Tacos El Franc

Hot San Diego Restaurant Openings You May Have Missed, October 2025 | Eater San Diego

"Landing in the bustling downtown neighborhood packed with bars and nightclubs, the second U.S. outpost of the Michelin-recognized taqueria from Tijuana has opened its doors. Famous for its mesquite-grilled steak street tacos, adobada, asada, tripa, and suadero, Tacos El Franc serves its specialties on tortillas made to order and toasted on a charcoal grill. The Gaslamp location offers late-night hours and counter pickup, while the Plaza Bonita branch provides table service . The beef tallow fries topped with proteins are only available on the U.S. side. Pair the dishes with agua frescas, like horchata and Jamaica, or a 32-ounce Caguama—a large Mexican beer bottle meant to be shared with the table. Co-owner Roberto Kelly says he plans to open more Tacos El Franc concepts in San Diego and other regions." - Helen I. Hwang

"This taqueria boasts a bustling corner setting with a covered roof and bright blue open walls. There is plenty of seating at anchored white tables as well as at the counter. Grab a table, then place your order from one of the pleasant apron-clad ladies circulating throughout the room. There are different stations cooking specific items, and the sounds of sizzling and chopping rise above the cacophony. The menu is wide-ranging, with tacos, tostadas and vampiros, all with a meat focus." - Michelin Inspector

This Beloved Tijuana Taco is Coming to the U.S.

"Set just across the border, the new San Diego outpost is a roomy, 200-seat space designed to be “practically a clone” of the Tijuana original, down to the glossy blue-and-white tiles and a charcoal-powered grill. The menu will mirror Mexico’s: Tijuana-style tacos with smoky grilled meats, hand-pressed-to-order tortillas, salsas prepared fresh daily for each taco, and standouts like adobado carved from a massive twirling trompo and top-sirloin carne asada—both best finished with the creamy avocado sauce mixed by hand each morning. To match the flavor and quality, the team brought in specialized equipment to build an indoor charcoal grill even though gas-powered griddles are the norm and put meat suppliers through a rigorous inspection process, all to ensure longtime fans aren’t offered an inferior product; success here will be measured by customer loyalty and the same families returning over the years." - David Shortell

The Best Restaurants in Tijuana, Mexico | Eater San Diego

"The Valadez family opened Tacos La Glorieta in 1982, followed by Tacos El Frances (‘86), but they struck gold at Tacos El Franc (‘96), in downtown Tijuana where its massive red trompo of sweet, spiced adobada (pork in adobo) serves as the nucleus of the city’s food scene. The carne asada team makes solid mesquite-grilled steak tacos, alongside the stainless-steel comal cooking suadero (beef belly), chitterlings, and beef tongue are fried in their own fat. Orders from the taquero on the adobada station come fast, dressed with chopped onions, and cilantro, then coated with creamy guacamole, and a mild red salsa at Tijuana’s busiest taquería." - Bill Esparza

These Are All the Michelin Mexico Honorees for 2024 | Eater San Diego

"I noticed that Tacos El Franc in Tijuana—known for its carne asada and adobada—celebrated its inclusion on the guide with a colorful post on Instagram." - Bill Esparza