CLOSED - Tacos el Cabron

Called Azul now even though it still says tacos el cabron on the outside. Overall, for the price not bad. I got 2 tacos and with tip it came out to be less than $6 Food: decent tacos with all the toppings, the Al pastor was a bit too charred so took away from the flavor. They have a salsa bar with only 2 salsa options Service: quick and efficient

Probably the worst tacos we’ve ever had in San Diego :(. The tacos broke apart when we got home. Did a to go order. They don’t even have the proper to go boxes, it spilled everywhere on the drive home. Wish we were given proper boxes and not just tin foil on top of paper plates. Food was so cold when we got home and the tacos were mushy already just after a 15 min drive. Just picked at the meat nd couldn’t even eat the tortilla.

For a taco shop this place is pretty good. I had a bacon breakfast taco and a fish taco. The breakfast taco was delicious. Solid mix of flavors and cooked well. Fish taco also had a decent mix of flavors, even if the fish wasn't of the highest quality but it's a taco shop not a fine dining restaurant. It was cooked perfectly though and not breaded. The outdoor area on the street was nice if a little rundown but that's typical of the area. Hard to keep patio areas pristine. Prices are just ok, a little high, but not out of the average at all compared to other places in the area. Decent portion size on the tacos. Would definitely recommend. Staff was extremely friendly.

We dined there around 3 PM on a weekday. Two tacos, one beef fries. Everything was tasty! Especially the shrimp taco was incredibly delicious! Just the right level of spiciness. We were almost the only guests and sat outside. Service was okay, not overly enthusiastic but friendly. The staff seemed a bit rushed. The atmosphere was mediocre. The outdoor area was unexciting, plain. Metal tables, no decoration, slightly unkempt. But okay. Cozy, however, is something different.

California Burrito Ratings (14th Stop): Tacos El Cabron Embarking on a mission to rank SD's iconic California burritos! The Product:
This burrito stands out for its heavy dose of greens and grilled meat—super charred, which I personally vibe with. It’s hefty; couldn’t finish it in one sitting. Price tag? Around $16, which is above SD’s average. Flavor didn’t quite match the cost. 5 out of 10. The Service:
Casual interaction. The girl at the counter seemed glued to her phone most of the time. 3 out of 10. The Vibe:
The decor has cool elements that could set a great atmosphere, but the overall vibe felt a bit neglected. 7 out of 10.

We enjoyed our dinner here. It was fresh, delicious and a bit spicy. We loved the spice and the portion size. We had a burrito, churros and surf and turf bowl. Everything was freshly made after ordering and it is so affordable!

Went here recently because I’m currently trying all the Al Pastor Burritos in the Neighborhood. I went here on a Saturday afternoon and it was empty. Everywhere else was busy. Two ladies were working and the place was not that clean. I ordered and actually waited a long time for some reason and I was the only customer. The Salsa Bar was not clean. The burrito was actually terrible and basically mostly full of dried rice.. I’ve been going here for years and can tell there has been a drop in the level of food and the service speed. The owner needs to check on this. I’ll be back in a few months.. maybe and hopefully they will step it up. (I’ve always liked their Tacos)

The food here is amazing and tastes very authentic! The service was awesome! The hostess/cashier offered us free drinks because our wait was so long, (only felt about 20 minutes and we did come in with a rush of people) which she did not have to do. We were happy to wait and the wait was worth it! I ordered a carne asada taco and tried to order the elote corn fries because they looked delicious, but was told that they didn't have them, so on the fly, I ordered the shrimp fries and they were the best fries I ever had. The were so good and seasoned perfectly! The carne asada was delicious I didn't want to share half with my wife! 10/10, would recommend

Shout out to tacos el cabron , had the surf and turf burrito yesterday and it's pretty good . Great service by the way , the cashier lady good attitude and great costumer servi and so gentle . Can't complaint about ambiance great music and great attitude made a plus to My surf and turf burrito

Most people already know that Tacos El Carbon makes some great street tacos, burritos, bowls, and specialty fries, but did your know that they added some terrific breakfast items, such as; the steak and eggs breakfast burrito. They also offer a traditional breakfast burrito, a huevos ranchero burrito, chorizo, and red chilaquiles burritos, not to mention breakfast tacos. The burrito comes with tender made to order carne asada and made to order soft scramble. The burrito also comes with crispy tater tots, white cheese, fresh pico de gallo, and freshly sliced avocado, all wrapped in a warm flour tortilla The steak inside the burrito was delicious, and so were the well scrambled eggs. You got to love a breakfast burrito with crispy tots. I tried their red and their green hot sauces. They were both very tasty and offered good mild heat. Service was upbeat and friendly. They offer beer and wines, inside and outside seating, and a cold brewed coffees.

I had a burrito & it was cold. I don't think I would try it again. In my group they got the order wrong twice and the tacos were cold as well.

We were disappointed to find out that our usual taco spot, Tacos El Gordo, closed at 7PM while we were downtown. However, because of that we were able to stumble upon Tacos El Cabron. I really wanted adobaba fries so we shared that and got 1 adobada taco. We were a bit skeptical at first about the adobada because we didn't see a Trompo or smell adobada when we went inside. Surprisingly the adobada had a nice char to it and was juicy. The fries were perfectly crispy and golden. The fry to adobada ratio was also perfect! We left feeling very satisfied and pleasantly surprised. I would say this would be a good alternative if the line is long at Tacos El Gordo and you want some good mexican food in downtown San Diego.

As you can tell I rarely give bad reviews. I try to find something positive but this was just overall not good from start to finish. Ordered breakfast from their site. Go to pick it up. According to hours been in for 45 minutes but appears they must have just gotten there. 3 employees working all ignore me for 5 minutes as I attempt to get attention. My order was not even started. I asked to just give me my money back as I was running out of time. They refused so I waited 20 mins for my burritos. No seasoning on them at all. Even with salsa so bland and cold. How could it be cold when just cooked? They seem to do a great job of marketing on instagram. Maybe put some money into customer service and food prep. ‍ This location is on what we call taco row as many tacos places right next to it. Will keep passing it by as I used to.

Tacos El Cabron used to be one of the vendors at the local taco festivals prior to the pandemic. I remember being impressed with their signature item which was the El Cabron. It was a soft taco made up of grilled steak and black beans on a flour tortilla. I recently visited the brick and mortar location on Fourth Ave in the Gaslamp Quarter. There was one large party of eight seated in the back of the dining area. Another customer was waiting for his takeout order. Despite the low volume, the cashier took several minutes bringing food to the big group before returning to the service counter. While he was away, I had plenty of opportunity to review and decide what I wanted from the menu. There were eleven types of tacos/quesatacos available. They were of the street size variety and priced between $3.89 (fried fish) to $6.25 (salmon). It was a sticker shock to see what used to be under $3 to almost every item above $4. Besides the El Cabron, I picked the Adobada and Pulpo to complete my trio. I sat outside at a table on the parklet to wait for my tacos. They were brought out fairly quickly. The Adobada had a pineapple wedge added to the top along with crema. The spicy marinated grilled pork was on the salty side. The Pulpo had grilled red and green peppers mixed in with the diced octopus. It needed a marinade to liven up the protein. I didn't notice any black beans in the El Cabron, however there was a dollop of avocado and red salsa on top of the meat. This was the best of the three tacos. Compared to other downtown taco joints, Tacos El Cabron didn't really stand out to me as I had hoped. For the prices and quality, I rated my dining experience with three stars.

I ordered the fish and chicken tacos. While the fish taco was excellent and I would definitely order it again, the chicken taco was disappointing; the chicken tasted like boiled chicken and lacked seasoning, although the guacamole and salsa were good. The restaurant itself has a charming ambiance and is situated in a pleasant location. I would return, but I would opt for something without chicken.

Taco Tuesday at El Cabron! Wandered down After some projects. Never been. Churros, tacos, beer is a perfect lunch

I like this small hole in the wall joint. Hunny likes coming here for the tacos. We just ordered an adobado burrito, and a couple horchata cold brew. Coffee isn't that strong but it was refreshing on a hot day. Also posted on IG - and recvd a free order of churros. Also ordered chips- it was hot and fresh but I think because it steamed in the bag it was a little stale. Prob better if we ate it right away. There was also a sprinkle of bbq dust .

Food (5/5 stars): Tacos El Cabrón is a great taqueria in San Diego's Gaslamp District. Their Surf and Turf Taco was juicy and packed with flavor. The chipotle aioli was a nice surprise, too! Experience (4/5 stars): * Price: a little pricey, but worth trying * Wait Time: minimal on a Saturday afternoon * Service: good * Parking: street parking can be tough in Gaslamp * Ambiance: it's a simple quick service restaurant. I liked their wall art!

So far pretty fair prices food seems good restaurant seems very clean. Cashier was nice7/10. $10 for two tacos not bad they offer a 3 for 10 but from 2pm-6pm.10/10 presentation. Carne asada taco 9/10 tender a bit dry but extra point for being well cooked and nicely sliced. Tacos were like a bite and a half so for then price and proportions I'd say 5/10.salsa was amazing 20/10 for sure.

I'm sure if you're coming here tipsy, to get tipsy, or to avoid the lines at other spots, this is a five star experience. I also feel bad because the staff seemed busy... but this spot wasn't it. I ordered two fish tacos with no crema, which was put into the system as well. They arrived... with crema. I went to the salsa bar to get something to drown out the cream, and every single salsa was bottom of the barrel, waiting to be refilled. The tortillas aren't handmade like some of the other nearby spots, and they were a bit stale tasting. As for the fish and fillings, the flavor was way off. My friend got guacamole which had watery liquid on top and was already brown. Definitely skip this place if you're looking for a delicious taco.

Really good food! And I love the chicken bowl it's my personal favorite when I'm craving something lighter and healthier the service was great and so was the ambiance. Definitely coming back!

Great food very fun atmosphere. Neat little hole in the walls taco shop in downtown. We stopped by after a Padres game one night when we had to park at Horton plaza garage. I'm actually glad we had to park so far away cuz we wouldn't have eaten here otherwise! Great food and loved the elote fries. Will definitely be back! And they're open late!!!

Went down to SD a few weeks ago for Comic Con and my friends and I always found ourselves hungry at the end of the day or night and with Gaslamp popping we usually would try finding places that weren't insanely packed and easy to get service We ended up at this place and I had heard of it so I was curious I won't lie There are a lot of small tables to eat inside and also seating outside I will say I was expecting some good types of protein meats but it seems to lack and also seemed to be 50/50 with seafood as protein I'm like sure that's fine but prices are definitely a bit high given you are getting small little tacos to be honest but I did appreciate this taco joint had beer on sale I will say thee best thing here was my esquite or Mexican street corn in a cup I tell you I have such a hard hard time finding anyone in LA or other states who can make a good cup of corn but can never get it and this place did knock that out of the park giving me vibes of the town where my parents are from in Mexico it was bomb but that's about it The tacos were fine but nothing wow amazing... i honestly only would go back for the corn as a grab and go item lol And i don't have a pic of this place because it took forever to get it they forgot about my order lol it's ok it was comic con busy

Food (5/5) - Ordered 3 tacos, elotes for takeout. Highly recommend, everything tasted phenomenal even after trekking back to the hotel. Loved the surf and turf taco, even though I normally find them gimmicky. The shrimp was fresh and juicy, the steak was just the right char + doneness. I also love elotes and these didn't have too much water left over either. Price (5/5) - Pretty affordable, everything came out to below $20. Ambiance (4/5) - definitely more clean than sit-down / homey. Bright lights. But it's not really meant to be a sit down place.

Good tacos, very close to the other famous taco spot but not nearly as frantic or busy. A little on the pricier side but really good surf and turf tacos.

Only writing this review now because I am visiting SD again since the incident. Below is the incident that happened last time my bf and I were in SD. This is the exact email I sent to the company as they wanted a statement. We were promised free food our next visit and universal studio tickets which we never received. So since they're false promises and rude customer service, I'll just put it out there what we went through with this establishment. "November 21, 2021 Around 2:08 am, A man came to our table and grabbed my boyfriends beer very rude and aggressive. Yelling at him "it's 2am","you know the rules","give me your beer" Us not knowing who this man is at all because for one: He was not working with the staff the whole time we were there His breath smelled like alcohol His rude behavior was shocking for any "owner" or "businessman " to act He did not say who he was or anything at all, he just came and snatched the beer My boyfriend grabbed his beer from his hand and the man would not let go and basically playing tug a war with him yelling at him. My boyfriend gives in and let's him take the beer and the man points his finger at him and says "you know the rules" He was very loud and caused a scene. Shortly after he did come to apologize but it was not genuine and also only because his girlfriend told him to. He tried blaming his staff for what just happened. He then tells us he's part owner and he just got the alcohol license and beer is not aloud."

I used to live a block away from El Cabron and it was both mine and my partners go to place for THE BEST TACOS EVER!!!! We usually get the carne asada queso tacos, churros, and a surf and turf bowl. Fast forward last week ago we hired El Cabron to cater our wedding at our favorite bar. Jesse was my main contact for the event and he was very responsive and the pricing was great! Jesse and his team were awesome to work with and made our day extra special with amazing food. Thanks, El Cabron!!!

4 Stars honestly it's that good! Mexican food is ultimately perfect for Taco Tuesday to satisfy your expectations. Got the Abodabo Fries to share, a Surf and Turf Burrito and they got this packed with meat, and everything tastes exactly as you would expect. The burrito was delicious, the fries were hefty, and the two types of Churros was a sweet treat. One was topped with chocolate, the other was caramel. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised and very full that I had to order tortillas to go so I could make a burrito with my leftover fries. Birria is what two of my friends ordered, which looked really good. I was not in the mood for it but for next time if I'm in town, I'd try it out and skip the fries. There is also a Salsa Bar with a few types of salsa and you can pack one to go with your leftovers. They do serve beer and horchata, but none of us were in the mood for more alcohol from a previous night out. Service is quick and it's a very low key casual restaurant so you'll most likely eat messy while enjoying good comfort food!

Food not impressive. Girl cashier was nice. Wouldn't come again. Guy managing kitchen didn't seem happy at all to be at work. Felt bad for rest of staff.

I got a birria taco. It was delicious, small, but very flavorful and fresh. The Elote was perfectly seasoned and so juicy. The tostada chicken was kind of bitter and there was too little beans. Otherwise, it was very good in total, but not yet deserving a 5.

Keep in mind that I came here after a night of clubbing in the Gaslamp District (mind ya business), but I ain't gonna hold you, the shrimp Burrito I ordered was pretty damn tasty! Despite it being after hours on a busy weekend, the service was fast, friendly, and efficient; furthermore, It was also pretty clean for a spot that's open late at night in an area full of clubs. All in all, Tacos El Cabron has my stamp of approval. If you ever find yourself hanging out in the Gaslamp District and need a bite to eat go ahead and give them a try.

Outstanding taco spot These were great Fish tacos Chips & guacamole Definitely would come back again

Chicken and asada tacos hit after a day at the ballpark! Tacos come with onions and guacamole load on top.Burrito bowl with chicken was good, "I enjoyed it" said the lady. Burritos are huge and come in a sharable size.

Ordered carne asada tacos, elote fries, octopus taco and churros. Octopus taco was good, but the rest was just okay. Churro was NOT "best in San Diego" as advertised. Our food took 30 minutes, even though the place only had four other groups. I think they forgot about our order, but didn't admit to it. The tacos are saucy, which means it spills all over your lap if you're not careful. I don't recommend this spot.

Still going with tacos el Cabron strong I even have a loyalty card . This is the only acceptable Mexican food I eat in San Diego , I come here very often and I've never had an issue with the staff I'm not sure why there are so many bad reviews . I have a good experience every time I come and I've been coming here for a really long time . The owner seen me so much he gave me a loyalty card and I always get a discount when I come . :)

Still my favorite tacos in Downtown!! Love their three taco plate and now they have a $10 happy hour that's amazing. Also that spicy salsa is SUPER spicy just how I love it.

For $4.75 a taco I wish that the quality was better. We dropped by for a small bite on a Tuesday night. I tried the carne asada and birria tacos. The tortilla was thick and quite dry and the meat was also dry and could have used more seasoning/flavor. The salsa bar in the back isn't maintained very well-- the salsas and limes did not look very fresh. There aren't many taco spots in the downtown area which are open late, but I'd probably look for a different place next time.

The surf and turf taco was great. Great salsas and the guac was also delicious. No high chair though. Large quesadilla was great for our kiddo.

Service and food were great! The amount of love this place has to offer is incredible. We have gone 3 times in the last 3 days and hope to stop by once more before leaving town! Pastor tacos and quesadillas are my favorite!

These people know their street tacos! Taco centro is nicer looking but their food sucks compared to El Cabron. The meat is delicious and their california burritos are the bomb. 10/10 recommended in downtown San Diego.

Been smelled bad,Esquite was literally brown and chewy. The carne azada fries are cold The meat was hard guacamole is not real, Adobada burrito was not good Overall everything was awful The food was way better before 2020 now just sucks Spend $50.83

So I work downtown a lot and usually come here for lunch it is always very good food and service I also love the music and TVs they have this is a great spot to come too 5/5 stars!

The food was authentic, and fresh. The service was good, and I would definitely go back to this spot for tacos next time I'm in San Diego. It was right next to our hotel and just a chill spot for when we were feeling tacos and beers. Highly recommend this place!

Ordered a salmon bowl and other items through Yelp. They called me 2 mins after my order was supposed to be ready that they don't have salmon. Ok, no worries. Switched it for a shrimp bowl (if you can even call it that... it's shrimp with beans and rice, nothing special). 20 mins after my order was supposed to be ready, I came in and it STILL wasn't ready. Ok, waited another 8 mins and there was only me and one other guy in the restaurant. The beans have absolutely no flavor at all. Very bean-tasting, and I even had a few beans that were hard and ready to take a tooth out. Rice was meh. Shrimp was good but spicy, but at $18, I felt it was falling short of expectations. My party liked their chicken tacos, but hated the churros. I expected the churros to be filled with chocolate but they just put Hershey's syrup on top. Disappointing. Won't be back.

Something about watching your tortilla being made to order behind the counter... my go to taco place when visiting SanDiego

This place has a different kind of taco menu that includes salmon tacos. The chicken taco was not the best I've had but it had quite a lot of meat which I appreciate. The restaurant itself is very clean and spacious.

Carne asada fries were pretty good; meat could've been cut up better and the serving size wasn't that big. Less do taco was huge! But tastes fine. The adabada taco was small but good. Also tacos are cheaper at the place across the street and better imo.

Service wad good at this spot. Food is horrible. Chips too oily, Over cooked, too much salt/seasoning. Burrito was nonsense. Cheese tasted off. Beans taste weird....i can't say bad or horrible because they were just weird. The French fries are cooked & sitting there. DO NOT hemant the fries here. Overall the food is really bad, but service was great, staff very friendly & accommodating. Ambiance is generic

Great food great customer service definitely will come back again and the owner was super nice and respectful shout out to Don Cabron tacos

I first came here on my lunch break a few weeks ago as El Cabron is walking distance from my work. I keep trying other taco spots in downtown but I always end up right back here. The street tacos hit the spot every time, the adobada pork, carne asada, and pescado are my favorites. Their corn tortillas are always so fresh and tasty. Service is great too! The lady who often works the register is friendly and my food always comes out in a few minutes. They keep the place clean and it's usually never too busy. They also have a salsa bar so you can load up your tacos or take some containers to go, which is definitely a perk for me as I'm a green salsa goblin. Not pictured: El Cabron's delicious churros covered in chocolate sauce... which I usually can't resist ($4). Overall, great food that's reasonably priced that keeps me coming back again and again!

Extremely slow. Ordered my food waited an hour and never received it. Got a refund and left. Not worth the wait.

Unintentionally stumbled on this gem late on a Friday night. I have to admit I was a little skeptical, but so glad I wasn't deterred. We ordered the carne asada fries, taco plate (quesa tacos chicken & carne asada) and churros. To my delight, everything was made fresh directly in front of us. We received our food within 10 minutes of ordering. The meats were seasoned to perfection! Very tasty. I literally had no complaints. I'd definitely return again to explore more of the menu.

This place gets crowded because of all the Gaslamp hungry partiers but the tacos here are not good to be honest. They just put some fried meats on tacos and called it a day. I never had bad adobada tacos in my life so far but this place broken that record. So congrats!

They cook shrimp like nobody else tacos are great! Had the surf and turf and shrimp. Absolutely go here and check out the seafood!

Love the food. But the employees always get my ORDER wrong. I have argue if you didn't print your receipt. So print it. Show them your order. Half don't speak English will FK it up. This one female TJ hood rat always asking for tips. I'm a regular customer and local. Eat here like 3-4 times a week. Food good. I tip her & staff $5. One time & explain I cannot do that all the time I'm broke I had medical bills. & lost my job. Last time I come in I ORDER & that little bitch demanded $2 for ice. So not going back any time soon. Not right charging customers $2 of ice after you ordered food. He'll No. There 4 more taco shop in this one block. Going check them out. Find new taco spot.

ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!!!! The environment is amazing, you can eat inside or outside on their patio! The tacos are absolutely delicious and their hot sauces are fire!! Definitely worth the wait to order after a long line! Service is amazing!

This place was recommended to me by a neighboring business and couldn't be happier with the he recommendation! If you are downtown and want good food this place is amazing!! They were extremely nice and allowed me to stay until my Uber arrived Note* the red salsa is so hot that I can't imagine what the habanero salsa tastes like