Vista has the best Sunday Brunch in town from 10am-2:30pm

Ceviche Sunday Brunch at Kalaveras Cantina Urbana in Chula Vista, CA.

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12/6/2025 - San Diego Water & Sex on the Beach

El Pueblo Mexican Food & Bar - Carmel Valley

4.5(583 reviews)

25.4 mi

Just in case you didn't know.... I need to update…read more.......... El Pueblo is still amazing as always it's the perfect place to grab a casual bite and a tasty cocktail at a relatively reasonable price The service is always stellar here. Yeah they're slammed and they make mistakes and sometimes it takes longer than others but there's generally a reason for it. I can get loud and rowdy on game days so be prepared. There are days that are quiet and calm, and you can have a great conversation You have a choice of sitting at the bar or indoors or side patio with high tops or back patio with tables and fire pits. All our excellent choice Choices. If you want to sit down and order from your seat, the bar is your only option. Other than that, you can order food from either the food counter or from the bar. drinks must be ordered at the bar. Salsa and water are self serve. Soft drinks are also self served after you've bought the cup. Come on in and have a fabulous time and don't expect some five Diamond treatment. Just a good time.

The El Pueblo $1.39 fish taco deal cannot be beat! Their fish tacos are the same price all day 7…read moredays a week. You can choose between corn and flour tortillas, and the tacos are a good size with good flavor. There is also a self serve salsa bar. The restaurant is typically pretty lively in the evenings. They have both a large indoor and outdoor space. They always have a sports game playing on the television and a bar in the middle of a restaurant. The staff are also very kind and efficient. Definitely a place worth checking out!

Order at Registers

Fish tacos!

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Best fish tacos (on flour tortillas)... and even better for $1.50 each

La Puerta

4.2(4.8k reviews)

12.7 mi•Gaslamp

I'm so mad about this place!! Hubby and I headed down to SD…read moreto get away from the heat in the OC. On the drive, I decided I wanted Mexican food. I picked a place off Google but when we landed there we were not comfortable stopping to park, so we looked again and decided to check out La Puerta not realizing it was in the Gaslight District. I am not a fan of the Gaslight District, which is why I am so mad!! I'm going to HAVE to go back to the Gaslight District!! The food was AMAZING!! I HIGHLY recommend the Potato Flautitas. It's the kind of dish I'm going to dream about, I'm salivating now just thinking about them. I also did the Pick 3 Street Tacos (and actually ordered a 4th). The Ranchero Shrimp and Grilled Veggie were top notch. The Conchinita was recommended by our waiter, and it was interesting, tasty but different. It could have used a little more pickled onion. The only one I would not recommend (shockingly, I thought it would be the easy pass) was the carne asada. It was too greasy. My husband ordered a carne asada quesadilla and said the same, it was too wet and soaked through the tortilla. But there were no many other delightful options, I would say just don't go traditional. But honestly my favorite thing on the plate was the side dish rajas con crema, seriously, that alone is going to drag me down to the Gaslight District. I'm even considering going to a Padres game just for the excuse. I'm salivating again! As for our waiter, Colin, he was fantastic. Very informative, made great suggestions and seemed genuinely pleased by our satisfaction. He was smiling the whole time, friendly and stayed very present. I highly recommend you get yourself through the door at La Puerta and sit down for a meal ASAP. (We ate the food so fast I forgot to take pictures.)

Located in the heart of San Diego's historic Gaslamp Quarter, La Puerta is an amazing, vibrant…read morerestaurant with an energetic atmosphere. From the moment you walk in, the place is buzzing with people enjoying great food, drinks, and conversation. The bar scene is lively, making it a fun spot whether you're out with friends or on a date. The service was excellent--friendly, attentive, and welcoming throughout our meal. The food was equally impressive, with flavorful, well-prepared Mexican dishes that exceeded our expectations. What I enjoyed most was the diverse crowd. People from all walks of life came together to enjoy good company, delicious food, and a festive atmosphere. It truly felt like a place where everyone could relax, connect, and have a great time. I highly recommend visiting on Taco Tuesday. It's a fantastic value, with delicious tacos and TJ Dogs for just $3 each. The tacos were packed with flavor, and the TJ Dogs were just as tasty. It's hard to beat the quality, atmosphere, and prices. We'll definitely be back!

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Chicken with fried cheese tacos

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Harland Hazy IPA

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25 reviews that are not currently recommended

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

Capone V.

12 years ago

I have mixed emotions about this place sometimes they are good and sometimes they're bad. Love their tortas absolutely delicious but every time I get a fruit salad it's not even cold. Workers are nice the place and never really that busy for you to wait a long time for your food. Will continue to go there for the tortas. read more

Conrad D.

12 years ago

Absolutely divine pretzel croissants. Pay-by-weight food always feels like terrible value (you see novices forking out $18 for lunch), but it's tasty and well-prepared. The hot chocolate is lovely for the first several sips, and then you feel overwhelmingly that you can never finish it and that it's so so rich. read more

Elisa H.

6 years ago

I ordered a carne asda torta and tortilla soup. Carne asda no flavor I had to pour tons of salsa so I could eat it. Tortilla soup also had no flavor and the tortilla chips were good. Green smoothie was the only good thing. Do not order this from doordash or any other food service not worth the money. read more

Melanie H.

Elite 19

100

267

417

9 years ago

So cute. Bomb breakfast burritos and pretty garden area to sit and eat. When I came there was a dance class being taught in the back of the garden area. It was so cute to see them practicing. I will totally be back. read more

Thatll D.

2 years ago

I got charged for a sandwich I couldn't eat because the employee lied about the sandwich having sauce on it. The sauce on the Torta is absolutely disgusting and I would of never paid that much for that crap. read more

Nathaniel S.

7 years ago

Finally found an amazing place like this in eastlake. They're salads and sandwiches are amazing. The rest of the menu looks good too. Can't wait to come back and try something else from the menu! read more

Enrique L.

4 years ago

Don't come here, save your money. Honestly. Wouldn't come back here again. I don't understand why Chula Vista business owners act like they HAVE to have a business. Lazy work read more

Jillian J.

12 years ago

This place is good but over priced make sure you get the lunch VIP card it'll help you save money plus they're lunch combos are awesome I love the strawberries and cream read more

Nicole W.

4 years ago

Love this place. Everything is so fresh and delicious. They definitely need more staff. But other than that everything was delicious. Would definitely eat here again. read more

Kacee R.

14 years ago

This cafe is fantastic! Their sandwiches and salads are all great, but my all time favorite is their fruit salad. I could eat here everyday. :) read more

K C C.

7 years ago

I don't know if this guy who works there is owner or just an employee but just very rude. I am not coming back here again because of him.

Kevin F.

10 years ago

Awesome place. Every meal I have had here has been amazing and I have been enjoying their food for a long time...

Sharon D.

12 years ago

I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the service; as well as the good food. They have a good thing going

Andrea L.

234

8 years ago

Extremely clean, friendly staff and love love love their fruit salads from here and their torts.

Brenda B.

4 years ago

Love coming here! All the food is delicious and the customer service is great. Highly recommend

Duda B.

4 years ago

Great place, food is amazing amazing service I definitely recommend this place . Super fresh

Samuel M.

9 months ago

Torta cubana was super good, and despite the restaurant being busy the cashier was on point.

Lina D.

13 years ago

Such amazing food, great prices. Also so hard to find breakfast spots in Eastlake.

Antonio C.

218

215

108

9 years ago

It was our first time at this place. It was really good. We will be back!

Roel D.

13 years ago

Ordered Cuban tortas and I love it!!!! Bread was fresh and toasted right.

Vega Caffe Mexican Deli - delis - Updated September 2026

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(204 reviews)

La comida esta muy buena. Llevo dos años comiendo aqui y la verdad que la comida esta buena,…read moreservicio y precios estan buenos. La unica razon que no le doy 5 estrelllas es por que la area no esta muy bien, tengan cuidado y no mucho estacionamento.

This is the first time I've ordered from this place and last. I usually give restaurants at least…read moretwo tries just in case. I ordered the carne asada chips, if I could give a zero I would. The chips were hard, the nachos cheese was thicker than the sour cream, there was barely any meat which was very dry, and the guacamole was brown. It wasn't just the top it was the whole thing, like it was made yesterday. Honestly everything looked old.

El Pollo Grill - Otay Ranch

3.8

(381 reviews)

First time at this location, it is very spacious and clean for the most part . The bathroom needs…read morehelp and attention, it wreaks of urine and is old and dingy . It needs help .. I like the outdoor seating and the access to exit through there as well. However, the door to the outside needs some WD40 it is heavy and hard to open when you have loads of food . I did enjoy all the memorabilia, Makes me proud to be a Native San Diegan. The food is fully loaded , fresh and delicious. My son absolutely loved the Carne Asada chips , the chips were so fresh . I couldn't stop eating them . It helps that they have the kiddy vending machines , my son alone for that reason wants to eat out more at Pollo grill ... I would like to see additional staff helping at the counter during busy hours .

This is a 2 part review. Last week they got my order wrong and today they forgot my order…read more Last week I ordered 12 roll tacos and I got fries instead. When I called in they told me to email the business and they would send me a refund. I would've been fine with a free drink or something closer to the value since I kept the fries and the roll tacos are more expensive. I emailed and didn't hear back. Today I ordered fries and they never made my order it wasn't until the third time I checked on it that they realized they never made my fries. Which were skimpy to say the least. I don't know if it is because they were rushed but $23 for fries and a bev is wild when they give you half a tacos worth of meat. Probably won't be coming back here.

Vega Cafe

4.1

(47 reviews)

The food here can be really good, but man have they gone downhill recently. I bought a small fruit…read moreand asked for only strawberry, watermelon, pineapple, and banana. Man why are there only FOUR banana pieces in here this is a little ridiculous. I'm so disappointed. This is not how their fruit salads used to be. I did call them to let them know. I've been coming here for YEARS and I never been this disappointed in the food I received. They did offer to credit me for a fruit for next time but this is really sad to see, a business I frequent a lot going downhill this bad in portions. I really hope they get it together again because I know how good the food here can be!!

I love coming to the Vega Café for Taco Tuesday! The fish tacos are quite large and filling with…read morefreshly battered fish. I also enjoy their crispy beef or chicken tacos. The menu is extensive and includes not only Mexican fare, but coffee drinks and smoothies as well Owners are very welcoming, and the service is good. Order at the counter and find a seat in several dining areas or grab your food to take with you into a Padres game. This place has a casual sports bar kind of feel to it and is right across the street from the ballpark. It can get very busy on game day so plan accordingly.

Tropifrutas Plus

3.1

(85 reviews)

I literally loved this deli place it's located in national city area. This is my go to sandwich /…read moregreen juice place. My fave is their vegetarian sandwich made by wheat bread and with cucumbers, tomatoes avocado lettuce n d panela cheese of course with jalapeño n micro greens. It was beautifully made. The green juice was perfection. U can also order the torta bread with veggies. And it's tastes really good. My kind of hearty super healthy brekkie for me!!! And I can literally eat this everyday, my hubby n son they liked the ham n cheese and their smoothies. The deli owner /worker is very kind n friendly he always check on you make sure that you're okay. Overall, good customer service always. Price is right. And they use good local quality ingredients. They have good seating capacity and u can also watch TV-Mexican sports and movies. They also have vending machine toys so kids not get bored. This is the best deli sandwich I've ever had. Can't wait to go back again. Ciao !

My bestfriend and I have been here twice in one week, THAT'S how good it is!! The staff here are…read moreall so friendly. Today we had Jonathan and Alex help us. Service was phenomenal, food was AMAZING per usual! We learned today it's family owned which makes this place even better. I love the fruit salad and today I had a torta too. If you're looking for a good fruiteria with many options this needs to be your go.

Fruit Palace

4.2

(63 reviews)

Wife got me the Lomo special. It had roast beef, ham and cheese. The sandwich itself is massive…read more Had 1/2 for lunch and the other 1/2 for dinner so definitely could share between two people. Only gave 3 stars because it wasn't my favorite. I'm more of a Jersey mikes sub guy but it's always nice to try new things. I wish there were more toppings like more meat, more cheese, veggies etc, it was kind of flat. Taste was decent, needed mustard but I know this isnt that kind of sandwich. Got a chamango drink and that was good but I drank it before I could take a picture.

Employees cannot follow instructions on doordash I ordered a torta and ended up getting a small…read moresandwich instead but got charged for the price of a torta. This place sucks

Kotija Taco Shop

4.0

(89 reviews)

***Attention*** This place is FIRE the lady behind the…read morecounter was super friendly taking my order. They have a tv that was playing a hilarious old Mexican tv comedy show and they have vintage pictures on the walls it's very homey! I always judge a place by the refried beans always have always will! Needless to say this place has an amazing Bean and Cheese burrito. Yummy chicken and beef rolled tacos they are so delicious My husband's had a couple of different burritos, but every time the quality is there and there's consistency. It's delicious. We only found this place because La India Bonita was closed one day and my husband was looking for nearby taco shops. It is a must try.! Oh and the Salsa... let's not forget they are really good as well.

We were super hungry And started with tacos and a burrito…read moreI ordered 1 taco Lengua. So good with lots of flavor 2 tacos Carnitas tacos Filled with carnitas and cilantro only not filling Pico de gallo. She want a burrito chile relleno I could only eat the taco de lengua And part of the 1 carnitas taco I was to full So tomorrow And she only had half it was filling too Tomorrow breakfast I enjoy my tacos I will be back For a good taco And service was great also

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Taco shops in San Diego are all the best. Los Panchos has the best surf and turf (carne asada and…read moreshrimp) burritos. It's a bit further being in South County while I'm in North / Central San Diego but worth the drive.

This is our local Mexican restaurant and I have been buying food from them for 2years now! Every…read moretime I go to this restaurant I am spending 60 to 100$! My kids love carne asada fries and that's what they wanted for their Friday dinner! My husband went to buy it and on one order ( cause we ordered 3) they left out carne! They only put the fries with a little sour cream and guacamole! I know times are hard but damn, you really short like that! Probably NEVER going to this place again! And for anyone who does check your order cause you never know!!!! I guess that goes for any take out place!

Victoria's Mexican Food

3.2

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I paid $9.72 for a bean and cheese burrito with fries and left a tip, so I was into it for around…read more$12. The burrito was surprisingly thin and felt like it was mostly tortilla. There just wasn't enough filling inside to justify the price. The taste was fine, but for what I paid, I expected a burrito that was actually packed with beans, cheese, and fries. I've had plenty of bean and cheese burritos from taco shops around San Diego, and this one left me disappointed because of the portion size more than anything else.

This is a local neighborhood taco restaurant. Nothing fancy, but the staff is fantastic and…read morefriendly. Our food came out fast and they had the World Cup on the t.v. I mean, could anything else make this restaurant more legit? I had the Carne Asada chips. Hands down the best that I have had in a long time. The chips were extra crunchy, but not greasy at all. The meat was seasoned just right! The house red sauce/salsa is out of this world! Great place!

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