Don Carlos Taco Shop։

This 5 star review is purely based on their California burrito and salsas (red and green). Their burrito is one of the best burritos I've had. My partner lived in the area for 5+ years and ordered from this place basically almost every week and introduced it to me. Inevitably, I became a Don Carlos fan. Their California burrito is wrapped in a soft tortilla wrap and stuffed with cheese and juicy, small bite sized beef and other complimentary ingredients. Their salsas are freshly made and are full of flavour and spice. The staff are also very friendly. We rarely dine in as we lived nearby, but the ambiance of the place is like every other mom-and-pop-shops, not the fanciest, but got a family owned type of spot.

Was in from out of town and ordered “The Ari Shaffir”, which is conveniently named after a comedian I enjoy. Not even kidding when I say this was the best burrito I have ever had. I will long for the day until I’m back in San Diego to feast on Don Carlos again. Also not to mention these burritos are dense! Definitely worth every penny.

10/10 Recommend!!!! Listen up, I’m from out of town, and where I come from we don’t have tacos like this, I’ve been to California and Arizona numerous times and when I say all I get is tacos and burritos I mean it. Taco Stand line was out the door, so decided to up the block and check out Don Carlos. You look at menu and rows of AWARDS!! By far the biggest “street tacos” I have ever eaten in my life. Small shop, good people, better food!!!

A gem! Portions are great size, ton of vegetarian / vegan options (major plus!!), friendly service, close to the beach, and great prices. Had the cheese and jalapeño tamale and soyrizo and potato enchiladas

We came brunch time. The food was excellente !! My husband is vegan and was able to have a vegan tamale 🫔 first time in his life. We ended up ordering takeout to go as well for our dinner later as we were traveling back to El Paso, Texas and San Antonio, Texas respectively. Must have food. The place is small so a lot of to go orders.

Tacos that I ordered (rolled beef and unrolled chicken) were absolutely tasteless. Bowl was good.

Delicious Quesadilla, Burrito and Chimichanga. Great serving and good portion sizes.

Awesome value Mexican food spot! Found Don Carlos on yelp...and didn't realize it is down the street from Taco Stand. I felt super hungry, so I ordered a bit for myself (and gave my brother leftovers). -carne asada burrito $11.50 -carne asada quesadilla $12 +$3 surcharge for deluxe (sour crema and guac) Burrito had only steak, guac, and pico. A pound of food. It was really good. I would probably add cheese next time around. Quesadilla was good as well, but obviously, way too much food to eat both. There's minimal seating inside and outside. Good place for take out. Food definitely takes some time to come out. Street parking only.

Food and service are still awesome as ever! The staff is always beyond sweet. I will always love the rolled tacos, but I tried something new and completely fell in love!! the shredded chicken quesadilla is amazing and packed with flavor. I literally crave it! If you're a quesadilla lover, you have to give this a try. It comes with onions and bell peppers, which made it even more delicious and enjoyable.

My boyfriend and I were so excited to try Don Carlos, we found it recommended online! It definitely felt like a local spot since there were a handful of people already eating outside and people going in and out for take out. Menu was surprisingly vast (over 35+ items). Looked like burritos were their specialty, so we ordered a California burrito and 3 rolled tacos. Burrito (California) - HUGE! Yummy, thick asada cuts with sour cream, salsa, and cheese. Rolled Tacos - Each stuffed with thick meaty beef pieces. I'd recommend getting with the sauce. For parking, you can park at the small lot neat CVS across the street. It made things very convenient. Overall a good with friendly service and hearty portions!

Only had breakfast burritos, but they were fantastic, got the sunrise and added beans, and the hangover with sour cream. They were so quick, the tortillas were amazing too. I do have to say the Google locations says they open at 9, but they don't open until 9:30, worth the 30 minutes wait for them to open. Burritos are massive, I shared and the half was plenty to make me full post surf session.

I got the crispy rolled tacos with beef and they did not disappoint! They were super crunchy and the meat was flavorful. I also added guac and cheese, which I highly recommend. My friend got the birria quesadilla. The meat could've been a little more juicier if they added the broth, or maybe pan fried the quesadilla in the consommé. The guy taking orders was super nice! I also liked that they brought out the food to you.

Fast, friendly service. Loaded up Pearl St. breakfast burrito. Flavorful salsas. Everything you want from a taco shop.

We're always on the hunt for a good mom and pop taco shop when we're in La Jolla. The woman at the counter was really nice, and although the shop small (only two tables inside and a couple of seats outside), it has a cozy vibe. The food here is definitely different compared to what we're used to in Los Angeles. We tried a carne asada burrito, carnitas torta, two orders of taquitos with cheese and guacamole, and a chicken tamale with green chile. The salsa is mild, not spicy whatsoever, which was surprising. The burritos don't come with rice and beans inside, but they're huge, and the asada was a little tough but flavorful. The carnitas torta was also massive and packed with guacamole, which was a nice touch. The tamale was soft and the masa fell apart easily but the chicken had good flavor. Overall, the food was solid and worth the visit. Glad we gave this place a try.

A small little storefront, this place was amazing! They're cash only, so you know they're good. There's some outdoor seating, perfect for enjoying the good weather with delicious food. They bring it out to you outside quickly, and they offer salsas as well. I got the chicken rolled tacos with guacamole, and they were crispy and juicy! Just purely great Mexican food, a perfect local stop. Can't wait to be back!

The service was fast, attentive, and super friendly. The menu elaborate and they serve just about everything from tamales to tacos to enchiladas. I ordered rolled tacos and Burria tacos. The rolled tacos were very good. Not overly greasy and nice crunchy ends. I was disappointed by the Burris tacos though. They were nothing like the photo on the board. They weren't bad but just not what I was expecting. No melted cheese and no dipping sauce. There is seating inside and outside. We had the whole outside seating area to ourselves between 12:30-1 on a weekday. The tables were dirty and could use a power wash. Would come back for take out next time as I normally do.

As a vegetarian, it's somewhat common to go to a restaurant that has literally one option available to people who don't want meat in their food. No judgement if you do, but I don't. Hubby isn't a vegetarian and often laughs when I quickly shut my menu asking if I "decided" already. If there is only one option it doesn't take very long. That is NOT a problem at Don Carlos Taco Shop. I think it threw hubby off when I wasn't ready to order when he was, but there were too many delicious things to choose from on the menu. Don't worry, they have plenty of meat options, too. I had the Rolled Tacos with Potato, smothered in guacamole and cheese. It was a great value for the amount of food. Kids got a combo platter to share: cheese enchiladas and cheese quesadillas with beans and rice. Hubby had the biggest, meatiest burrito on the planet (he claims he makes up for what I lack), haha. Anyways, quick and easy meal for 4 with indoor seating and pleasant service to $50. We would absolutely come back here. Thanks for lunch!

Awesome value Mexican food spot! Found Don Carlos on yelp...and didn't realize it is down the street from Taco Stand. I felt super hungry, so I ordered a bit for myself (and gave my brother leftovers). -carne asada burrito $11.50 -carne asada quesadilla $12 +$3 surcharge for deluxe (sour crema and guac) Burrito had only steak, guac, and pico. A pound of food. It was really good. I would probably add cheese next time around. Quesadilla was good as well, but obviously, way too much food to eat both. There's minimal seating inside and outside. Good place for take out. Food definitely takes some time to come out. Street parking only.

My daughter had a graduation party at the beach and she wanted burritos. We wanted the food to be hot, so we looked for the nearest burrito restaurant that isn't too far from La Jolla Shores and we found Don Carlos taco shop. The reviews looked good. We've never been and we took a risk! We ordered catering from Don Carlos. The catering menu on the website is outdated from 2016 which we found out when we called in. They gave us the update. We ordered 25 mini bean and cheese and 25 California burritos with a tray of rice and beans. With the delivery fee, they told us they would deliver to the beach. They didn't actually find us, but they did find the hotel we were in front of and gave our food to the beach umbrella guys. Thankfully they found us and gave us our food. All that to say, we were thrilled to have hot very yummy Mexican food on the beach. I would recommend Don Carlos for your catering events, just be on the lookout when they arrive if your dinner is being delivered to the beach.

A great little shop off of the main strip. The staff were friendly and the soyrizo tacos were really good! Beware, there isn't a restroom, though!

Large burritos and delicious food. Small indoor seating with 3 tables and a few outdoor tables. Friendly service, lines a little long at lunch time. Wet burrito was delicious. Also got beef rolled tacos, meat was a little dry. Overall would come back.

Found this on a whim while craving tacos. Their fish taco and shrimp tacos were great. The sauces they have made great combo. Crispy tacos come in a pair: get a fish taco and a potato taco

I discovered this place recently, and I am in love! Some people online recommended it over Taco Stand (located just down the street), so I thought I would give it a try. Inside is tiny with only 2 tables, but there is outdoor seating. The menu is large and easy to read. The food came out quickly and hot! I ordered the California burrito, and it was easily one of the best I've had. The cheese was melted, and the carne asada was tender. I scarfed it down so fast. The only thing I wish was better was cleanliness and salsa selection; the tables and floor were dirty and needed wiping down, and I would have liked other types of salsa available. Despite that, the food was so good that I can see myself coming back to try other items.

I feel like this is one of the few mexican eateries that have been in San Diego for a long time and are still delicious!! I know I've been coming here for 30 years and it's super reliably tasty every time... especially after surfing nearby. My favorite is the La Jolla which is basically a grilled chicken California burrito. Thanks guys for being there for me over all the years, sorry it took me so long to leave a review!! Rock on!!

Great food. Limited seating mostly outdoors. Nothing fancy, just good food. Burrito bowls are delicious.

Fish and potato tacos are my go to choices. Close by taco stand but usually no line. The owner is always very kind when I take time to review my orders.

I'm a local and this is one of the best taco shops in SD! The birria quesadilla with consome is !!

I m in town for a bit and looked for a classic carne asada taco and I scored big time. Had rice and beans as well and it was all to die for. Not to mention the customer service was top shelf! Thank you x 10!!!

Got some great tacos here last week. Huge menu and wide array of foods to try. We also tried one of the burritos which was great as well. Wish they had more seating!!

IT'S TIME HAS COME AND GONE. I've been going to Don Carlos Taco Shop for well over a decade. I'm mostly vegan (except for fish and egg whites) and they were one of the first taco shops to have menu items that appeal to people like me. Their rolled potato tacos, soy chorizo tamales, and mushroom tofu burrito were great options. But as time went by, especially during Covid, they began raising prices. Not just doubling as most places have done but three or four times as much. Raising prices so many times they stopped updating their menu board...even when they went digital with an electronic display. It's La Jolla, close to the beach, and they have a photo of Jimmy Buffet eating there long ago. With a surfboard hanging on the wall they tried hard to project a cool vibe. It worked for years. But as prices zoomed, the quality went down. The potato tacos are now often overcooked, nearly burned, and greasy. The vegetarian tamales are rarely available. And the mushroom tofu taco became flavorless (cooked so quickly it was little more than a bland, warm salad with no dressing inside a gooey tortilla). I spoke to Diego, a pleasant young man who basically grew up there, about the burrito. But instead of it getting better, it got worse. And when I asked to exchange one for something else, they refused insisting there was nothing wrong with it and wouldn't offer me anything in return, no refund, no discount on anything else, nothing. (what a great policy... the customer is always wrong.) The good news is, The Taco Stand moved in a few years ago and is just a couple of blocks down Pearl St. and they are literally eating Don Carlos alive. Not only do they have great food, it's a better value. They also have a self-serve salsa bar with many choices compared to Don Carlos that has nothing but red or green salsa (and recently replaced their previously flavorful rojo salsa with a super hot, totally bland, version that so bad I have to use my own salsa instead...an effective way for them to cut down customer demand and squeeze more money out of them). Besides Taco Stand's great mushroom tacos (made with wonderfully grilled and seasoned button mushrooms), they also have an egg white and spinach breakfast. The only problem is they usually have a long line outside. But it's really good Mexican food, super fresh, with a great, energetic staff. The last time I was there, they had a female chef at the grill (unusual for most taco shops). A stocky, 30ish Latina, she looked great, with her dark hair pulled back in a bun, practically dancing as she flew through the orders, flipping her spatula back and forth like an old gunslinger. It was quite a show. So, it's GOODBYE DON CARLOS! (Btw, anyone who still goes to D. C. should get a receipt with their order to be sure they aren't paying more than the posted prices.)

Shared a plate of the Don Carlos Special- rolled potato tacos, rice and beans and a veggie burrito. Growing up with Mexican food, this is the closest thing to my childhood. Perfection! The corn tortilla was crispy (not hard) and not greasy. The flour tortilla was fresh and soft. There's a couple tables inside and a designated seating spot for ADA, some seats outside as well. There may be a line out the door, but worth the wait. You won't regret it. Definitely will be back.

A little more pricey but so so worth it. Lots of meat and guac and great flavors. Awesome and friendly service as well :)

Delicious. No fuss counter service with amazing food! Went here over 10 years ago and had such a good meal then that I had to try again! Not disappointed in the least! Love the soft tacos and the refried beans are YUM!

This is a must stop when going to La Jolla Football games... get the shrimp and carne burrito... it's awesome. Staff always super friendly and just makes you feel like you're rolling into the family kitchen to grab a meal.

Rude cashier, gave me the wrong burrito. Cheese wasn't even melted and the whole thing tasted like chalk. Terrible experience. $14 for a burrito I didn't order and bad customer service. Worst taco shop I've ever been to honestly.

I wasn't sure about Don Carlos Taco Shop, but I was in for a treat! The salsa that comes with the breakfast burrito was the best I have had at a restaurant in San Diego. Chunky but not too chunky, tasty, fresh, green was spicy but not overwhelming and complimented the burrito perfectly. The tortilla was soft, and you could easily share one breakfast burrito with two people. I'm coming back for the salsa.

We enjoyed a tasty lunch at Don Carlos Taco Shop. They were out of potato taco and mushroom quesadilla so we tried the Huevos Rancheros (available all day!) and chile relleno burrito and were not disappointed. Our third diner enjoyed the rolled beef tacos slathered with guacamole. The horchata was delicious and we could chose coke in a bottle or a can. There is outdoor and inside seating which seems to work out as people eat and leave freeing up a space to sit. We're definitely going back!

This place was an awesome little Mexican restaurant. I went early in the morning and the staff was very kind and made sure I got a good burrito. I had the Casado burrito and it was so delicious. Definitely give it a try

I ordered from here via Uber Eats for the first and last time. I asked for Onion Rings and Mexican Coke along with my California Burrito and I also asked for Nacho cheese on my burrito. They managed to screw up my entire order. They put the receipt for what I ordered in the bag, yet still managed to messed up my order. When I called the restaurant, they said "We don't know what's on UberEats but we don't do Nacho Cheese sauce or onion rings. I find it rather odd a restaurant doesn't know what's on their UberEats menu. One would think that they would notice my order receipt doesn't match with what they don't have on the menu. They just want money and don't care. They came off as cold when I told made them aware of the situation. I was looking for my next place to order from on the regular but that's a hard pass on this place. I will be sure to tell my guest not to eat here as well. I truly don't recommend this place.

We were looking for a vegan place so searching this area we found this restaurant where one of the reviews stated "one of the best vegan burritos" they've ever had so we thought we'd try and it is actually one of the worst vegan burritos my husband and I have ever had we would not return. The service was awesome, the employees were wonderful but for vegans it's a miss. The burrito we had was supposed to have chorizo in it. I had two bites of chorizo and that was the best part of the burrito, but it was only two bites. I asked my husband how his was, the other half and if he got any chorizo it's actually soyrizo and he said maybe two bites. The rest of it was awful. Just bland. No flavor being vegan doesn't mean that you don't like food. It doesn't mean that you don't like flavor.

Their burritos absolutely slap. Had to split my burrito with a friend because they're huge. Super tiny shop so they have limited seating but definitely recommend the food here!

It's a small Mexican place and the food was delicious. I ordered a burrito carne assada and it came with a lot of meat. So worthy! The lady was friendly and brought the food to me. I'd definitely come back.

Hole in the wall place in San Diego. Has vegan options. The carnitas burrito was filling and a good portion. I loved the salsas that came with it. Friendly and fast service!

Ordered carne asada burritos. They came with steak, salsa and guacamole inside. Delicioso. The whole family approved.

Always a favorite. The best authentic South of the border food. Started many decades ago in the 80s by a wonderful man named Don Carlos from Costa Rica and his wife who is from Mexico. It is still run by the family. Famous for tamales and really fantastic catering. We love the potato tacos anytime of day - morning, late at night, middle of the day.... I also recommend picking up food to go and taking it down to the beach. This is truly where the locals who know real good Mexican food go. The menu is extensive and the food is delicious. The staff are fantastic and kind. vegan options too

Absolutely love it here and will be back. I got the VEGAN Soyrizo burrito and Potato taco (no cheese) I can't stop thinking about this place ever since Highly recommend for all vegans to try this spot! Will be back

We found Don Carlos Taco Shop driving by. So glad we stopped in. Service was excellent and the food was so good. We, five of us, all loved the food we got. The carne asada burritos were huge! All of us only made it about half way through our burritos, we have a ton of food leftover. If we are ever back here I will definitely be going to Don Carlo's Taco Shop again!

Best burrito spot in the city. Green salsa 10/10. Meatless options 10/10. Please don't change.

Zero stars if I can be honest, what a poor excuse for Mexican food. Word of advice just don't eat Mexican food in La Jolla, it's over priced garbage. We spent 40$ on trash food, we got a bean and cheese burrito, Carne Asada fries that oddly came small with a side of rice and beans, the pearl st burrito, mushroom and tofu burrito and carne asada taco. We did ask for a large carne asada fries but the guy said there's only 1 size when the menu says 'small and large'. The hot sauce is terrible, the red is tasteless just like the food and the green is only spicy with again no flavor. The burritos were so poorly wrapped they looked like a square, my 3 year old can wrap a burrito tighter then that! The potatoes in my breakfast burrito were more liked mashed potatoes, the mushrooms and the tofu in the burrito were way undercooked and all the food we got was cold. I'm convinced that this place doesn't own salt or any other seasoning for that matter, my kids (that pretty much love everything) hated it and even said the people that work here don't care about the food, now to me that's saying something, kids are brutally honest! That's 4 KIDS all saying the food was gross, plus me and my husband, we are not new to Mexican food either and we believe SD has the best taco shops in California but this is NOT it! I hate trying new taco shops for this reason but I always try to support different ones other then my favorites. I wish I could get my money back!

Killer breakfast burritos just blocks from the beach definitely going to hit it again next time I'm down

I think they make the very best burrito around. It's just so very good. The service is on point. They are quick and friendly.

Service was good, chill, and friendly. I ordered the soyrizo burrito and it really was big and had lots of soyrizo which was a plus. Sour cream was $1 extra and it's in small dipping container. In all, the burrito was just average. Not a lot of flavor, I could tell the beans were a bit watery, hardly any rice, and very little lettuce.

Lovely customer service but was out of everything I wanted. Burrito was a bit bland too.

Hands down the best vegetarian friendly Taco place that doesn't break the bank! So many choices and they virtually can make everything vegetarian or create a combo with the items of your choosing! I had a combo with one mushroom taco, one soyrizo taco and one soyrizo tamale. It came with a large horchata! The staff was super nice and friendly. The green sauce was bomb! They have a patio too! Good vibes all over!

Great local taco shop with amazing, authentic tasting food. The lady who took out order was cordial and helpful to make suggestions to us first timers. I only wish they had better seating. Only had 3 tables inside and two tables with a bar style area for about 5 people. Maybe they will be able to expand at some point in the future and create a more welcoming environment... with that being said, please don't let my comment to be a reason not to stop in an try it...you won't be disappointed!

This place has great Mexican food. I been coming here for almost 10 years and the service is great. I ordered don Carlos fries and there is no fat in the meat, the fries are fresh & crunchy, the sauce is really good. The rice and beans makes you taste the authentic flavor from Mexico. Its always nice to sit outside, as for the inside, they have a lot of room for improvement.

Great food! Lots of vegan options which is awesome. Tortillas are great! Had the asada bowl, only could finish half. Beans and rice were authentic