Carnitas' Snack Shack - Embarcadero

First off Louie is the man! Phenomenal service and took the extra time to chat with us and we had lots of belly laughs. The Nashville hot chicken was out of this world good. I've never had a Nashville that crispy it was super crispy. Double fillets and a perfect slaw to pickles to sauce ratio. Could have been a touch spicier but that's just me addicted to spice. The brioche bun was lightly toasted, and the seasoned fries were a compliment. 10/10 will repeat again. Great meeting you Louie, I'll be back!

Authentic, Tasty, and Super Friendly! I had a great experience at Carnitas’ Snack Shack in San Diego! The place was very clean and had a relaxed, welcoming vibe. The food was absolutely delicious and authentically Mexican—you can really taste the quality and care in every bite. On top of that, the staff was super friendly and made us feel right at home. If you’re looking for tasty carnitas and a great atmosphere, this spot is definitely worth checking out! Live music and boats going in and out of the harbour

Very convienient stop before our departure. Nice selection of food, sides, drinks, treats. Plenty of seating. Very nice staff! Delicious warm churros too! Definitely trying the lobster roll next time. The portions are big too. Did not wait long for food, you can also order through their kiosk if there's a line, which we did.

Light late afternoon lunch. Dining is outdoors. Ordered at counter and found a spot at a table. Food was good. Had the chicken tacos. Someone in our group had a burger and fries. The chips and salsa was good as well. Convenient.

I came all the way from Chicago to try Carnitas in San Diego after a friend recommended it — and it did not disappoint! The food is absolutely delicious — flavorful, tender, and perfectly prepared every time. Beyond the amazing food, the team makes the experience even better. Reese, Nicole, Louis, and Marioriana were all so welcoming, attentive, and genuinely friendly. They made us feel right at home and went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. Highly recommend Carnitas — you won’t be disappointed!

Great ambience and casual fun! Fantastic food, even better service—highly recommend this spot!! Shout out to Louis, Reese and Nicole for fabulous service.

Movie night at Carnitas Snack Shack! It's their first time having movie night & they're showing The Goonies! Special menu from the outside grill guy who had pork belly (with a delicious addicting sauce) & hot dogs. Then popcorn for all movie watchers! Chairs were provided & some brought their own. People at the bar turned their chairs around to watch. Great fun along the Embarcadero!

Based on all of the rave reviews, I wanted to love it, but just didn't. The marinated steak tacos were bland, and the chips tasted overdone and in desperate need of salt. Barely touched the salsa because I didn't like the flavor. Forcing down my second taco because $30 is a lot to waste on a meal. On the plus side, atmosphere is great, staff was friendly, and the service was fast.

A Hidden Gem by the Water - Cantina's Snack Shack Cantina's Snack Shack is an absolute gem! Located right next to the water along the Embarcadero, it offers a relaxing and scenic atmosphere that makes it perfect for a casual outing. This spot is especially dog-friendly, so you can bring your furry friends along to enjoy the day. The best part? There's also a bar serving up delicious drinks, which pairs wonderfully with the fantastic variety of food options available. I tried the burrito, and while it was good, I'd give it a 5/10 - it definitely wasn't the best burrito I've had. However, my friends got tacos, and those were fantastic! It seems like tacos are the star of the menu here, and I'd recommend sticking with those. Whether you're in the mood for a quick bite or a leisurely meal, there's something for everyone here. Highly recommend this place for a fun, laid-back experience with great food, drinks, and a perfect location!

Fair warning to all: Yesterday I received an email (presumably an email blast from Carnitas Snack Shack to its entire mailing list, as it came from a "toast-restaurants.com" email address) offering a "$5 reward" to the restaurant for writing a 5-star review to Yelp. Because of this, I would be wary of any five-star reviews posted for this restaurant. Accepting such an offer would also violate Yelp's rules and just generally be a scummy thing to do, as it undermines the legitimacy of a crowd-sourced review site. It also probably tells you something about the business ethics of the current ownership and management of Carnitas Snack Shack. Please take your business elsewhere.

Food is fresh and tasty, but service could be much better! You can order at the window or electronic kiosk. Posted price on the wall is different than actual price at either. I checked the kiosk first and then went to window to order thinking it would be faster. The window cashier tried to charge me almost $8 more than the kiosk for sandwich, fries, and drink. When I pointed it out, the cashier that couldn't be the case, and brought over a senior person who said that was the price and "do you want it or not"? I said "no fries" and paid. Just afterwards, I double checked the kiosk - and I was indeed correct. I went back and pointed that out to the senior person. She said that was the kiosk fries were a smaller portion while at the window, I was being sold a bigger size - obviously this was not presented to me in that way when I initially ordered. Too bad that the service detracted from the overall quality...

The outdoor bar at carnitas snack shack is such a hidden gem! I recommend starting the night there or even meeting up for a quick date or work meeting. Niko is super knowledgeable and made us the best drinks!

I LOVED CARNITAS SNACK SHACK at the original location near North Park. This location is nice too but this caterers more towards the tourists visiting. ONE STAR: Great, scenic location and great for people watching. I live downtown so walking here makes it nice! Parking isn't too bad if you arrive early and it's all paid parking. ONE STAR: The seating area is available in a cute park like setting or at their square bar. They even have a fire pit area for those cold days and evenings. ONE STAR: Food prices are decent. Of course nothing like before at the original location but again, location fetches higher prices. MINUS ONE STAR: stopped by the read a book and have a beer early Friday and it cost me almost $13!! Yes, tourist/embarcadero prices but it was worth it for the view and relaxation to kick off my weekend! I love their food but haven't had any in ages so can't review. Staff/bartender are nice and fast! Stop by if visiting San Diego or even if you are a local like myself and pretend you are on vacation!

I kept seeing this place from my hotel room, so I decided to get lunch here. I ordered at a kiosk and waited for our food to be ready. There were tables and seats available, but some of them were a bit dirty and sticky. I ordered Baja Fish Tacos and Lemon Pepper Tenders. The tacos were good, but they had a lot of cabbage. The fish was flavorful, but the portion sizes were off. I got a big piece of fish for one of my tacos, but for the other one, it was small. Moreover, the Lemon Pepper Tenders were overcooked. They were hard to eat because they were so dry. I do not know if the tenders' color was supposed to be like that, but it looked black. The French fries were okay, too. It had decent flavor but tasted old.

When your cruise ship has an inadequate selection of craft beers, this outdoor bar next to the cruise ship terminal is the closest stop for an easy pint.

Outdoor tacos spot by the pier and filled with tourists but lacking in character Pros - nice location and beautiful food. They gave us fresh guacamole and chips which were great. They have an open air bar which is nice for hanging out and enjoying the weather. Cons - the carnitas were dry and flavorless. The fish and shrimp tacos were better seasoned but still not great. Like all spots close to the touristy seaport village, this place is lacking. Most of their revenue is made from tourists who dont know any better.

Little spot right on the boardwalk along the bay. The food here is excellent. I tried the carnitas queso fries, which was . Fried were crispy, carnitas were flavorful and juicy, the queso was excellent, add pico, jalapeños and salads and it's magical. The orders come out fairly quickly and there's nice outdoor seating, def give this place a shot!

I got the garlic Parmesan fries but there was only parm and that's all I did tase too maybe some salt and pepper to enhance the fries and make them pop and give them more flavor it's a little pricey would pay 5 6 for it. Maybe they tasted the garlic and had more flavor like that salt pepper. It would be worth it. But it's a nice location clean tables. Nice employees took 5. mins to get even though other people were getting their food. Who ordered after me.

Carnitas Snack Shack is my go-to place whenever I visit San Diego. My favorite foods are the steak burrito and the carnitas tacos. Drinking a few of their great cocktails with the meal makes it even better. The employees are nice and the bartenders are the best.

Super cool vibe. Outdoor bar with TVs. Try friendly bartenders. DJ on the weekends. Good people watching. The nachos are amazing!

BS 5% surcharge not disclosed on menu. $1 upcharge on happy hour tacos...for what? Fine if you want to charge what you want to charge but trying to hide the charges after you pay is unacceptable and deceptive.

Tyler the bartender was amazing. Super friendly and provided great service. Every visit doesn't disappoint no matter who the bartender is. So far Tyler and Reese has been awesome.

Great snax for everyone. My snack was 11 beers. My Grandma had the carnitas. My Uncle had 6 rose. How do you spell rose? Not the flower but the chilled wine? Anyways. Steve had the guac and chips. He kept trying to tickle everyone. I kept telling him don't piss off grandma. Thank you

great outdoor location, tables on one side, great bar/dj scene on the other. We had the carnitas tacos , triple threat and fries. The tacos are fully loaded and will fill you up. The triple threat is just that, a triple threat of goodness that will leave you full for 24 hours .. make sure to walk it off along the bay after. Wash it all down with a cold draft is highly recommended.

Very flavorful marinated chicken tacos, fish tacos were a little dry and lacking salt but otherwise pretty good. They ran out of marinated steak at lunchtime.

We met with a lot of people here for a late dinner. They were already eating so we went to order our food. Music was playing so everybody was enjoying their food. The staff here were nice and friendly. The Taco Box and the Garlic Fries sounded good to us so that's what we ordered. The food came out after a few minutes and we found room to sit with our group. The Taco Box had carnitas tacos and nachos which were both good. The Garlic Fries were also good. The Taco Box definitely would make you full and could easily be shared between two people. I would recommend either of those if you were not sure what to order. Good food and good place to eat with a large group since they had a lot of outdoor seating.

Carnitas Snack Shack End of the year 2023 Number #9 spot of 2023. With the many areas of food there are some dishes that take longer time to cook them and there are some that can be done in the day with certain meats when you want cuts done just right and those that have to cook longer that is the back areas of Barbecue and those dishes to prepare. The great taste of Barbecue and the many dishes that make great dishes with carnitas there are many ways to serve barbecue pork with the use of Cole slaw and the many rich sauces with the Spanish version you can serve it in meat form with the use of no sauce. The Embarcadero has been one of the best food sports with the combination of the harbor cruise they have many cruises with the cruises they have you can have a full dinner and with that comes the food caliber you get. With the Carnitas Snack Shack you get more than just food you get the many dishes they serve with the great burritos and the outside bar they have some of the best cocktails and with the many cocktails include the best frozen cocktails. The Carnitas Snack Shack has the many smaller items for those that are not big eater they have some of the best French fries and the tatter Totts are the best that you can have with the juicy hamburgers. For the more adventurous they have some of the spicier dishes like the loaded Quesadilla and the loaded carnitas plate the food is of the best and cooked right at the snack shack nothing that is cooked off site. The great service and the way you can get your burgers well done just let them know they can have your order done the way you like with the great cooking they do there is one of the busiest during the lunch hours with the cruise ships there is so much more fun the great tastes and the flavors of the many menu items they serve. The great location of where the Snack Shack is at you can drinks outside and still the best and the outside area near the bay you can sit out and watch the boats and see fireworks on New Years Eve. With great food and the location combined you can always have the best time with the night skies and the food from the Carnitas Snack Shack with a great evening comes with the taste of the many sauces and the best drinks to finish the night out. If you like great desert they have the best soft serve with the taste of Chocolate or vanilla served in a Waffle cone or a large bowl with the Carnitas Snack shack they always have some of the best things that can satisfy to your hearts content for the best in barbecue and the Carnitas they serve. With New Years Eve the embarcadero is one of the best locations and the best place to celebrate with the taste of food and the finger food to go with a great dish of the evening.

Food was good, the check in offer was an extremely generous amount of guac and chips. Probably the same amount of guac you'd get in a store bought container. I woulda been good off the chips and guac alone but they were sadly left uneaten because I didn't realize there was a check in offer until after I ordered my food. This woulda been 4 stars but there was a hair in my food (if you zoom in closely to my photo, you can see the hair in the fries... I didn't notice it until I was halfway through my meal). I was on a lunch break with coworkers and didn't bother to bring it up because I didn't want to wait for a new meal. I just ate around the fries it was on and tossed the leftovers. The sandwich was a very spot-on type of sandwich for me -- just carbs and protein lol. I'll be back to try the steak sandwich (which all of my coworkers went with).

Some of the best carnitas I've had. It's so impressive how much the can pump out that little cart but it's amazing. It's also right next to a beautiful view of the ocean. One of San Diego's hits.

This was our first time ordering from Carnitas - we're locals - but it won't be our last. We got the Shack Burger, Spicy Chicken, & Crispy Chicken sandwiches along with garlic fries. The garlic fries were the star of the meal with the spicy chicken sandwich not far behind. The burger and other chicken sandwich were also good. Prices are high but to be expected as it's in a tourist location. Still, very convenient and the service was quick & friendly. Definitely recommend when wanting a quick & convenient bite (and the adjacent bar is a real plus while you wait). : )

Great location and amazing ppl behind the bar. Food is consistent and drinks are good too.

Ordered at the bar - a few drinks and some Chips and Guac along w/ a few carnitas tacos. Large well crafted tacos - great BAR service. This is one of the better bites on the Embarcadero / Seaport area.

The food here shocked us with how good it actually was. We ordered the fish tacos, the steak tacos, pork nachos, and the chicken fingers. Overall very pleased. Nachos were the best. Price is high but that's expected for the area. Friendly staff and quick ordering time. The view was awesome!

Good happy hour and good location for a summer afternoon so why 3 stars? They used to have a Yelp check in offer for free chips and guacamole and they removed it, so I removed 2 stars.

We decided to grab burritos and nachos before taking the train to head to OC. The shack is conveniently located amidst a touristy place, with plenty of outdoor seating, in the evenings DJ kicks in with club music and fun to people watch. Food was good and nice portion size. Nothing extraordinary but quick fast food to grab without having to wait for reservations.

Genuinely the worst quesadilla that I've ever had. And that includes the ones I made at home when I was 10 years old. I got the loaded quesadilla. It was watery and had a terrible flavor. It slid apart because it had almost no cheese in it. I only ate a slice and threw the rest away. It was just not worth it.

Solid carnitas tacos - $13 sounds like a lot but it really is $13 worth of carnitas on tortillas. Also, huge order of chips!

This shack is located right on the water near the USS Midway Museum. It is a gem. It is tucked in between all the tour kiosks. They serve a compact menu of Mexican favorites, fish, salads and barbecue. The staff there is very friendly, patient and helpful. As you would expect, there are a few metered parking spots on nearby streets and you will also find some commercial lots in a reasonable walking distance as well. There is a very nice food court with a bunch of tables and music playing in the background where you can eat. It was a very nice day, so that is what my group decided to do. I was not hard for us to find a table. You place your order at the window, wait and then they call your name when your food is ready. I ordered the Triple Threat Sandwich with garlic parmesan fries. I only had to wait about 5 minutes. If you check in on Yelp, you get a free chips and guac. The fries were delicious. The guacamole was amazing. My Triple Threat Sandwich was good. I was not a fan of the pork loin schnitzel though. Not that the sandwich outright tasted bad or anything. I still ate all of it. I leaned that I just don't like schnitzel. Anyway, Everyone in my group loved their meals. This is a quick and convenient spot to eat if you are touring the waterfront or visiting the Midway. I recommend checking them out. They will not disappoint.

Me and my coworker came here for lunch. Ordered the fish tacos. Small over cooked piece of fish which made it dry. Little over priced for two tacos. My coworker's chicken tenders were also overcooked and dry.

The food is delicious with amazing faces and huge portions. All the workers are super friendly, and will help you with your questions. Great place to grab a quick lunch!

Came back for another work lunch! Tried the breakfast burrito. Service was slower with orders past mine getting served before I did even though they ordered burritos too. Looks like they even have kiosks now to order. This burrito is so massive and tasty. Half of it could feed you. Split with a friend and maybe try something else as well. Carnitas tasted better this time and was not as dry. Filled with toppings. Service: 3.5/5 Food: 4.5/5

Came with a coworker to try the carnitas shack Meat was a lil to dry an Burnt For what I paid I expect the better quality

Flew into San Diego a day early and ate at this place across from hotel. I got the fish tacos and they were so good. It was a great price for what you get too. The fish wasn't dry and they give you a big piece. Can't beat the view either. I can't remember the name of the local beer I had but I liked it.

I had the munchies after checking into the Intercontinental so we walked across the street to the Carnitas Shack to get some tacos. Wow - the carnitas was really amazing - very juicy with a bit of smoky flavor which went perfectly with the guac, salsa, and corn tortillas. Perfect snack after a late flight!

It can get pretty busy here, so I suggest ordering online. The fish tacos were good, parmesan tator tots were as well, except it was super oily at the bottom of the container. It's a nice area to grab lunch to enjoy a view of the Harbor.

My husband and I were recently in San Diego on a cruise and stopped by the Carnitas Snack Shack which was very close to where our ship was docked. I can't say enough about the carnitas tacos we had - corn tortillas that were spilling over with the savoriest meat and salsa. For the amount of carnitas served, the price of $13 for two tacos was extremely reasonable. It filled us up for the rest of the day. My only regret is that we don't live closer! Absolutely FANTASTIC!

Ohhhh yes!!! Came here for happy hour tacos!!! This place does not disappoint! Tacos were delicious and huge!! Very impressed...see my previous "Mexican restaurant" review. Also....the cucumber Margarita is delicious! So glad to find this spot!!!!

Carnitas tacos swimming in fat. Pools of it on the bottom of my tray made the tortillas and oil soggy mess. Yes they're carnitas and supposed to be greasy... but this seems ridiculous. The carnitas themselves are just "meh" not really flavorful. Taste is probably muddled by the excessive amount of fat that you can't taste much else. Also had garlic fries, they seem stale even though they're hot. Also lacking in salt, needed ketchup to make them tolerable. Ran out of ketchup so I stopped eating them. $20 for a meal I could barely eat half, and throw away the rest because I was just over it. Staff at the window were polite and helpful.

So this was a 4th of July adventure. These guys were open and had a dj. How could it go wrong. The wait was a little long, but to be expected with the crowds that were downtown. I even scores a free drink. I will definitely have to check this place out when I'm in that area.

This is a great, casual eatery near the water! If you're with a group, I recommend the Taco Box for $29 which comes with 4 tacos & loaded carnitas nachos! Plenty of food for 2 people. One of the most affordable places to eat in the area. The carnitas tacos were great. Flavorful & fresh. Usually I don't like carnitas but they make it really well here. Yum!!! Nachos were crispy & not oily. PRO TIP! Check in on Yelp to get free chips & guac! You're welcome. Not hungry? Well they also have a FULL BAR! And on Saturdays there is live music! It's a nice spot to hang out at, and surprisingly it isn't very crowded. I visited this past Saturday & seating was really easy. Don't wanna drink? They serve ice cream & other desserts too! Perfect to enjoy with kids. Lovely, chill spot to hang out & eat/drink. Definitely recommend!

The food is fine, the location is great, you can see other reviews about that. I'm just disappointed this restaurant is following the new trend at burying a surcharge on the bill, in this case 5%, to cover the price of "increasing minimum wage" (see the small print notice by the order window, the only warning.) I'm ALL FOR increasing the price to cover costs, including a living wage for their workers... but increase the price of the menu items! Don't bury fees in a misguided attempt to hope that most people won't notice the true cost of their food until too late to change their mind.

Food (4/5 stars): We had a city day and tried the popular Carnitas Snack Shack! I'm not a big carnitas person, so I don't have much to compare it to. But it didn't live up to the hype for me; the carnitas wasn't as flavorful or juicy as I expected. I appreciated the guac and the portion size though--they loaded each taco with heaping amounts of meat. I'm curious how their Triple Threat Sandwich is. Experience (4/5 stars): * Price: quite pricey * Wait Time: minimal on a Friday for lunch * Service: good * Parking: there are some nearby paid parking lots, but street parking can be tough * Ambiance: it's a quick service outdoor spot with great views of the Embarcadero

The first time I ate here it was so delicious. I had to come back a year later when I came back to San Diego. This time around, the shack burger I got tasted like somebody poured a whole bag of salt in it and the bacon on top must have been spoiled and smelled really bad. I requested another burger but still the same. It tasted nothing like a year ago. So sad

Loads of fun, great food, and the perfect place for mid-day shore leave from the Midway. Carnitas is steps away from the Midway and other harbor-side attractions. The food is delicious. I had a set of delicious carnitas tacos and a margarita. The price isn't bad normally and it gets even better during happy hour. There's also lots to see when you're sitting outside, what with all the tourists and locals and all. And, nobody could complain if you stay for another round and delay your return to the ship.

I would say the best thing about this place is the location right in front of the bay. Other than that the food was basic. Ive had better tasting food at a hole in a wall. Normally I wouldn't write a review about food, But the lemon pepper chicken made me do it. As you can see in the picture the chicken wasn't fully cooked. Batter was still fresh on the chicken, But the outside of the chicken was horribly burnt. I asked the cashier if that's how the chicken is supposed to look, and he had no response. Overall I would say walk a couple blocks and you'll find a better place to eat. I give this place one star. Quality and price are a big factor in this review. Won't recommend to any of my friends or family members.

I visited Carnitas Snack Shack during a stay at the Wyndham San Diego Bayside across the street. I ordered the Taco Box (choose 4 tacos, carnitas, chicken, fish ($1), steak ($1), includes side of carnitas nachos). The amount of food/meat you get with the taco box is crazy! To say this boy was hefty is an understatement. I ordered the fish and steak tacos, they were a little dry, but the carnitas nachos had plenty of flavor. I also ordered the house made chips and guacamole. They were great. The chips and guacamole were my favorite items. I would definitely give some of the other menu items a try.

Here's a confirmation review! I've cam here 3 times and despite the tourist location, the staff, food, price and ambiance are great. The quality of food has been proven fresh and delish each visit so the "price is right!"(and not even "touristy food price). Staff are always genuine and cater to the customer and super friendly, and lastly the location is beautiful! There are plenty of tables and chairs that stretches along and if lucky, you may catch a small live band. The bar counter has a TVV(not sure if multiple) so bunch of folks can surround the bar to watch the game while seabreeze, outdoor, good food and have fun where the party is at!