TACO CENTRO

Fantastic spot for tacos. They had stuffed tacos full of meat and it was very, very flavorful. I got the carne asada tacos and I love them. They have a topping bar where you can just grab as many limes or sauces that you need, which I love. I hate having to ask for extra limes or sauce and here I can just grab it myself. The drinks are not real agua fresca though that was a bit of a disappointment. I ended up getting a soda instead but I would have loved a fresh horchata. Still food wise I highly recommend this place and I will be back next time I come. I asked for the tacos with no guacamole and they still put guacamole on the tacos but it was so good that I'm not mad about it.

I went to this place for the first time and it was great. Luckily we got there in time. There was a long line after us. I got the carne asada and Pollo asada and it was so yummy. They have a salsa bar which was great. I would recommend this place for sure.

I went here 4 days in a row. I thought the Cali Burrito was the best I've ever had... but then the next day I had the BREAKFAST burrito and it was even better. Fast service as well. Worth every penny. The sauce bar is amazing as well.

Good food, great salsa bar, quick service! The food is really good! The el pastor taco had a good portion of meat, there was some fat in there but nothing crazy. We also had the Mar y Tierra burrito which was really good but we were not a fan of the cabbage mix. The vibes here are great and the space is so thoughtfully laid out and decorated. Salsa bar is amazing!! All of the salsas are tasty and there is good variety. The prices they have listed on the website seem to be outdated but they have good deals on tacos on Tuesday and game days.

The carne asada meat was a bit chewy, the tortillas were soft and good tasting almost gave me a hint that they make their own tortillas. Its a good spot to hit up prior / after a game

Sweet place to get amazing tacos. Laid back setting, walk up to the counter, order your food, get a number, wait until they call it, pick your food up. They make everything fresh, you can watch them make the tortillas and tacos in front of you through the glass. They also have a salsa bar, awesome. I ordered the grilled fish taco, the steak, and al pastor. The fish taco was excellent. It was fresh and flavorful. It was my favorite. Then came the steak taco. It was loaded with meat, good flavor, and balance. Last was al Pastor. It was still good, but the other two were amazing. I definitely want to come back and try more options.

Came here on a Tuesday for Happy Hour where they had 5 dollar beers! Unfortunately this deal only applied to Dos Equis lager so I got that. I wanted to get the Dos Equis Negro on tap. For food I got a Baja Taco which has Fried Battered Fish, Cabbage, Pico De Gallo and Chipotle Sauce. Really solid piece of fish, very long. Also the taco was easy to eat, this was a "less is more" situation. The salsa bar is legit, when I see Habanero slices in the onions, you know its a proper mexican taco place! Great food and chill employees! Also came here a 2nd time and ordered Al Pastor Tacos and Churros. Churros were ok, they were a bit too crispy, might have been out for a bit.

Stopped by for a quick lunch during comic con. They make the tortillas right in front of you. The food is tasty and served fast. Plus they have an extensive salsa bar. I would definitely come back again for fresh food and a fast way to get some energy.

People were nice, everything was clean, food was so good and the price of it was really good too! Our food came out quick and it was overall a great experience, would come back again! Only thing is the music was a tiny bit too loud but that wasn't too bad

I stopped by here to satisfy a craving for some seafood tacos while visiting SD. The restaurant is clean and the menu is very large. The sale bar is also a nice option. There is plentiful outdoor seating which is fabulous since the weather here is so nice. I ordered the taco Cameron enchilado and the taco grilled pescado. The Cameron enchilado has melted cheese lining the tortilla which is insanely yummy. There is a good amount of shrimp inside and they are seasoned perfectly. The chipotle sauce is delicious. The taco grille pescado was also very yummy. The piece of fish wasn't that large but the flavor was quite good. Again the chipotle sauce is amazing. Prices are good! Tacos are small but high quality. Server was not that friendly but that's ok, the food was delicious. I will definitely come back!

Worth a try but honestly about a 3.3. I didn't think there was great seasoning to the Asada, I didn't taste the smokiness . The Baja fish taco came with an extremely small strip of fish, but I thought it tasted well. Both of these two came at the bottom of all of their, relative, competition. Salsa bar was cool though .

As a San Diego local there is an abundance of taco shops everywhere.... Literally everywhere! After a concert at Petco, we were on the hunt to get some grub and found this place with loud music, line out the door and tons of people chowing down on their food and knew this was going to be good. With the crowd size, we knew we were in for a wait, but we were ready for it. Food did not disappoint and was worth the wait. They have a good variety of tacos but we were in line long enough that we were ready to order as soon as we go to the cashier. Would definitely come back if we are in the area.

Always looking for new taco places to try whenever we're in SD. We arrived around 1130am on a Sunday and looked like we were one of the first ones there. Parking is pretty terrible if you're lucky enough to find street parking or you can park across the street but they charge a ridiculous amount minimum about of $50 we planned on eating there but decided to just take it to go. They have indoor and patio dinning. They had a self service ordering kiosk that we used to order our food. 11 tacos (asada, al pastor, birria, camaron, and Baja) 2 burritos (bacon, sausage and hashbrown and one Tierra). Pretty pricey and they charged 4% surcharge and 3% card fee. They have a self service salsa bar. The salsas were really good. I love the guac and salsa verde. The tacos were okay. Definitely had better in SD. The asada and el pastor was a bit dry. The birria meat was good. Glad to have tired but probably won't be back anytime soon.

Service is fast and friendly. Food you need to wait a little bit because its made to order. Ambiance is casual with outside seating. Family friendly. Toppings bar was impressive with like 8 salsas you can choose yourself. Most people ordered for to go.

Yum yum yum! If you're looking for a taco spot the next time in SD, I'd highly recommend. Service was quick and received our food and drinks pretty quickly. We arrived at opening so the line wasn't too long. It is a very popular spot and seating is open, so first come first serve. We ordered micheladas, guac, and a variety of their tacos. Tacos are pretty good size and could've eat just 2 vs. 3 Their Fish tacos were FIRE. Wasn't that impressed with the nopales but the mushroom was good. Guac was tasty. Parking was nearby but expensive. Would visit again

My partner came here before and loved it. So I tried it for the first time and the food was really good. Luckily we got there a little early because it got packed real quick. I got the carne asada and Pollo asada both were good, I liked carne a little more. The flavor was there. There is also a salsa, and topping bar where you get all your taco toppings. If you are looking for amazing tacos come here. They played great music and great vibes. Would recommend this place.

In a sea of sit down restaurants and all you want is a quick bite for tacos, Taco Centro is your best option downtown! Essentially your elevated taco shop, the tacos are hearty and the prices are reasonable. I got the Mar y Tierra and carne asada tacos. They were juicy and flavorful. Their salsa bar has 5 different choices, sure to find something for everyone. Service is quick and there is an abundance of seating inside and out. They also have $5 beers during happy hour (until 6pm). What a steal!

This was a location on a food tour I was on. They had a wide range of different tacos as well as burritos, quesadillas, etc. They also had a salsa bar with a number of options. I sampled two tacos, the carne asada and grilled fish. The carne asada had guacamole present. There was a nice char on the meat, and it was tasty. The tortilla held up nicely too. The grilled fish was I believe mahi mahi. It was a large portion of fish and again, the tortilla held up. It was appetizing too. I also had some of their salsas on these tacos too. The avocado salsa was my favorite while the cilantro cream was spicier than I would have thought. The regular salsa had a nice kick to it as well. I would have all three again. Will I go back? Yup.

Taco Centro: where the music's so lively you forget you just came for lunch. I "accidentally" ordered tacos, a burrito, chips, guac, raided the salsa bar like a menace, and washed it down with horchata. Zero self-control, 10/10 would do it again.

Food: 5/5 Drinks: 5/5 Portions: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Customer service: 5/5 Speed: 5/5 Price: $ Takeout: yes Outdoor seating: yes ADA access: yes Dogs: patio Kid Friendly: yes Vegetarian options: yes Ambiance: casual Pros: affordable prices, good food, friendly staff, STRONG drinks Cons: none!

This place is right next door to Club Nova. We got to the club early and decided to have a drink here. The food is good and the drinks are very strong. Fast service, their tacos were delicious also. Great place to eat a quick meal and have a drink.

Stopped in and was pretty underwhelmed by my experience. I ordered the 3 taco meal, which came with chips and a beer. I wish I'd realized you couldn't choose your beer--before I could even ask, the cashier handed me a cheap beer that tasted like water. I also got chips and guacamole, and the guac was made with visibly overripe, black avocados that tasted terrible. The tacos were ok, nothing to write home about.

3.5 stars... We have been walking past this joint for months and realized we needed to give it a shot... I'm a creature of habit so the Cali Burrito was my choice... nice size, and stuffed with meat and fries... birria taco and fish tacos were both good. Ambiance is beachside boisterous, service was at the counter, and prices were above expectation, but it's in a touristy area.

We decided to stop here after reading some pretty good reviews. Walking in there was no line at the time, but the woman working didn't greet us or anything. We hadn't been there, so we wanted to check out the menu for a minute. A few others came in, so we let them go first. As we were ready to order, the woman taking orders just appeared annoyed to be there. Her responses were one word, and she did not say thank you or anything. The food came out within a few minutes. They do have a great salsa bar, but I can't say we were impressed with our food. Their carne asada burrito was super greasy and had so much beans that it was impossible to pick up. It was falling apart everywhere. On the tacos we wanted to try different meats, so we got pastor and carnitas. None of the meats were very tender. Their house beer is a happy hour special, and it was decent. Their cocktails were canned, which is fine, bit a bit pricey. The place looks nice and has a good outdoor space, but we just have too many good taco spots for us to want to go back. I'm guessing they will survive on convention and Padres traffic, but it was not a favorite for me.

Great tacos!! They're so flavorful and taste authentic! The staff is nice and works quickly and you can even watch them cook through the open kitchen. There's a good amount of seating and is great for a quick lunch

I love the tacos best! Best in San Diego The sauce bar YUM. I got the chicken, mushroom and carne asada. All my favorite lol.

Late night taco spot with banging salsas! Loud music and great energy for the tipsy crowd at night. Their Al Pastor is well-caramelized and great as a taco or burrito. The Baja Fish Taco was also nice and crispy.

My 11-year old son loves the Deftones. We flew from San Jose to San Diego for Día de Los Deftones 2025. We stayed at the Residence Inn in the Gaslamp. We know that the best Mexican food in the world outside of Mexico is in San Diego so we decided to get tacos. I found Taco Centro on Yelp and we walked over before the show. I had a California burrito because of course I did. He had a carne asada taco and an al pastor taco. We both had horchatas. Listen. It was perfect. My mouth is watering just reminiscing on that delicious burro. And it's affordable. We watched the tía make tortillas and the line was out the door but the service was fast and polite!! We loved it so much that we went back for breakfast the next day and split an order of carne asada fries. I also had a carnitas taco and a birria taco. Don't judge me. It was so damn good. This is our spot now. Please go. Thank me later.

Vibes were ok here. They have a small dining area inside and space outside to sit. The space outside is decent but cars pulling up while out there made us anxious since it's just too close for comfort. They do have happy hr (reason why we were drawn to the place) but only until 5pm and it's house beers only. The food was ok as we only had their fries and ceviche and decent in pricing for the area. The service was ok as well.

Food 5/10 Service 1/10 Price on menu 0/10 They charged us 60 dollars for 2 tacos one burrito corn and rice at this hole in the wall Way over priced and not outstanding quality. Rude people at the counter during night.

I remember passing by Taco Centro the first night I was in the area and was intrigued by the lights, music, and crowd, but did not go in b/c we were in search of a bar. I noted to come back here before I left and I enjoyed my experience and food there. What I ordered: Carne Asada Taco El Pastor Taco Pollo Asado Taco Sonora Taco Second visit, same day (I had a flight to catch and planned to bring a burrito w/ me): Modelo (drank inside) Sonora Burrito While all of the things I ate were delish, my fave taco was the Sonora. There were so many items off the menu I wanted to try. I really liked the music that was playing along with the what they were playing on the TV inside. I was learning a lot from watching how things were made and I enjoyed the fresh openness of the establishment - seating inside or outside the windows near the bar seating open up and there is a parklet with a few picnic tables outside for larger groups to gather as well as some bar table seating outdoors. Help yourself to the beer if you happen to order one - they can be taken from the mini fridges below the cashier counter. Watch how your food is being made - there are clear windows where we can see into the kitchen. Mini area where you can grab all the salsa, grilled / pickled veggies, radishes, jalapeños, limes, hot sauces, self-serve soda and juice machines, too. Don't forget to buss your own table! There are trash cans and areas to drop off plates inside by the front door. I thought the staff I encountered were nice. I had a fun solo time here and would come back. Love the energy of the music and the yummy food!! Again, so much I want to try still!

What a good night time spot! We stopped by between bar hopping and got some tacos! Everything was really yummy and smelled really good. Not gonna lie, the blue lights outside had us thinking we were going to a club. Definitely a good pit stop. We ordered off a tablet and the food came fast. yum!

Taco Centro trying to be sneaky. Used the kiosk to place an order and saw a "benefits charge" added to my total. I cancelled it and went somewhere else. I'm all for employees having benefits. But it's not my responsibility to pay for benefits that the employer should be providing. Won't be going back.

I absolutely love this place. Unfortunately, I'm trying not to use explicit, but this girl is the worst person I've ever encountered in my entire life. I love this place so much. The food is so great but this person sucks. She should not be working here.

This is such a fun and lovely place to get something quick and authentic. I got a grilled mushroom taco along with a El pastor taco, pretty much devoured it. This is the place to go when you're at a busy conference at the local convention center. I'm thankful I gave it another try as the first time I ordered a birria Ramen, thinking that the Ramen was like dried Ramen taco shells so I was disappointed at the moment realizing this was actually a ramen soup with taco meat & season! Just glad I gave it another shot.

Cali asada burrito all the way! I felt the asada had better flavor than the al pastor, but everything was fresh, and the sauce/salsa selection was great, would definitely go back!

Came here around 2 am, and it was delicious. We ordered tacos de pastor, asada, and a mulita. It did take a while to come out, but it was well worth the wait. I would recommend trying the tacos de pastor you can't go wrong with them. Place was a cute vibe with inside and outside seating.

The lady working the register was so friendly and helpful. She made some amazing recommendations and allowed my friend to order a very customized order to suit her dietary needs. The salsa bar was amazing one of my favorites all of the sauces are good. The Al pastor taco was delicious. The fish taco was good not bad just above average. I would try their carne asada next time. Place was clean and quiet.

They stay open late if you are looking for after hours options. I would give them 5 stars but it took 30 mins to get the food after we ordered.

What I Got..Sublime harmony in my head It could have been solid veggie tacos. I would have given it four stars. Only two veggie aka vegetarian tacos on the menu so that's what I got. I went with the Nopal and Mushroom tacos. Good flavor. I had them customized vegan by omitting the cheese and one of the sauces that came with dairy. The tortillas came with avocado, grilled onions, and were quite good. The salsa bar was nice too with pickled carrots and various salsas. The reason for one star is found a piece of steak in my mushroom taco. Aghori moment biting into and finding a piece of steak in the mushroom taco. Being a longtime vegan of 25 years didn't appreciate this hence one star as that ruined the meal.

Small place with delicious tacos. Order at the counter and pick up when ready. There is open seating inside and outside. There is even a sauce & salsa counter on the side where you can pick from many different flavors and spice levels! Loved the tacos here, and ended up going there a few times while in San Diego. (Walkable from the convention center)

I ordered the birria nachos. They forgot to include the salsas I asked for in my take out order and the birria had a different flavor than the traditional flavor. I would not recommend ordering any of their birria menu items. They did not have the traditional flavor.

Best tacos in downtown SD. Go there every time im in town. The buñelos are the best ever!

Plenty of outdoor seating (not sure if they had high chairs available but with outdoor seating, it was big enough to fit the wagon the toddler eat from). Was craving fish tacos so tried both a grilled fish taco and fried fish taco and enjoyed both... but was surprised how much we enjoyed the chicken bowl (got it for the toddler but it was too much for her so we helped) and it was well balanced (not rice heavy like many other places we know)--would return to try their other items

Best freakin takos in downtown hands down. Everything is made to order with fresh ingredients. No long lines. No hype all real tacos TJ style with a flare. I had the Mar y Tierra and asada and it was fire. Close to the ball park for that post game munchies victory snack. Save your money at the ball park and eat real tacos at a good price here! Adrian is the owner is on hand serving with pride. Arriba Tacos Centro!

Excellent spot for quick tacos and open late night. Overall I found them to be just so so. The salsa bar is divine however! Literally every type of salsa or condiment imaginable (at least to go with a taco) varying from bland, mild, to spicy. They also have some pickled options and fresh radishes. I got the shrimp tacos and the reason I wasn't a fan is the sauce overpowered the shrimp so I couldn't taste them at all. Maybe the other tacos are better. They also have plenty of other non taco options.

Came here because they serve Pacifico (husband's favorite beer) and surprisingly hard to find in Gaslamp apparently but definitely will be returning for the food! Delicious carne asada and al pastor. Vampiro was excellent and carne asada on point. My husband is very picky about the quality of meat restaurants use in carne asada tacos and he said he could've eaten 2 more if he wasn't already full. That's saying a lot From him. We sat outside on the patio during Sunday brunch. Good music, good food, cold beers - people watching on market street what more could you ask for! Stand Out Dishes: Al Pastor Vampiro Sonora Taco Their Salsa Bar is chefs kiss - at least 12 different options of salsas and accoutrement Better be ready with your order because the lady behind the register ain't got time for you

Food was delicious. Definitely coming back when going to a Padres game. Great location and the staff were attentive and made us feel at home. Thank you!! #Ohi8Here

Amazing food. Their flavors are unique and addicting! I wish I could just come and order the Baja and Sonora tacos and leave, but no. I always have to order som churros to because they're so f*cking good that if I don't order them, I'll just be thinking about them while I'm trying to sleep that night. Everything's good

This spot is setup real well, especially being where all the gaslamp SDCC shenanigans are during the con week. They have ample seating, outdoor seating, a good order system, good PA system to call your number for your order and a sauce and salsa bar etc. Fountain drinks, bottled sodas, ginger beers and beer! The service was good we have no issues with that servers were nice order at the counter and come pickup your food. The staff were nice. Now to the menu, there is an inflated pricing menu for comic con. I get it make your living it's a business capitalizing on the busy con week, no issues there and glad to support! Now the issue we had was the tacos took a bit to make, it wasn't crazy busy during the time we stopped by (between lunch and dinner) mid afternoon. We opted for some items but were told it's not on the convention menu, but had signage on the walls at the register. Okay no problem. Got the tacos 3 for 20 bucks (if paid cash a bit more if credit) The tacos came out and were cold the meats each one was cold, the chicken had a weird aftertaste to it not sure what seasoning it was. The other two were a bit better in sense of taste being beef and pork but also equally cold. Maybe just a misfire or put together using meats cooked earlier. Not sure but was a bit disappointed in that regard. Ended up going up the block and buying 8 tacos for 30 and being happy as a clam after back at the telly. Cheers. And have a good con week!

Was craving tacos so I walked over to taco centro and placed an order to go. I ordered the al pastor and carne asada tacos with only onions and cilantro and some chips. Tacos were great! And a hefty portion. Although they feel kind of spendy for almost $5 each, there is a large portion of meat so was worth it in my opinion. Great flavor on both. There is also a salsa bar where you can pick your liking, overall great place for some quick tacos!

When I come to San Diego and am near the Gaslamp, I always find a way to come to Taco Centro. I enjoy watching the fresh tortillas being made while I wait for my food. I usually get the Mar y Tierra Taco and the Sonora Taco, which is made with a flour tortilla.

BEST TACOOS EVER!!! These tacos beat the ones at home. We came here twice. We got the flour tacos with carne asada and al pastor with cheese! The tacos are huge, meat inside is super juicy, flavorful, and seasoned well. They have a salsa bar with so many to choose from. Our go to was the green salsa, cilantro lime, chipotle salsa, and the house salsa. Be careful because some of the sides can be very spicy if you're sensitive to spice. They have outdoor and in door seating. It seems like people eat quick here so easy to find a seat. It can get really pricey but it's worth it.

This was my first time trying this place me and my friends were walking to downtown to find food and we literally picked this place. When I walked in the place it was clean the ambiance was good I like the taco condiment bar it was set up real nice very great. I ordered and my food came out at a decent time I got the quesabirria tacos with consommé and beans the quesabirria and consommé was Sooo good but the beans could use some seasonings. overall my experience was great definitely recommend going and I'm definitely coming back!! Thank you to all the staff y'all did an amazing job!!

Sprayed ambience. Great flavor. Friendly staff. I really enjoyed my meal there. It's a solid four stars for what it is. I would definitely go back. The food was good.

Conveniently located near the gas lamp district, this was close to my hotel for a quick bite to eat. I've eaten both in the restaurant storefront and ordered for delivery. Nice it is open somewhat late. I enjoyed the Al pastor tacos and if I had only ordered this, it would've been a 4 star review, close to 4.5. Tasted great and tacos were loaded (though somewhat pricey) three tacos is enough for a solid lunch. Love the pineapple on it to balance out the pork. However the carne asada tacos were terrible. Meat was dry, tough, and chewy. Had to spit out half my taco because it wasn't edible. There are better taco places out there but the location and hours were convenient.

Food is mid. Not bad but the service took about 45 mins to get 1 burrito. Yes it was after the club, but 45 mins? Really? Sorry to say, but I won't ever come here again.