La Playa Taco Shop

Delicious authentic food. This is the place to go eat. The owner, Maria, remembered my brother who hadn’t visited in 2 years. She was wonderful! The food was fast, homemade and excellent. The best I’ve had in San Diego. Both red and green salsas were great toppers to my meal with great flavor and some heat too.

Best carnitas tacos in San Diego! I love when the carnitas is crispy but still tender and flavorful. Everything tastes very fresh, the guacamole, the beans, the salsas. Price is super fair. I’m now a regular for sure!

If you’re seeking genuinely outstanding Mexican cuisine, this is the place. Every bite was deeply flavorful and thoughtfully prepared, far exceeding expectations. The balance of seasoning and freshness was remarkable, and it’s the kind of meal that lingers in your memory long after the plate is cleared. I will absolutely be returning.

My first visit to this restaurant today and I ordered combo #9 - two carna asada tacos with rice and beans. The good: carna asada tacos did not disappoint, the meats tasted juicy, tender and with good flavor. The pico de gallo and guacamole made the tacos taste delicious. The bad: the portion size for rice and beans were tiny, they looked nothing like the photo that showed big servings of rice and beans on the side. The beans I must say tasted watery. Also, to my surprise there wasn’t a salsa bar. So if you want a side of carrots or jalapeño peppers you have to pay. This was pretty disappointing. I still might come back and give them another chance, but next time I probably will just order the tacos only.

We had family in town and decided to try this place based on the reviews, but we left pretty disappointed. The woman at the front was fantastic—friendly, helpful, and welcoming. Unfortunately, the food didn’t live up to the service. Some in our group ordered the tacos carnitas and said they were just okay—not bad, but nothing they’d return for. I had the shrimp tacos and couldn’t get past the first bite. The shrimp tasted old, like it had been left open in the freezer too long—overcooked, lacking seasoning, and with an odd, unpleasant flavor. It looked like they tried to salvage it with some kind of sauce, but it didn’t help. Even more bizarre, the tacos had greasy rice inside them. It didn’t add anything—just made the texture odd—and was paired with plain cabbage. No avocado, no pico, nothing fresh like the meat tacos had. It felt lazy and unbalanced, like no real effort was put into the dish. The great service and a couple of tolerable meat tacos are the only reasons this isn’t a one-star review. Still, I won’t be back and wouldn’t recommend it.

Stopped in for lunch one day during our trip after reading other reviews. I ordered the carne asada tacos with rice and beans. The tacos were amazing! The meat was flavorful and tender, and the fresh guacamole was some of the best I've tasted. Service was great and the food came out quick. Would definitely stop in again next time we're in San Diego!

This place is such a hole in a wall! They indeed offer fresh, promising, and yummy tacos! Service seems reasonably friendly for a place like this. The price appears to be a bit high for the spot but pretty delicious food. Nothing fancy, very casual similar to fast food. Order at the counter, find a table, and pretty much self-service.

May be an acquired taste. Fish taco had rice and tartar sauce (not for me), carnitas torta was generous and had beans (New to me also) but was good. Rolled tacos were my favorite with cream and cotija cheese. Prefer Tacos del Trumpo style down the street.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at La Playa Taco Shop, just a block away from the picturesque Pacific Beach. My experience here was nothing short of amazing. The moment I stepped in, I was captivated by the inviting atmosphere, with hints of beach vibes adding to the charm of the place. The service was exceptional; the lady at the register was incredibly sweet and attentive, making me feel welcomed from the start. For my meal, I indulged in the verde enchiladas paired with a refreshing horchata, and I must say, it was a match made in culinary heaven. The flavors were exquisite, and I can confidently say these were the best enchiladas I've ever had. What sets La Playa apart is the diverse menu offering something for everyone. Whether you're a taco aficionado or craving traditional Mexican dishes, you'll find it here. In terms of pricing, La Playa strikes the perfect balance between affordability and quality. You get exceptional food and service without breaking the bank. As for recommendations, I have none - La Playa Taco Shop has truly mastered the art of delivering a flawless dining experience. In conclusion, La Playa Taco Shop has earned its place as one of the top Mexican eateries in my book. I wholeheartedly give it a 5/5 rating and cannot wait to return for another culinary adventure by the beach. I highly recommend visiting La Playa Taco Shop for an unforgettable dining experience.

The best Mexican food in San Diego -- period. 100% authentic. Always served with love. We love sitting in the sun and enjoying our food. It's always fresh and consistently high quality (I've been coming here weekly for a decade). Fish tacos are a favorite here. That first bite of crispiness is always perfect. They pull off their version of the fish taco with rice (!) in it. It works (against all odds?) The Cali Burrito might the thing to order if you are visiting from out of town. San Diego's burrito, with fries inside. This place does it better than anyone else. If it's too much food for you, go with the carne asada taco instead. The location is amazing: right by la playa. Our family's go-to spot near the beach. They have a parking lot so it's always possible to swing by.

Bomb dot com. The end. Okay, but for real though - legit so good. You ever reminisce about a place, hype it up in anticipation, and then you finally get to experience it only to be let down? Well, this ain't that. Places like La Playa are the reason why I think so fondly of my college-hood memories, and this place did not disappoint. The tacos are pricey compared to most places, but you get some legit bang for your buck. These things are massive 6-inch diameter behemoths. The fish taco has an incredible crunch and a delightful juicy bite. The carnitas taco was so flavorful, made me wish I got more than one each. Also had a super California burrito and the carne asada inside was delicious - usually at other places I'm used to meat just being a chewy protein diluted among all the other fillings and not adding too much to the actual burrito, but you could really taste the meat in this one. My husband got loaded chicken nachos and he went to town. Like most family-run taco places, this spot will let you customize your order any which way off of the menu, so let your imagination and your heart go wild. Only downside is that this spot has very limited parking. A tiny lot that was packed when we visited at 3pm on a Wednesday, and a few street parking that was also occupied. We clandestinely parked at the hotel nearby, and my husband ran in to order and get the food while I sat in the car with the kiddos, prepared to move the vehicle at any given moment. After husband came back, we got to drive across the street right over to Mission/Pacific Beach and enjoy a late lunch with a stunning ocean view. Fantastic gem of a place, worth every penny and stellar Yelp review. Thanks for filling my heart (and my stomach) again after all these decades.

Based on all the reviews, I had 2 shrimp tacos and 2 fish tacos. I have NEVER had a taco where the add rice . WTH. I'm diabetic so I avoid rice. It doesn't say rice in a taco on the menu. I think they do this as a "fill you up". The fish was heavily battered oily. I don't think they fried it fresh. There was nothing special about the shrimp. It didn't even taste like shrimp. It was grilled, not battered and fried. They were really nice and friendly with fast service and good hot sauce. Maybe other items on the menu are good. Not fish and shrimp tacos.

Order the Machaca burrito ! Who to serve very hot with two sauces red and green. The greens also is a little spicier than the red and has great flavor. If you're in the Pacific Beach area definitely do this place a shot. I will be back for sure

Great food with very friendly service! We found this restaurant on our way back from a long walk along the coast. We ordered a two taco (crunchy shredded beef taco & soft carnitas taco) combi plate and a California burrito. These were not little street tacos, but were large super meaty tacos and were delicious! The California burrito was hefty with carne asada goodness. We especially liked how the fresh cilantro worked with the potatoes in the burrito. It's obvious they use quality ingredients. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals and will be back next time we're in PB.

During my recent visit to the restaurant, I was impressed by the owner's sweet and kind demeanor. She was highly attentive to taking orders, sending them to the kitchen, and delivering them promptly to the tables or for takeout. I particularly enjoyed the rolled taquitos, which were topped with delicious queso fresco and with a creamy sauce. The asada fries were equally delectable, and the combination of queso fresco and cream added a delightful burst of flavor to the dish. Overall, I had a wonderful dining experience, and I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a satisfying meal in a welcoming environment.

Very friendly and yummy mex.. If you know what you want, call ahead, because there can be a line.

Service is unmatched the nicest host greeted us, food was so fast! Authentic and fun to sit at.

The service was great and the food was affordable, but the taste was not great! We came to this restaurant because of all of the reviews on yelp. This is a tourist area and maybe that has something to do with the high ratings because I noticed the same thing when we go to Tahoe, all the restaurants in popular areas have high ratings. However when we go, they are like this place, nowhere close to how good the ratings state. The owners are awesome. They're very kind very sweet, but the food is nothing at all to write home about. I went there hoping for a good fish taco, but it was very fishy tasting. It was not very good! My husband got the taquitos. I tasted them and the meat had no flavor! My daughter got a shrimp quesadilla that actually tasted good, but it didn't have very many shrimp! And I also got a shrimp taco also very simple, not that exciting. Not very tasty. We have had so much better in Southern California.

Great place and very friendly. Got two 12 packs of taquitos, chicken and beef with no fork, mistake. Get the fork! Stop and grab a plate your belly will thank you.

What a fat burrito!!! Ordered the bacon breakfast burrito and it was delicious. Breakfast burritos come with egg, cheese, beans, rice and your choice of meat. The bacon was cooked into a thin egg omelette served inside the burrito (only wish it had more bacon). MUST ORDER SIDE OF GUAC!!! Red & green hot sauce on the side. My friend ordered an enchilada which was also bomb. Affordable pricing and great service. I'll definitely be back!

When people say that SD has the best Mexican food, they are talking about La Playa Taco Shop. La Playa blends friendly, thoughtful customer service with authentic and fresh flavors for an unforgettable experience every time. I could eat here several times a week and come back for more. In fact I have already been twice since Monday. This location is a little bit out of the way if you're not headed to Pacific Beach, but I can tell you it's worth driving out for. Everything on the menu is a hit. I especially like the shredded chicken burrito. The restaurant feels very traditional and even though it might appear a little old, everything is very clean. La Playa is very busy during dinner time and yet when I visit the tables are spotless. I hope to keep coming back, and I highly recommend La Playa! Eat here and you will be really happy you did!

Look this is Cali and there isn't a shortage of places to get really good tacos but if you're in PB give this place a try! The surf and turf burrito is *chefs kiss*. It's huge and packed with steak shrimp guac rice and all around goodness! Their tacos are delicious too! The shop is small and the ladies working here are always kind and will give you suggestions on what to try. They go out of their way to be helpful. I always love seeing their smiling faces. It's a cool little spot to grab great food near the water! The parking lot is small so be prepared to circle the area a few times to find parking but it's worth it I promise! Until next time La Playa!

Everything is super tasty. We tried almost all the tacos! Fish was a favorite along with carnitas. We really liked the Chile relleno too.

A bit upset because the hours for Sunday says it is opened till 2am. It is currently 7:41 pm. Please update your hours as we had to make the drive to get here. We aren't from the area too

Decent place for tacos. I'd prefer grilled fish. These were breaded and fried. About $4.00. Front patio dining is a draw.

By far the best Mexican food I've had in like forever! Tried the carne asada tacos, nachos and burrito. All excellent. Quick and friendly service, nice relaxed/casual atmosphere and convenient parking. Will definitely come back and try something different.

Charge top dollar but microwave their food ... I'm so sure folks expect to go out an American restaurant and see that their food is being prepped in a microwave

Possibly the best Carnitas I've ever had! The tamale was also delicious. I ate here two days in a row.

Absolutely Incredible. The food was fresh, hot (in temperature and spice), and came out quickly. I ordered the chicken enchiladas and chicken tacos. The chicken taco was pretty big, and was so tasty! The enchiladas came with two enchiladas in a red sauce and rice and beans. I had so much food for under $20 I ended up saving some for later. The place was pretty quiet when I went, and it seemed like more of a takeout place but there is plenty of seating. I will definitely be back for this amazing food!!

I like small businesses and these are hard workers-no questions about this! Unfortunately I had to raise concerns about the quality of food firstly and second comes the taste. I had a huge stone in my burrito and literally damaged my enamel. The burrito was junk - full of lettuce and mayo. Ma be a tiny bit of protein. Really disappointing quality and taste. Upset my tummy and that of my family's! How can the reviews be so good when my experience is so bad!! I'm stunned! Sorry owners you need to focus on quality and then the taste!

Food was amazing and I am pretty picky about Mexican food. We had a great day to sit outside and enjoy sun at the same time. Love supporting small local businesses

Delicious spot for Baja burritos! Service was quick and efficient and everyone around us looked pleased with their orders! We loved our burritos!

Went for dinner last night. We were too tired to cook. I just got four roll tacos with just cheese and lettuce and a side of guacamole. Partner got two enchiladas, rice and beans. The food was super hot and we received it and was still hot when we got home. I was surprised the guacamole was quite good. Usually quick food type places water it down and it's yucky. The prices are good too overall considering today's time. Seems weird to get five stars but I can't think of any reason to give it less for such a simple meal. We will definitely go back again.

Great prices, great food, great service. The cashier lady is super nice and your food comes out very fast and obviously freshly made. The tacos are loaded with meat and guac and only $4?! Sign me up. I would be here every day if I lived closer to Pacific Beach. Can't recommend this place enough, it is the epitome of a local gem.

Best taco I have ever had! The owner was super friendly and recommend the fish taco and carnitas taco. I got them and they were amazing. The carnitas was tender and flavorful. The fish was crispy. My friend got the veggie taco and she loved it too.

Amazing food! The wet burritos were delicious! The surf and turf burrito was great! The kids meals were good too! Freshly made.

La playa was the highlight of our spring break trip!!!! We stayed down the street and all of our meals were amazing. We could not stop talking about the food our whole trip. Thank you La Playa!!!! Amazing service and food!

If you like hole in the wall places. This is the end game. Must eat: fish tacos, pickled carrots, guac Small business, sweetest lady, and pickled carrots served in a plastic sandwich bag means I will spend as much money as I can at this place.

La playa taco shop has the best tacos! They even put rice in some of their tacos and they still taste AMAZING! The staff are also SO nice. The location is also really awesome, as it's right by the beach. I have been there like a thousand times. U will love this place and its people there is always a good feeling in the air. I love this place Fun fact: La playa in Spanish means the beach!

BOMB ASS TACOS! We came hungry and ordered four tacos, one carnitas, one carne asada, and two fish. I usually don't care for carnitas but their meat as so moist and flavorful. My favorite was the fish tacos but were all good and very filling. Their horchata was on point as well would definitely recommend! Parking can be difficult if you're not lucky enough to snag a spot in their lot.

Tasty food with a twist. Gave this fish taco a try and I was very pleased! It had a great crunch and display. It had a base of rice and a dusting of Parmesan cheese. Definitely worth the stop. Plenty of seating and food came out fast. Service was friendly and kept the place clean.

Quality homemade tacos at fair prices. We had the fish and Al Pastor tacos plus chicken taquitos. Everything was enjoyable.

Went here twice, it was really good!! The burrito carne asada was bomb and so was the Quesadilla. Yum yum will be coming back when I'm in town!

Great food, fast service. Tortillas are so good! I always judge my burritos based of the tortilla. Better than the other stops on mission. Great price. Carne asada taco was stacked with meat. Super impressed. I am a fan of bean and cheese burritos... wished the beans were more smashed but portion was a good size.

A small shop, with 3 tables inside, and a few more outside. But wow!!! The food! They all look so ordinary but why taste so freaking good???!!! Meal time, they have line out the door! Apparently it's the place to get tacos! I never down tacos so fast in my life lol All 3 tacos - shrimp, fish, carne asada - were exceptional. My companion finished the giant burritos enchilada style as well. I was tempted to steal a bite but it was all gone by the time I look over! --.--

I'm a Texan who loves texmex and I was so impressed by the fresh tacos filled with large amounts of proteins and veggies! Nothing wimpy about their servings and their prices were reasonable! Refreshing Jamaica and my #9 fish taco and carne asada taco, were fantastic. The beef was tender and flavorful on its own, the fish alaskan cod was fried crispy. Loved it! Hubs got Californian burrito that was amazing and he was very happy. I would get a few bites in and was loving the flavor combo. You got to give this place some love. Good fast fresh delicious food and a great lady helping you!

The fish tacos are ok, I wasn't expecting having rice in my tacos . I was looking for good fish tacos on the area. I was searching in yelp and I came across with this restaurant. I'm surprised this place has a lot of good reviews. Service is good.

Still coming here everytime I visit San Diego. First review was 11 years ago and still just as good. Always the first stop when we get to town!

We were craving tacos and stopped by here for a quick lunch at 1pm on a Friday. We were pleasantly surprised to find a short line. Ordered a carne asada and shrimp taco. Both were great with fresh ingredients. Service was also friendly. Will be back to try other items. They have seating for casual dining nothing fancy just friendly service and great food a couple of blocks from the water and away from the crowds.

Great authentic Mexican food. Taco and enchilada was good and foods not greesy at all. Fresh chips cooked chips serve hot!

In my spare time, I am a world-class connoisseur of breakfast burritos, and I take my job very seriously. I like to skip around town and try different places, always in search of the masterpiece of eggs & deliciousness wrapped up in a fresh tortilla. I've found that, in general, the best venues for this type of noble fare are the little hole-in-the wall taco shops that have a few tables, but rely primarily on take-out orders. Today, I stumbled into one the best - if not THE BEST - I've ever had. La Playa Taco Shop isn't messing around with their breakfast burrito savvy. I ordered the breakfast burrito with bacon. It came with eggs, rice, beans, and cheese. This was out of this world, and I couldn't get over the wonderful aftertaste even an hour after I devoured it. It was extremely fresh, delicious, and they even charred the tortilla slightly - which added an extra push of mouth-watering flavor! OMG I want another one RIGHT NOW!!! YUM!

For the prices this spot is great. It's a little hole in the wall spot but it was so busy when we got there. The bean tostada was good and huge. The fish taco was really good but the fish was mostly breeding. Over all I'd go back especially because of the prices for the quality!

Good Mexican food here; Friendly staff, clean and convenient location. I wish they would have a substitute (they don't have black beans).

Living in Tucson I eat a lot of burritos and I've had a lot of burritos over my life time. This is hands down The best burrito I've ever had! I'm gonna have dreams about this thing! I got the Carney Asada burrito. Never in my life have I tasted anything so good. I wish we had this place in Tucson I would eat here every other day!

Good food and service!!! The price is right and quantity/size is right. We had the carne asada burrito, chorizo burrito and breakfast burrito.

Hands down the go to place. Anything you get here is delicious. We have tried the taquitos, various tacos, various burritos and quesadillas. Guacamole is fresh and delicious to order for even making tacos at home. Portions are large and filling. The workers are extremely kind and hard working. One of the few places with there own parking lot. Always friendly vibes. Indoor and outdoor seating. Fast service. If there is a wait, its worth it.

Line was long and wait was long BUT it is worth the wait! The tacos were delicious! We wished we had ordered more to try! Fish tacos were delish! My husband LOVED the al pastor. This will be a go to every time we are in that area!

AMAZING. I walked in on crutches and the owner took my order. She was so lovely. When my order was ready she walked me all the way out to my car to give me a hand. The food was delicious!!! Ordered 4 tacos; chicken, carnitas, carne asada and al pastor + horchata (best I've ever had). I will definitely be back!