The Taco Stand

If you're searching for authentic taco flavor in Encinitas, this stand is a must-visit. Each bite transports you straight to Mexico with its perfectly seasoned meats and fresh, vibrant toppings. The tortillas are soft and flavorful, complementing the rich fillings beautifully. It's a genuine taste of traditional tacos, proving that sometimes, the simplest spots offer the most profound culinary experiences.

We came here for the first time a few weeks ago with my family when we were walking by this establishment after spending some time at the beach. We found the food to be exceptionally good. I really enjoyed my California burrito. The salsa bar was also top-notch. Today we decided to go back With the family for lunch. On this occasion, we were a bit surprised to see a very long line outside of this location. So the food took a while because of all the people obviously and we couldn’t find a table to sit at for the same reason so we ended up eating at the bar. But those inconveniences were OK because the food was definitely on point again. I really enjoyed the Carne Asada tacos as well as the our Pastor taco. Everything is made very fresh when you order. You also have a full view of the kitchen and the preparation so everything is pretty straightforward. So this second visit definitely did it disappoint of course I wish it wasn’t so crowded but then again that sort of comes with the territory when you’re making good food. Most definitely would recommend you pay this place a visit if you are in the area.

This place is amazing. Just go!!! Chips and fresh tortillas are the best I’ve ever had! Guac was awesome and the salsa bar has plenty to choose from to keep it simple or keep it spicy! Shrimp and carne asada were totally worth it. Super good food. Long line for lunch, but long lines means good food. The service was quick and super friendly!

Killer tacos joint. There is a reason there is usually a line down the sidewalk totally worth the wait. Great guacamole and plenty of delicious salsa/sauce options in the back. Give it a try!

Tacos are really good but not the best I’ve had. Since it’s so busy it’s hard to get a table and makes the atmosphere a bit hectic. I’d go again but maybe when it isn’t as busy. I almost forgot to write about the sauces! So many options and so flavorful, it truly takes the tacos to the next level

Alright here we go: I've tried a lot of tacos in my lifetime and these had the best Baja and Al Pastor tacos I have ever tasted. So close to the authentic Al pastor street tacos in Sayulita. It's all about the homemade tortillas. These MAKE the tacos. There is also a salsa bar with pico and pickled onions!!!! I mean!!!!! Come on!!!!

The Mar Y Tierra fries and the California burrito we got were insane. Best things we ate all trip. And would get again in a heart beat. Will think about them for a long time. Tacos were excellent - we got the Al pastor, carne asada, sonora, Camaron and grilled peacado. Pro tip. Order. Pick up and head straight to the beach.

This place has some of the best tacos I've had. I got 2 chicken and one mushroom, they were both extremely amazing. The mushroom ones had fried garlic as well and they were perfect. The dining area is a bit tight but overall would recommend this place.

The best burrito I have ever had. Well worth the wait. I can not wait to go back!! It is a must stop if you are in southern CA.

ALEXXXXXXXXX!!!!!! He was absolutely amazing !!! My first time in San Diego California and my sister thought it would be a good idea to bring me here being that I am such a taco lover and BOYYYYYYY did this place not disappoint! The food was absolutely amazing, and the service and ambiance were even better. I loved everything about this place ! Definitely a must try! All the way from New York and I couldn't be happier.

Delicious, fresh, and friendly -- the carne asada fries are insanely good, and Alex was so kind and helpful. Thank you!

Always a huge fan of this place! Only thing I probably won't do again is come on a Friday for dinner!! The wait was an hour and the place was packed! Food was great, but I'll swing by on a weekday to avoid some of the wait!! My favorite taco is the camaron and we always share the Mar y Tierra fries!! We love this location since there is a bit more seating than their other locations.

Sonora taco is the best here. Carne asada can be a little bland Al pastor is flavorful. Would get it again Bean and cheese burrito is massive. Can feed maybe 2 people

Great spot, boyfriend and I found street parking pretty easily on a weeknight and wandered in. I'd already had dinner and he hadn't. We opted to get 5 different tacos so we could try a wider selection of their menu and I really wanted some churros. We got the pescado, mushroom, carne asada, pollo, and al pastor tacos. I tried a bite of each and really liked all of them. We were most impressed by the fish. The carne asada was on point and usually our metric for figuring out if a spot is legit. Churros were super yummy and fresh. There's a salsa bar. It was pretty crowded but we managed to snag a table as soon as it was vacated. It was kind of hard to hear our order being called since we were sat away from the pick up window. We noticed our order sitting on the counter and got up to ask. Overall, great experience. Would absolutely return!

We tried the Taco Stand after hearing so much about it and the tacos were really good. We ordered the Al pastor, Baja, and grilled fish tacos. The Al pastor was definitely the favorite since the meat was tender and a little sweet from the pineapple. Their green sauce was good and went well with all the different tacos. Be prepared to wait 40+ minutes bc the line is always out the door. Parking is crazy since it's a Main Street but the side streets had more open spots.

Well, we beat the lunch rush by 5 min (arrived at 11:55am), but it took 1 hr and 10 minutes (at 1:10pm) for the food to arrive at our table. People who ordered 30 minutes after us got their food first. I've never waited more than an hour after ordering to receive food, let alone tacos. They have signs saying thanks for your patience. They make the food fresh after we order. BUT it's kinda ridiculous that we had to wait more than an hour after ordering to get the food. Especially since the meat wasn't even warm/hot when it arrived. PLENTY of to go orders were completed before ours. So I guess if you want your food to arrive in a reasonable time, maybe get your food to go. I got the nopal (cactus), al pastor, and carne asada tacos. Al pastor was my favorite. Nopales was pretty unique. Carne asada was kinda dry. Overall, not bad, but there are better options. Oh, and they only have one restroom (all gender), so if you need to wash your hand, be prepared to wait a long line too.

5 stars for food, 1 star for service... As others mentioned, the line is incredibly long (took us about 40 minutes) and even after ordering, you still have to wait 20 minutes for your food. However, the tacos and churros were amazing! My favorite was the Al Pastor taco which has a sweet note of pineapple. The churros are great and fresh and come with a side of condensed milk. Would also recommend the carne asada fries.

I still love Salud more but I really liked this Taco stand location for two reasons: 1. More parking around the area 2. More seating space They work on the same principle as the La Jolla location and also have a line but it moves quite quickly. The tacos here are just the same as the other locations. We got to sit at the counter and watch them work, which I can never do in La Jolla. In the future, I know I'll prefer this location more than the other ones.

This place gets packed! We were there early and no wait thankfully for us but we drove by later that day and the line was down the street! I got the mar y Tierra fries and added beans. I didn't love the nacho cheese. I would prefer shredded or queso. The meats had great flavoring to them though and the order was large, I didn't finish it all. My husband had the Mar y Tierra burrito and devoured it. Great place for some California mexican!

Hands down, this had to be the BEST shrimp burrito I've ever had. I understand why there is always a line. The wait was tedious, but it was so worth it. The food here is fresh and high quality. You're getting exactly what you're paying for as well. The ambiance is really cute, not much to say here, I took my food to go. The only downfall is the wait but I think it's so worth it, I know I said it once but I really have to reiterate it haha. 10/10 HIGHLY recommend, I also really like how it's walking distance from the beach :)

We heard rave reviews about The Taco Stand so we decided to check it out. We were staying in Carlsbad for a family vacation to Legoland and drove to the closest one that made sense for us in Encintas. I've never been to Encintas before! Cute area, but parking, oof. We drove past The Taco Stand one night and the line was out the door. We have a toddler, so we skipped it the first night, but went back another night and we were able to get seats. It was still crazy busy though! We ordered 1 Al pastor taco, 1 Sonora taco, 2 Baja tacos, Mar y Tiera fries, corn on the cob, 1 horchata, and 1 Al pastor volcan. Everything tasted great, hype is worth it, I'd eat here again but I just don't know if we can deal with the wait with a kid. Maybe not so family friendly.

Ordered the baja taco, carne asada, and al pastor. All were above average taco, but I feel there are way better tacos out there. Out of the three the baja was my favorite, but definitely needed extra sauce. We also got the churro which was freshly made and had a pretty addictive flavor. We happened to get there right when they opened, so no long wait for us like the other reviews say. Not sure I would want to wait 30+ minutes for these tacos. I do think the La Jolla location has better tacos than this location, but not really a noticeable difference.

I hate giving bad reviews like this, but this was the worst experience we've had by far. We ordered to go, waited for 40 min, and by the time we got to our car (round the block) and opened our tacos they were cold, soggy, undercooked, and didn't have the cheese we ordered on them. We've had great tacos at the stand in La Jolla so we thought this would be just as good. We will never go back here.

Pretty small joint with limited seating. I would def order online and eat at home unless you can grab a seat. Food was bomb! Portion size was huge! I would definitely get a Baja taco and some of their fries. Oh and their chips and guac. They do have quesadillas, even though it's not on the menu. Can't wait to come back again!

Tacos along the beach? Yes, please! The Taco Stand consistently will have a line going out the door during peak times but their operations is quick and the end product is so worth it! With a wide selection of meats like pollo (chicken), asada (beef), and al pastor (spit grilled pork) and non-meats like nopal which is cactus plant to be packed in tacos, burritos, or tortas, you may be intimidated at first but it's quite simple - just order them all! We typically come here for the tacos but their burritos are delicious and packed as well. Most recently, we tried one of their special tortas and it was yummy! The crispy shell paired nicely with the juicy tender meat in the center. Anything on the menu will fill you up and tickle your tastebuds while you're at it. After placing your order, you'll have time to prepare your sauces and fixings. They have a salsa bar for you to pack some of their salsa for your table (if you're planning to dine in - it can get packed for the indoor and outdoor seating so plan ahead if you have a large party) or to go (the typical option for us as we usually take our food the beach or park to enjoy). Varying from mild to hot, you'll have a few options to kick your food up a notch. Also as you wait, immerse yourself in the cooking environment- you'll see a line of cooks dishing out orders left and right. Despite the speed at which the orders are fulfilled, everything comes out packaged neatly and securely. Overall, as a visitor, The Taco Stand is a must go and given the popularity among locals, it's also a staple for many San Diegans. Add this location to your plan for a beach day!

There was a short line when we arrived but it soon grew. It looked like they had a line the CV whole time were there. Be prepared. Seating was very limited. You had to stand by a table to claim it. And with that, you had to clean it off too as no one was wiping Tables..... The food took about 20 minutes. That gives you time to find a table and get your salsas from the salsa bar. The food was per good. The guacamole added a layer of flavor. I personally loved the carne asada fries the most. The shrimp taco was ok. The fish taco was good. The curious were nice and fresh. It's a nice spot to enjoy some Mexican food under the sun.

Definitely worth the wait. Couldn't even snag a good food pic before my boyfriend began diving in. The good is great and the salsa bar is just the cherry on top of an already delicious meal. Quick service from the kitchen crew and we enjoyed the casual atmosphere of this spot.

10/10!!!!! Be warn the wait can be long but so worth it. We loved everything we got. Their array of sauces was amazing. Recommendation: - elote - carne asada - camaron (my FAV) - guac and chips (a must)

This popular Taco stand has a line out the door most of the time I drive by. So I decided to give it a try. Lets have an adventure I pondered. First expect to stand in line to order food. I think we stood in line for over 20 minutes. Then we got to the register to order food. And some items I saw people eating are not on the menu on the wall. So ask and you can order off their secret menu. Don't ask the price. The bill will show you what you paid. Then pay. Then find a table. Then expect to wait 25 minutes for the food to arrive. So it is an long adventure, waiting for food. We ordered carne asada tacos. I highly recommend them. Very good and better than the Al Pastor tacos (pork). I also love a crispy on the outside and melted on the inside quesadilla and the Taco Stand did not disappoint. I will not eat here again unless I have an hour before I want to eat. The timing was not ideal because we were already hungry before we arrived. The ambiance is a interesting. The tables are very close to each other, so I could hear everything the girls at the next table talked about, and let me tell you, they were not nice girls. People of all ages and status come to eat here. I am told they come for the food. But the prices are very reasonable. Where else can two people eat for less than $30?

Love love love this place!! Their Baja tacos are awesome. The line out the door always looks intimidating but it moves quickly and the tocos are worth any wait. If you don't want to wait in line, you can order online.

Service: the cashier was quick to answer questions and take orders. The only issue is because it was so busy, we had to wait a while for the food. Food: A- purely because the chips were very oily and the carne asada fries were drenched in nacho cheese sauce which hardened after like 2 mins. However the rest of the food was AMAZING!!!!! The corn tortillas are hand made and they are thick and tasty. The price for what amount of food & meat you get is unbeatable. The taste is as good as it looks in the pictures. We loved the food so much we literally went back and did a second order of tacos. Their salsa bar is epic. The creamy cilantro salsa is the best. I think this has just become a go to place for us.

You will wait a while here. You will also have to secure seating on your will. BUT If you don't care about that THIS PLACE IS SOR GOOD. I LOVE their Camaron tacos and the grilled fish tastes so fresh. I love coming here when I'm in the area and have time, or with friends because the vibes are good. I can tell the quality exists in the curation of the menu. Based on other visits, I can also safely recommend the carne asada fries and the camaron burrito and the nopal tacos.

When you are in San Diego you eat Fish Tacos! This chain has several locations, but the day after Thanksgiving we went to the Encinitas location. Don't be intimidated by the line out the door. It moves fairly quickly and if you know what you want, pass the cash and your order to your dining partner or vice versa and search for seating. There is also an equally large seating area outside. Ordered Guac and chips, 2 baja tacos and some churros. Guac and chips, fountain sodas, waters and churros you can grab at the counter before sitting down. If dining in you get a tag and your order will be brought to your seat. Tacos were exactly what the doctor ordered for the Thanksgiving hangover! Nice proportion, tasty and the atmosphere was just right. While I love some of the more "entrepreneurial" taco stands and trucks around town, THE Taco Stand provides a nice standard signature for the greater San Diego area.

I got the surf and turf burrito and was immediately teleported to cloud 9! The asada meat was quality and juicy, with no fatty pieces. The shrimp was plump and filled with flavor! There were numerous salsa options, and the staff was warm and welcoming. Highly recommend and plan to take a nap afterwards bc food coma, but a good one!!

The line here is quite long and takes a while. Seating is sparse given how popular they are, and unfortunately they don't really police things well in terms of people grabbing tables even though they haven't ordered yet. That aside, the food is really good. We got the carne asade quesadilla, which is huge. The chips were good, and the churros were great. The fish and al pastor tacos were really good, as were the carne asada tacos (tastes like real steak). The bean burrito wasn't that great -- a bit too watery -- and the carne asada fries is quite generous in terms of portion size. The staff is friendly. One negative here is that they have only one all-gender bathroom, and we saw the line get backed up quite a bit.

No words. Just the best!!!! Ok a few- the elote 1000/10, the shrimp taco 100000/10... really can't go wrong

Food here is good but it's not worth waiting in line for 40 minutes to order and then another 50 minutes to get your food!! It's just basic Mexican food so not sure why it takes so long?!! They really need to work on efficiency!!

We ordered 1 al pastor taco, 1 pollo asado taco, 1 carne asada taco, 3 grilled pescado tacos, and a side of rice and beans. There was a big cooler of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drink options to choose from, and a self-serve area with lime wedges and salsas. Service was pretty quick, and thankfully we beat the dinner rush that started around 5:30pm. The front area where orders are taken is very cramped and the flow could be better. There were a few tables inside and a covered patio outside for enjoying food at the restaurant. We sat at the bar by the window. Orders can also be placed to-go. We thought the tacos were tasty and full of flavor.

**Review:** I drove 2 hours from Orange County to try this taco stand, and it was a complete disappointment. After waiting for an hour, I approached the dispatcher three times to inquire about our order since people who arrived after us were getting theirs. The cashier was rude, and then we were told that their corn tortilla machine had broken--after waiting for an hour! Not once did they come around to ask if we wanted flour tortillas instead. My daughter was hungry, and I was upset as they kept dispatching orders but never ours. When I expressed my concern, the cashier started recording me instead of addressing the issue. I explicitly told the cashier that I did not give consent to be recorded. Our order was simple: 5 tacos and 2 drinks. I was mainly upset that after expressing my daughter was hungry and waiting, the workers kept brushing me off while I could clearly see them not touching my ticket. Is this how you treat children? I confronted the cashier, asking why he didn't offer us the option to modify our order to flour tortillas when they had asked everyone else but our table. In the end, I asked for a refund. Your system is broken; there is no reason why anyone should have to wait so long only to receive poor treatment and service. You need to treat your customers better. To think I tipped 20%--your service is horrible. Please don't come here. It is overpriced, you will wait in line for over an hour, and their service sucks.

Staff is all super friendly. Nice area and nice people. The California burrito was so good and everyone i bring says the same thing. The meat is so juicy and flavorful!

i love coming here!!! the staff is always friendly and so quick- they all seriously deserve the world. it's a great vibe any time of day and the food is amazing!!! also the general manager alex is so kind and we had a great experience with him!!! will definitely be back :)

If you have Celiac you can't eat breakfast here. They will not put the contents of the breakfast burrito on a corn tortilla or plate.... I'm not sure if I'm more annoyed that they wouldn't just leave the tortilla behind or that the reason was "the cooks don't want to" It's a shame because the food looks good I just wasn't able to eat.

I was in Encinitas for the weekend and heard about the infamous Taco Stand, so I had to give it a try. The ambiance is a typical taco place with tons of seating which was very needed for a busy Saturday afternoon, which I expected given how well known this place is. Although they were busy, the service was extremely friendly and I always appreciate that. Nevertheless, the only reason I am not giving this place a 5/5 was due to my order taking a solid 30min to be ready. Nevertheless, the food was fantastic. I am a big Al Pastor fan, and they delivered well with tons of sides and sauces that can also be added for a fair price between tacos/burritos. Also, a place that does not charge extra for grilled pineapple (yes!). Last but not least, the star was the freshly made churros right in the front which I had to get... they are an absolute MUST! If you are in the area, go ahead and give this place a try.

Loved the baja tacos I got a shrimp, a mushroom, and baja taco. Service is good. It's a small place with some tables inside and some outside. You can pick your own salsa so that's a plus.. Be prepared for long lines.

Food was good. The tortillas were great but I wouldn't say the food was spectacular. It probably would have been spectacular if we didn't wait 40 min. I totally understand the signs in/around the place saying to be patient. But I do feel like 40 min was excessive even for fresh made food. The place was cute and reminded me of a beach taco hut in Mexico. The salsa bar was empty and dirty, but they did restock and clean up while we were there so it wasn't left unattended. There's only one bathroom which for a full house created a line. The outdoor seating was cute! The churros deserve a 5 star by themselves!!!!! I would go back but maybe order ahead??

Pork tacos were pretty good. Steak tacos weren't good. There were some pieces of medium rare meat in it that made it really chewy, and the tacos oddly got cold after a couple mins. Overall, I would recommend the pork tacos. Definitely not the steak ones.

The tacos here were SOO good!! Definitely lives up to the hype!! When we got there, there was a bit of a line. We waited around 15-20 mins but were able to easily find an open seat after we ordered. We ordered the Grilled Pescado Taco, Camaron Taco, and Al Pastor taco. They were hits! ZERO misses!! My favorite might have been the grilled pescado!! They had a generous amount of fish per taco. They were a little pricier but so worth it. Their green sauce was also delicious, super creamy. The outdoor section was so pretty and great for the San Diego weather! I would 100% come back next time I'm in the area.

Great food and even better service! I love coming here with my sisters. Alex was super nice and helpful! Would recommend!

Spot on tacos is what this place should be called man all I can say is food was absolutely phenomenal!!!! Took are order service was fast and food fresh. Vibes felt just rite for a cool night on the coast. 100% recommend you try the churros as well.

The food here is great. Homemade tortillas makes a big difference along with quality fresh ingredients with a lot of flavor. I especially liked the spicy shrimp taco and the al pastor taco. The place is busy but we were able to get lucky and get a seat outside. Casual beach atmosphere and friendly workers. It's no wonder the place is crowded because the tacos are awesome. I love this place and I hope they open one in East sd county.

Our group decided to visit Taco Stand after successfully escaping from the post-apocalyptic room at the Red Door Escape Room across the street. Our food orders were not being fulfilled in an organized manner. Here's the breakdown of how our separate orders turned out: Mike's burrito took 30 minutes and was delivered cold, which seemed to be a recycled old order. Brittney's burrito took 15 minutes, which was reasonable. However, my three tacos took 1.5 hours to come out. Every time I asked the clerk about my order, they would just dismiss me and say it would be another 15 minutes. It took our group 44 minutes to escape from the challenging escape room, while Taco Stand took 1.5 hours to make 3 tacos.

Best tacos and food in my opinion for San Diego. The price is affordable and always worth it. You can also order online to go to skip the long lines. Service is great with chill ambiance

Hands down the best tacos and churros I've ever had. Line was extremely long when my group of four arrived around 5pm. Plenty of tables available both indoor and outdoor. Was well worth the wait. Grateful for the salsa bar! Definitely give this place a try if you happen to be by one of their chains!

Some helpful hints for The Taco Stand. Order online if you can... you won't have to wait in the long line. We ordered on the way there and it was ready when we walked in (the back door). You can try to walk in the front door but the people in line might not let you in. The food is sitting on the back counter and there is an employee yelling out names. Our food was ready but there were no tables available inside or out so we took our food home. We did eat the churros in the car because those are better hot. And those churros are absolutely delicious. In my opinion, the best thing here. Everything else is just ok considering the amount of taco shops in San Diego. I had the fish taco today and it was mediocre. My husband had the shrimp and carne asada burrito which he said was good but he has had better. I ordered fries and asked for ketchup, I was told they were out. That's another reason why we went home to eat. The restaurant itself is small and there were people eating inside and lots of people either waiting for a table to open up or for their food.

one of my favorite Mexican food spots in north county! I absolutely love their camaron burrito-- it doesn't have rice in it (which I really appreciate) and the shrimp is so nicely flavored, the cabbage also adds a nice crunch to each bite. Their Mar Y Tierra fries are an absolute MUST-- the fries always come out crispy and coated with guac, cheese, and their creamy avocado salsa topped with carne asada and shrimp. These fries are very filling and addicting! as for their salsa bar, my favorites are their avocado cream sauce and their chipotle sauce. The line here gets pretty crazy most of the time so be prepared to wait. Parking is also tricky so just be sure to give yourself ample time. I eat here multiple times a month so I say that the hassle of parking and the long lines are definitely worth it!

Bomb.com! Great tacos and service is super. The line was a bit longer than usual when we went, but the food was hot and fresh. I love their salsas too. I always go with the adobada and carne asada.

Amazing food here and vibes. Had the carne asada tacos and pollo asada quesadilla and both were delicious!! Special shoutout to my man Alex, great customer service here:)!!

Food and Service not the same anymore. Quantity over Quality now. Quality of food way down. The wait is not worth it. Few times my order was punched in incorrectly. I watched while they prepare the food, cooks should wear mask or mouth covers for they were all talking while cooking. The kitchen was so small and crowded and saliva (not to mention sweat) easily get to the food. Management should do something about this.