The Taco Stand

Absolutely delicious! I had the best al pastor taco and a chorizo and egg breakfast burrito whose size was WELL worth the price - easily 2-3 small meals in one. Fantastic and friendly service. Immaculate vibes (though crowded when busy on a Saturday afternoon like it was). Will be back asap!

First time visiting the area. Based on others reviews I went for a late lunch. More of a fast food setup rather than restaurant style. I got the Mexican corn and one grilled fish taco. The portion size was filling as not to be over full, but if you're really hungry, two tacos would be satisfying. Tasted delicious! All the ingredients tasted fresh. In the back there's a little bar with additional toppings. The service was welcoming and friendly. Less than 5-minute wait for the food although it didn't get busy until after I ordered. In observing, it didn't look like people had to wait very long for their food. You have the option to sit inside or outside. There was a nice breeze, although there is traffic passing by but it wasn't disruptive. There's authentic music playing inside. The bathroom is very clean. And to top it all off, you get a free fountain drink if you give a Google review. I would highly recommend this establishment for authentic fresh, Mexican food.

What a surprise! Food is incredible, fresh and extremely delicious. Vegetarian Taco and Burrito with mushrooms Perfect combo Best choice in San Diego

This place really has made to order fresh tortillas for every taco and they’re not flimsy or the small street taco taco this is a proper size tortilla, and they fill it. I ordered Carne Asada and the steak pieces were thick and juicy and I also ordered Al pastor which in my opinion could’ve been seasoned a little more and was a little dry compared to Carne Asada steak but all in all it was great, they do have a salsa bar at the far back of The place but overall a good place to eat. Would go again. Also, one of the salsa was just amazing. It was very acidic and it gave a good balance to the tacos. I’m gonna include the picture in here.

I ordered Al Pastor, Baja, and fries for a side dish. They tasted so amazing. I especially love Al pastor. Very flavorful. The fish in Baja is fresh but I hope there could be more salsa inside. I put some extra and it tasted even better. Fries were amazing. Hot and fresh. I couldn’t stop to eat. The service is good. Seeing I was looking for forks, one man stepped forward to help. That was really nice.

Stopped by this taco stand in downtown San Diego and I’m so glad I did. The staff were super friendly and welcoming right away, and the service was fast without feeling rushed. The place itself was clean and well taken care of, which made the whole experience even better. The tacos? Absolutely incredible. You can tell they put real care into the flavors—fresh, juicy, and packed with seasoning that hits just right. I tried a few different ones and honestly could’ve kept going. The real standout for me though was the Al Pastor burrito. Hands down one of the best I’ve ever had—perfectly balanced, savory, and just the right amount of spice. If you’re in the area and craving tacos, don’t overthink it—this spot is a must. Friendly vibes, great service, clean setup, and food that’s on another level.

A Must Try ! Tacos, Ok chk dis! handmade righthere tortillas, my Favorite are: Al Pastor😍 All ingredients fresh ,and plenty on d salsa bar ,I just Got some tonite and they were Bomb!! There's so any optios on the menu ,as well beer,Mexican Soda glass bottle ; of course ,hey U hungry ,driving around hit dis Spot!!

Great friendly restaurant. Good was delicious. The fresh tortillas could be cooked a little more, but they are still very good. Carne asada tasted very fresh and cooked ver well. $5 for a taco was a great deal for this area.

Carne Asada - very juicy Al pastor - nicely marinated Great service inside the store can be crowded but has a few tables outside

4.9/5 stars! Walking in, the ordering process was pretty quick before the lunch rush! The interior is a bit on the smaller side, and the parking could be hard to find unless you go to a parking garage. However, I thought it was definitely worth it. I got the mushroom quesadilla, which comes with guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream on the side. The handmade tortilla was lightly crispy, but soft at the same time. The mushrooms were flavorful, mixing well with the melted cheese. This was honestly the best quesadilla I've had so far! The salsa bar was awesome, there were different levels of spice. My favorite ones were the cilantro salsa and the very spicy salsa that comes in a little plastic container; the bar also had onions and jalapeños! Combining these different salsas and dips with my quesadilla enhanced the flavor and my experience, I had to come back a second time!

We found this place on yelp while trying to grab something to eat prior to attending a concert across the street. Im soo happy we found this place! Everything we ordered was amazing!! No joke! The lines Were long, people happily stood waiting patiently to order and my mom found seating inside so we could eat avoiding the cold. What i loved was the staff being able to accommodate my food allergy and carefully crafted options to avoid an issue. The carne asada tacos and pollo tacos were 10/10. My dad ordered a burrito and he loved it. When My parents are quietly eating , you know it's a hit! I was talking to a local in line , he told me that they have another location in la jolla That is always lines out the door and packed! I would definitely come back here if in the area. The bathrooms were clean, the condiment area plentiful, and seating could be challenging but not impossible.

As a first-timer the food tasted great, albeit a little cold despite waiting ~30 mins from the time we ordered to the time it was done and being made to order (and at least another 30 mins in line). We still loved the Cali burrito and it was very filling. Strongly recommend hitting up the salsa bar in the back of the establishment by the sodas, and the creamy cilantro was my fave! Parking nearby was a little tough to navigate on a Sunday. We did snag a spot to sit at but it took some time searching the patio. Would love to come back on a weekday to see if it's a little less hectic/quicker!

Authentic Mexican tacos. Not fast food, but darn good food. Order at the counter and wait a bit as everything is made to order and tortillas are from scratch! A tight fit so during rush hour it will be hard to find a seat. But it's busy because it's good!

Best taco spot in the area! We tried oscars, tacos el gordo, and this place. I will tell you right now I think this is better than all of those. The protein is seasoned really well, it's fair priced for being in the city, they serve and get people out of the door QUICK. If you want to try authentic and amazing tasting tacos I would visit this place!!! Everything was freshly made and seasoned to perfection Food: 5/5 fresh, hot, and hand pressed tortillas Service: 5/5 fast as hell Price: 5/5 reasonable for being in the area Ambience: 3/5 small seating

wtf is all I can say. I looked on Yelp and I've been here before. No where in SD puts beans in their carne asada burritos. I ordered one and went home and saw freaking beans in there. Then I had to drive back and return it. They gave me the tinest burrito back I wanted to throw it at them. Beans is a LA thing not SD. This place is trash they did nothing for the inconvenience. They are lucky I didn't eat it and died from my allergic reaction

The camaron (shrimp) tacos are the beeeesst, and I don't normally love shrimp tacos. I think I would prefer it with no cheese on it, but the shrimp are so big and nicely cooked. Great flavor, and they have tons of sauces to pick from. Al pastor was my 2nd favorite but I think I'd rather just have another camaron.

Was in SD for a work trip and had to ditch a few meals to grab some tacos. This was my first trip and it did not disappoint! I make tortillas at home so I was intrigued by their tortilla press process. The cook asked if I wanted one hot off the griddle! Man, nothing like warm fresh masa / tortilla!!! To eat for my main meal I got a pastor taco and a Sonora taco. The lady recommended the Sonora - it is carne asada on a flour tortilla loaded with toppings including pinto beans. Also much larger than the other tacos. The flour tortilla was super thin and so fresh. The whole thing was melded together by a crispy cheese skirt. So good! I appreciated they had pickled jalapeños (but no carrots), though I didn't love their salsa selection. My only other gripe was i wish they had put more fresh onions on the tacos! Pickled were available but nothing beats fresh onions and cilantro imo. Great stop, highly recommended!

Wow! Son said that when he's in San Diego this is one of the spots he has to go to. I was skeptical as I grew up in the Bay Area and I love my burritos from the Bay. Good mom that I am, I said I'd try it out. You order at the counter and hope to be able to get a spot at a table or at the counter. Luckily we came around 3:30 in the afternoon so a seat opened up. Lots of people ordering food to go so they wouldn't have to worry about seating. Got the Mar Y Tierra burrito, hubs got the grilled pescadero and al pastor tacos. Omg the burrito was sooo good. The combination of the grilled shrimp and the steak was so good. If you're able to get a bite of shrimp with beef then it's a party in your mouth! The crispiness is the shrimp with the depth of the flavor of the beef is amazing. Loved the cabbage and the sauce and the avocados. All of it mixed together is a flavor explosion in your mouth. Hubs got the tacos. The al pastor had a good char and the fish was fresh. Hubs said he'd get a burrito next time for a bigger bang for your buck. Hahahahah This location was downtown and has a few tables and counters to eat at. It's really just a place to dine and dash and I wouldn't hang out for very long. I just wish they'd give me a couple of chips so I could truly enjoy the salsa bar. I'd happily pay $1 for a small bag of chips. I don't need a pound of chips! Will definitely come back. Yum!

The shrimp on the camarones was well seasoned and went nicely with the avocado!! It was also the best al pastor i've had despite trying many at different establishments -- the pineapple burst of flavor. On both tacos, the combination of toppings and sauces, as well as the ratios of all ingredients, were perfect. The meat was perfectly tender too. We could legitimately not think of any way we'd want to improve them; the prices were pleasantly low too! The guac was middle of the pack. I personally think it could benefit from more lime and seasoning, but it did the trick. The nachos were freshly made and delicious! The workers were so nice and patient despite being evidently busy in the kitchen! It took some time to come out even at the less busy hour, but as the signage indicates, it's to have each taco freshly made. As for the Taco Stand vs. Tacos El Gordo question, I do like this place more. El Gordo has its own strengths, such as the authentic feel, and really really fast preparation (you can get your tacos in seconds), so it's much better if you're in a pinch. Both had flavorful meat and good prices. However, Taco Stand stood out in the toppings and tenderness of the meat, which make it my overall pick of time permits.

Solid tacos! I know there are mixed reviews but in my opinion, these are some of the better tacos, especially for the price. It's a low key place with some seating options, but it honestly can get so crowded at times it might be difficult to get comfortable. So taking them to go or eating on the walk is a good alternative You can pack up any sauces and topping you need, which is good, but the self serve bar area gave me the heebie jeebies-- too many hands in the area.

Amazing way to kick off my trip to San Diego. After a bunch of research, I knew we had to swing by to grab some tacos! The line was fairly short when we got there, but got longer as the evening went on. About 7 or 8 tables inside with a few more outside. On to the tacos... all were incredible! My favorite was the carbe asada, the meat had amazing flavor and was cooked to perfection. The tortillas also amazing. They had an awesome selection of sauces too, pairing very well with the tacos. Would absolutely recommend to others looking for a good meal!

This is a hidden gem not to far from La Jolla Cove. The space is unassuming and gives off a lunch counter vibe. The staff was kind but ready to keep the line moving. We order the al pastor burrito and mar y tierra fries. This was hands down some of the best Mexican. The flavor was great and the carne asada on the fries was the perfect texture. We didn't wait long in line but did see it get busy right after we got our food so keep that in mind.

Try to make it to the taco stand every time I'm in San Diego. Love the tacos here. The baja fish taco, Al pastor and carne asada are all fantastic.

The tacos and burrito were great! Overall a little pricey but yummy! We waiting a while since it was busy, but service was good. The tables were cute and the space was clean!

Love this place. Very good and authentic tacos. I would prefer this over Tacos El gordo if tacos El Gordo didn't have Lengua, Cabeza, or tripas. They have a great salsa bar.

If I were to choose only one California burrito to eat for the rest of my life it would be the one from Taco Stand. I have never had a burrito where every single ingredient was cooked to perfection. Every other Mexican eatery I go to there is always something off. The tortilla is too thick, the fries are too well done, the meat is too dry, theres not enough cheese, the list goes on. However, at the Taco Stand you can count that every single bite you take out of their burrito is magical and full of incredible flavors. If you're not from San Diego and want to try some good Mexican food I would 100% take you here. I took my friend here from Kentucky and he said it was the best burrito he has ever had in his life. The green sauce is also a must! This is just one of their locations but the only one located in downtown. Just a side note that this place is super popular most likely you'll have to wait in a line or it might take a while to get your food, but everything is cooked to order and super fresh. Trust me, it's worth it.

The line was out the door. They quoted everyone and even delivery drivers 30 min wait times and by 9 o'clock they gave 45 min wait times. I got carne asada and a chicken taco. Not sure if we are allowed to change our tortilla but they didn't ask. The tortillas get soggy quick and the taco falls apart. The meat are pretty big chunks. The chicken tasted grilled. They have a salsa bar.

The Taco Stand is a solid option if you are I San Diego! It's controlled chaos, very busy but efficient. They make a hand formed tortilla for every taco or burrito ordered. I had the taco de camaron, a Baja taco, and a taco Al pastor. All were so delicious! The salsa bar is generous, and you can order a full pound of chips and guacamole to go!

The staff was very nice. We came on a Tuesday around 1, it wasn't too busy but I can see it getting packed fast. The food was okay. My fav, that we ordered, were the fries, I'd definitely get them again. The burritos were pretty big! The pollo asado was good but for the rest it seemed like something was missing in flavor. Would try more when we're back in the area!

Walked over to this taco spot just to try some others outside of gordos. I must say I'm glad we stopped in here. The staff was nice and cooked out tacos to order. We wanted a quick snack before heading out for the day to explore San Diego post convention. I thought the flavors was good, our meats were cooked well, the guac was creamy and there's a salsa bar at the back. The only gripe i had was maybe they should double up on the tortillas on some of the tacos, completely disintegrated in my hands and i ended up eating my tacos like a Filipino at aunties dinner tables haha. Overall though meats were hot and tender, fresh. The space has high tops, bench seating and was a nice little taco joint! Will be back.

this is my favorite taco place on planet earth. tortillas by hand service is great (not quick tho since everything is homemade) meat is fire sauces & sauce selection is elite if the taco stand has 0 fans, i no longer exist

I've been here so many times! My every trip to San Diego means a trip to taco stand which is at least once every quarter. I absolutely love their tacos! Baja fish and al pastor are my favorite with some lime and their house sauce. Service is quick and tacos are excellent! This place is a must visit if you visit San Diego! I love taco stand and highly recommend it.

I have never had this place and being an authentic Mexican food eater. I was very skeptical about trying it however, I was invited to this location by some friends in San Diego. I've heard of the taco stand many times, but never was excited about trying it. I was told and advised by the server to get This large taco I can't remember the name. she told me to get five of them to fill me up when I only ordered one initially so I end up getting three and oh my God I could barely eat one and force myself to eat the second. They were so big and very flavorful the only reason why I gave them four stars is because the time it took them to bring our food was very long other than that the food was amazing and I will go back. I hope the other location was as good as this one in San Diego. I live in Torrance area.

Taco Stand is a growing restaurant chain that has the pricing that's beating inflation and the quality is very fresh. I got the carne asada fries which were bomb. The meat was well marinated and the fries were crunchy. This place is a good alternative to tacos el Gordo. I reccomend trying their carne asada tacos or their California Burrito if you're by yourself. If you want to share something with a friend then carne asada fries would be the way to go! The service is slow but the food came out in 20 min. Ambiance is just a very busy restaurant with a lot of people coming in and out.

The restaurant was crowded, but the food is very good. We got the mushroom, nopal and the pollo asado tacos with a side of chips and guacamole. The dips are worth trying too. We liked the cilantro salsa and salsa macha. The service was fast.

The main reason I visited San Diego. Tacos. Tacos from The Taco Stand. I had it before when I last visited and I haven't stopped thinking about it ever since. All tacos are individually packaged. Fried fish tacos -- immediately orders 5. It was love at first bite. I love fish tacos so much. Big portion of fish. Al pastor taco -- I liked how they had sliced pineapples in it. Love the green sauce that they use for it. Meat was tender and soft. Well seasoned. Service was quick and staff were efficient. Ambiance is fast casual. I need to try their carne asada fries next time!

This Taco Stand location was really subpar to the La Jolla location. First and foremost, they don't have churros!! That is so disappointing. Apparently all other locations do. Next, I placed an online order in a rush and they didn't even create it 30 minutes later. They were confused about the order despite it being a slower than usual time (weekday at 4 pm) I had to wait an additional 15 minutes for them to make it. The pico de gallo in the sauce bar was disgustingly mixed with nacho cheese sauce and looked rotten. It looked so unsanitary. When I politely brought this up to the cashier, she had an attitude and said someone must have spilled some, but refused to replace it! I was shocked by the lack of care. A few minutes later, I asked another employee, who gave me some pre-packed containers of pico de gallo, but still didn't bother to change out the rotten one. I would highly recommend going to another Taco Stand location.

I love the downtown location!! The staff is always the best and the food is absolute perfection!! The California burrito is probably the best I've ever had in Southern California!! The Cameron taco (spicy shrimp) is also one of my favorite tacos to grab. Everything they make is really good so it's hard to pick a favorite! If you're going with a group then you have to get the carne asada fries! The place is so cute you're going to want to dine in! Parking can be a challenge but it was worth the hassle!! There are a few paid lots or some street parking down the street from taco stand!

We love taco stand. Some of the best tacos ever. Has been consistent, delicious, and a favorite stop whenever we're in SD. This location had a line out the door when we came on Sunday for dinner. It went by pretty quickly, and we got our food without too long of a wait. There is minimal seating inside, but we were able to snatch a spot. - Al pastor tacos (4.5/5): So yummy, always a favorite. So much meat, and it is tender, cooked well. - Carne asada tacos (4/5): Also delicious, packed with meat. Lots of guacamole which is citrusy and so good.

Fantastic find. Food service and ambiance of a family owned restaurant. Oh, and the food was great.

TLDR: A step up from a lot of the Mexican food that I've tried in LA and OC. It's a must try place that is well within budget. Al Pastor Taco: The best Al Pastor Taco that I've ever had. Beautifully seasoned pork slices with small amounts of sweet pineapple to offer a sweet hint in contrast to the salty pork. Grilled Pescado Taco: My first grilled fish taco, and the blend of the flavors was very good. Mar Y Tierra Burrito: A surf and turf burrito that looks like a flavor sub. The proteins inside (beef and shrimp) were seasoned well and it also wasn't overwhelming. The blends of the protein, vegetarian, and sauce is hard to bear and I'm glad I got this Service: Fast service but the food that a bit longer to make, but that's simply the place's MO. Ambiance: It's a small spot, so there's not a whole lot of space to eat. Whatever space is there, it was used for indoor seating which people quickly took.

My stepson raves about this place so when my wife and I were in town we decided to try it. The place is small, but clean and the staff was very helpful and even have a sort of exhibition kitchen going on. The food was good, but didn't blow me away and wasn't super memorable. The surf and turf fries were a little too greasy and the tacos didn't stand out (highlight was the tortilla). The quesadilla was my favorite part. As leftovers it was solid. I would go back, just not out of my way.

Get this when you come. mar y tierra burrito mar y tierra fries well done cilantro and the chipotle sauce

OMG! What a find! Fellow Yelpers did not let us down! This is a tiny spot just down the street from the Marriott Pulse where we were staying. After a long morning of travel, we were hungry and The Taco Stand sounded perfect. We got there before the mad lunch rush, thank goodness! You order before taking a seat. The tallest man with the most amazing bass voice and kind disposition took our order. (Just keep talking, Mister! And I hope you sing with that voice!) We asked for chips and salsa vs guac, and he directed us to the salsa bar in the back. There were at least five different salsas and cremas to select from ranging from mild to Uber hot. We took a bit of most everything because it looked so good. And I have to say, the bar was very clean with no cross-contamination of salsas one often sees at such bars. All the salsas are yummy--I especially liked the cilantro crema and it cooled my mouth after the hot-hot salsa that was also quite tasty--a little goes a long way! So, tacos! Everything is made from scratch including the tortillas. The fish taco has a nice spice to it, and the thick cuts of fish were cooked to perfection. Hard to get much better than those. But I saved the shrimp for last because I love shrimp. OMG! Seriously the BEST shrimp tacos I've ever had. Plump, juicy, grilled, again, to perfection. I was stuffed after two tacos. It was the perfect fuel for our epic walk in San Diego's Gas Lamp district. If you're in SD, come to The Taco Shop! I hear there are a few locations around town.

Only the best tacos of my life. Period. The tortilla is made in front of you. The meat tacos are insane, make sure you get them. The fries are totally worth it too. The waiting time is long but do not give up!! It's not a waste of time and you'll will not regret.

Came in on a weekday for a quick dinner and was serviced promptly. I love that you can watch the staff roll out your tortillas and that the food is made fresh with each order (there is a bit of a wait after you order your food). Expect to spend $3-4 per taco. Their grilled fish and pollo asado tacos were superb and although the al pastor was my least favorite, it still packed a ton of flavor. I do wish they were lighter with their sauces so I can better appreciate the protein but that's an easy ask for next time. Highly recommend!

muy buena comida y el servicio excelente la manegadora Blanca muy buena actitud Berenice la cocine excelente trabajo y Érica la cajera también con buen actitud y Martina la que hace las tortillas y el cocinero Oscar

Today I tried the Taco Stand due to all the great reviews I saw. We decided to get four tacos total: two carne asadas, one baja (fried fish), and one pork taco. Our tacos were ready in less than 5 minutes and there is plenty of seating available, indoor and outdoor seating. They have a sauce bar next to their soda foundation, offering a variety of a bunch of different salsas. The tortillas were a bit fragile, kind of soggy and didn't hold all the toppings well. Each of the tortillas broke within the 2nd bite... so it made it pretty difficult to not be messy. These tacos are definitely bigger than most of the tacos you'll find in the Gaslamp area & meats tasted good/well seasoned. I would come back again because the tacos were good, just wished the tacos weren't so fragile and flimsy & hoping it was due to maybe it being take out & was wrapped in foil. Perhaps the torillas for the tacos aren't as soggy if order for dine in.

The tacos a delicious. I was so happy to find potato tacos that are absolutely perfect.

Saturday afternoon late lunch around 1:30 there was a line out the door and limited seating inside but some tables outside. Ordered chicken, carne asada mushroom and shrimp.The tacos are packed with meat and tortillas are made to order. There is a salsa bar in the back that was a mess but has some great options I can see why this place has a line out the door and is certainly worth the wait. Overall a great spot

I don't really get all the rave reviews. The restaurant is a bit of a hole in the wall with limited seating for a family to eat there. The lady at the front was nice and accommodating and we were able to order a couple simple beef tacos for our 8 year old. We took our food to go and ate everything in our hotel room. The flavors of my California burrito were good but not particularly great and a little on the greasy side. The chipotle sauce at the salsa station had a caution sign for being hot but it was pretty tame.

The food was GREAT! The wait was a bit long for 2:30 on a Friday afternoon, but still worth it. Enjoyed. Will return.

Tacos are pretty good here. Slightly bigger than your average street taco. I was able to try the fish, al pastor, and camaròn. The fish taco was more lettuce and tomato than fish unfortunately. The al pastor was loaded with meat. The camaròn had fried cheese on the tortilla and four decent sized shrimp. If you're ordering around lunch time expect a 20-30 minute wait for your food. I recommend ordering early and online.

Fast service with limited seating, lively music! Great and cheap tacos. I got the camarón which had some fried cheese and that was my favorite! Carne asada and al pastor are also delicious, meat was cooked well and it was stacked with toppings (avocado, pickled onions, pineapple and salsa's)

Super bomb burritos love the California! The downtown location is in perfect location to my apartment. Its flavorful. The service is great, quick and it's always chill to hang out or in the go.

Delicious and huge shrimp burrito. The sauces that you can get at the little stand in the back are really flavorful and have a good texture. Good with the burritos and tacos. Staff were friendly. There are a few good indoor and outdoor seating options.

Can not come to SD without stopping by Taco Stand!! I got their grilled fish, shrimp, and al pastor tacos and they were all sooooo good. My favorite was definitely the shrimp one tho. The shrimp was so juicy and seasoned so well. You can also taste that their corn tortillas are very freshly made! The tacos themselves are pretty decently sized. I was pretty full from the three that I ordered along with some of the elote that I shared with my mom. Really excited to try some of the other tacos the next time I come!