The Taco Stand

The best steak burrito in San Diego—with a hygiene warning. During a short stay in San Diego, I went on a mission to find the city's best burrito. After researching for price and authenticity, my curiosity led me to The Taco Stand. The shop is much lower-profile than I expected. I was anticipating something more upscale, but instead found a tiny, humble space with just a few tables inside and outside. Because I arrived around 6:00 PM, I beat the rush, ordered without a line, and received my food quickly. The steak burrito was a godsend. The steak was tender with a perfect charcoal flavor. Combined with the fresh cilantro and beans, every bite felt authentic—as if I were eating in Tijuana or Mexico City rather than San Diego. For just over $10, it was one of the best burritos I’ve ever had, especially with the free salsa bar and pickled onions. However, as I was leaving, I saw something that shouldn't happen anywhere, let alone a popular restaurant. Right next to the bar, seating inside, just outside of the glass where the meal was prepared, was a bin of incredibly dirty water with a 'cleaning' cloth soaking in it. It looked horrendous and completely unsanitary. Seeing items "swimming" in the water that is used to "clean" the tables was stomach-turning. I did NOT want to post that stomach-turning photo of the dirty water because that would be very harsh and bad PR for the restaurant which I do not intend to harm. To the manager: Please update your cleaning protocols. I understand the shop is busy, but leaving dirty water in plain sight or any other place is a major health standard violation. It’s a shame that such a legendary meal was overshadowed by a lack of basic hygiene.

California Burrito Rating in San Diego (29) I’m on the hunt for the best California burrito in San Diego, and this is already stop number twenty-nine. Today I checked out The Taco Stand in North Park. The Burrito: They brought out a big, hot burrito, but the tortilla was torn all the way down the side, which made it pretty hard to eat. The tortilla itself is amazing though — it tastes like they put something on it before heating it up, so it gets extra flavorful and a little crispy. The marinated meat was great, the guac was solid, and the fries were super crunchy. Honestly, this is one of the best California burritos in the city. They also make their own sauces, and they’re legit good. Price is around $11, which is actually on the lower side for San Diego. For quality, taste and price, this one is hard to beat. If the tortilla hadn’t been torn, I would’ve given it a 10. As it is — 8 out of 10. Service: Friendly and attentive staff. 7 out of 10. Atmosphere: They really put effort into creating a cool vibe. The music and the interior make the place feel fun and relaxed. You can sit outside and enjoy one of the best burritos in the neighborhood. 9 out of 10.

First full day in town from driving from Texas. After 3 days on the road we were craving some good tacos. Being from Texas we are very picky with our Mexican food. Thankfully, San Diego has a very large hispanic population and the amount of Mexican spots around you make it super easy (or hard) to find a place to eat some tacos. We were hesitant at first given the price of the tacos, Texas tacos on average (outside of a food truck) are usually 2/3$ per, these were about $4.5/5. But okay we are in Cali so can't complain to much. Anyways, after ordering and eating, the price is justified. I would pay the price even if this was in Texas. They were really good and they give you A LOT of meat. The meat to tortilla ratio is spot on. Salsas were good. Staff was super friendly and very helpful and we got a chance to speak to the owner while we visited. Parking is very tricky here as there is no parking for this restaurant and you will have to find street parking somewhere nearby. From the looks of it, it is a popular cross section of streets so street parking is hard to find. We drove in circles for maybe 10 minutes when we got lucky enough someone was leaving their spot. Would definitely visit again if we are ever back in town.

I went yesterday Saturday and I pass a great time with a group of friends. The food was good and service was great. I want to special say that the fries 🍟 were super delicious and churros were good too. I just hope place were bigger.

I got a California burrito and I loved it! As my friend would say, it is the best California burrito in San Diego and I believe it. I especially like the green salsa to accompany this burrito (they have a great sauce bar!) my friend also got the loaded fries and they were truly loaded

The Taco stand never disappoints, hand made tortillas!? Come on!! Firts time to this location and the staff was so friendly, it was freezing that night so we ordered to go.

I'm so glad I tried this place during my trip to San Diego - I ended up eating here several times during my stay. The chicken burrito I had was the best burrito I've ever had, and I make an effort to try lots of burritos. The tortillas are made fresh behind the counter and make it an authentic experience. If I'm ever back in the area I will absolutely be coming here again.

The best tacos in San Diego diego I come here all the time because the best California burritos churros and the people here are super nice. Always great meal whenever I come back!!!!

Best Tacos out there!!! Been going here since I started school in san diego two years ago and is still my top taco place in SD. The Al Pastor Tacos are to die for!

Food is great and fresh.Dañia is very helpful and friendly service .Music choice is great as well .

The food was delicious and the service was quick. We asked for extra grilled onions on the mushroom taco and they brought us so many! Would 100% come again!

Great taco stand for some quality SD eats. Fish tacos are insanely good and the Beans in the B&C burrito have a really unique flavor I haven't tasted anywhere else. Usually packed so try to stop in during off hours and it'll be quick, and not too expensive either. They pack the tacos with a lot of meat so no need to get more than 2-3.

If you're in San Diego and don't get carne asada fries, what are you even doing here? This taco stand absolutely nailed it. We ordered a California burrito and carne asada fries to go, both made fresh right after ordering, and both completely worth the inevitable food coma. The carne asada was perfectly seasoned, the fries held up (even after the drive back to to our AirBnB) and the burrito had that just-right balance of steak, fries, cheese, and guac. Portion sizes were generous but not ridiculous; the kind where you're full but still thinking about your next bite. They've got a solid salsa bar with options ranging from mild to "okay, now I'm sweating," and everything tasted super fresh. The staff was chill and friendly, and while parking around the area can be a bit of a pain (classic San Diego), the food more than makes up for it. Bottom line: it's the kind of spot that makes you wonder why you ever settle for mediocre tacos anywhere else.

First time here, and I can see why everyone loves this spot! There isn't much parking nearby, so be prepared to walk about a block -- but honestly, it's worth it. It's located right in front of a city bus stop, so you get a fun mix of locals and people passing through. The staff are friendly and welcoming. You walk up to order, pay, and then watch as your food is freshly prepared. The best part -- the corn tortillas are handmade right in front of you! The building itself is small, but they've made great use of the space with a few tables inside and some patio dining. The patio is a little cramped, but the chill vibe makes it work. Everyone seems relaxed and just happy to be enjoying good food. Now, the food -- so fresh and flavorful! I tried the chicken tacos, and they were loaded with meat, onions, guac, and salsa. There's also a sauce bar with pico, limes, and a few different salsas to sample (which I loved). The burritos don't disappoint either -- one is definitely big enough to share, and pairing it with a taco is the perfect combo. Overall, a 4 out of 5 from me. Parking could be better, but honestly, the little stroll back to the car helps walk down the food before heading home.

The taco stand is 10/10 so good! The freshest food & the sweetest staff! A quick eats spot w delicious food! Highly recommend.

The Taco Stand is a regular in my delivery rotation. They have a wide selection of tacos and burritos and are one of the few places that allow you to customize (very helpful for my pico hating husband). My go to order is a mix of tacos. I enjoy the baja taco (fried fish), pollo asado and camaron. The tacos are pretty hefty! For burritos, they have a good California. The meat isn't always the most tender, so sometimes you'll get a few bad pieces, but it overall does the job. If you're able to, I do recommend coming in person though so that you can take full advantage of the salsa bar. They have a whole bunch of different salsas to choose from that range from mild to very very spicy! Parking in the area can be tricky, but they have seating available on a small outdoor patio.

Their California burrito is a perfect food. It's massive and so delicious and satisfying, especially with their incredible salsas -- they have a whole bar of 8+ different salsas. I take every person visiting San Diego here for that burrito. Their tacos were slightly more underwhelming.

Tacos are exceptionally good, packed to the top of their homemade tortillas with delicious ingredients pastor, nopales, shrimp, asada; you name it. Service was great! Small eating area indoors and outside patio. Authentic homemade salsa are fire and mildly tasty. If you order the Guacamole they don't scimp on the avocados nor chips. I would eat here weekly if I lived in town.

Came on a Thursday afternoon and was surprised to see the place pretty packed! No line, but lots of people eating outside and drinking cervezas! We ordered a carne asada California burrito and 3 cervezas. We were just looking for a quick bite to eat so we split it 3 ways and loved every bite! Self serve salsa and sauces can't be missed. The cilantro salsa was my favorite!

Food was amazing very good prices came for lunch fast service. I was able to make it back on time to work

There was a huge line, it's definitely popular! I tried burritos this time because the tacos were just ok. We got the California burrito, al pastor burrito, and the carne asada fries. The fries are a bit thicker so they were good, but the carne asada fries had a ton of guac and sour cream. The sour cream was a bit overwhelming and made the fries soggy. Their carne asada was really good both in the fries and the burrito. It's like thick pieces of steak YUM. However, my son didn't really like the extra creamy sauce or something that was in the CA burrito. The al pastor burrito had wayyyy too much creamy sauce for my liking too. I would've much preferred just a pico de Gallo or let me add my own salsa since the pork was so good. I much prefer to have a more basic burrito I guess with adding my own sauces as much or as little as I'd like. They have a great salsa bar if you want to try a lot of different kinds. I was sad there were no spicy carrots though - maybe it was busy and they didn't replenish very much!

Al Pastor Tacos- ate this taco first and the meat was really good and not dry at all Baja Taco- nice crispy fish tacos. Decent size pieces too. Carne Asada Tacos- This was my favorite of the three tacos. Nice and flavorful meat Mar Y Tierra Fries- we unfortunately were thinking with our stomachs and didn't realize how much food this was after eating the tacos...but def super fill. Though gotta eat it fast as the fries do get soggy pretty quickly First time having San Diego tacos and was recommended to come here by a friend. Was definitely worth coming here. Everything was really good and we def over ordered but all worth. Street parking was not too bad. They have outdoor and indoor seating. Was busy so was hard to find a seat at first but people rotate out pretty quickly so you can find a seat by the time your food is out

Still my go to spot to bring guests in town. Perfectly located by Morley field. All street neighborhood parking. Even with long lines people are constantly moving in and out. The place is smile to the point just good food made to order. So happy it's close and easy to get to.

Place is super good. Would come again. Great place to get food. Awesome california burrito.

This review is specifically regarding the food because the cashier's customer service was great. I stopped by today and ordered the Carne Asada Fries with a bag of chips. I am so happy I did order the chips on the side because I ended up having to deconstruct my order of Carne Asada Fries and make Carne Asada Nachos. By the time I got home, the fries were incredibly soggy by the heavy toppings and unappetizing. The sauce on top was a combination of guacamole, sour cream and nacho-like cheese which made me gag. I separated the Carne Asada meat, placed it on top of the chips, used my own shredded cheese and guacamole salsa at home and the Cilantro salsa (which was delicious) from the salsa bar to create a new dish. The meat was grilled and tasty but if I decide to come back, I will be sticking with a burrito or tacos.

Omg this is definitely a place you need to try. Tortillas are made fresh there and the salsa bar selection is fire!!! Unfortunately I was there as a quick stop during a bachelor party and didn't get to take many pictures of my food, but I could tell by the line and everyone's mouth watering orders coming out a while I waited , this was going to be bliss. I ordered Baja taco, carne asada burrito and carne asada fries. Quality AND FLAVOR is unmatched being so close to TJ. Amount of protein they give is way better than in the Bay Area. Cashier was friendly and funny, despite the line she gave everyone the attention and communication they deserved while ordering. This place can get crowded and the salsa bar could feel rushed or backed up if you're trying to get a lot of different salsa to go, wish the to go cups were a little bigger. Food came out quick. Definitely adding this to one of my go to spots when in the area

Delicious, juicy tacos. They also have the best churros freshly made, with frosting dip. So good! Workers are friendly, music is good. They almost always have a lunch rush hour, but they serve quickly.

I frequent the Taco Stand La Jolla location, but this was my first time at the North Park location. My go to is an Al Pastor burrito. I love the pineapple included in the burrito, and they don't skimp on the meat! I always load up on lots of onions and red sauce. I still think the La Jolla location tastes slightly better (maybe grilled for longer), but it's not too different. It's such a great deal for just over $10 for a large burrito. I visited last Saturday at 1. I ordered online and it was ready for pickup. I'm glad there was someone there to help me because a lot of times the La Jolla location gets so busy that there's no one to help with the online orders. However, there was no seating available for my party of 3 until we had already started eating. I know there's nothing the restaurant can do about this, but I would be prepared to eat in the car or take it home.

The la jolla location never disappoints. I dont know if the locations have different owners but the fish burrito i get in la jolla vs the one that I got in north park were not even comparible. Im accustomed to a nicely grilled tortilla and mine was stale hard and burnt inside and out. The burrito was dry and flavorless at this location and way small. I was like wtf is going on. The price was right the food was wrong. Parking, forget about it. Not worth it. I waited 35min for a busted burrito.

Always spot on the shrimp burrito is. My family and I are never disappointed l. My kids love the food.

Came on a Tuesday, they mentioned they don't have Taco Tuesday Specials since their pricing is fair already. Okay, understandable. This spot took us a while to walk to from Adams Avenue, only because we didn't know the path. But once you know it, it's an easy and simple walk! The menu which is written on a metal sheet is a bit difficult to read because of all the edges and dips. You'll understand the jist of it because the item names are written in red! The workers are super sweet, informative, and friendly. They have outdoor seating and indoor seating. It's a small place, but can hold a few groups! They have a salsa bar, which is great. They have nice variety, although I wished some would pack more heat. Also, if they had lids on them to keep the flies out and away-- that would be most ideal! In addition, they have soda machine, water, horchata/hibiscus, and beer/bottled sodas as well. To eat, I ordered 2 Al Pastor on Corn Tortillas. My mom had 1 Al Pastor and 1 Baja (Fried Fish) Taco on Corn Tortilla. My moms friend ordered 1 Al Pastor and 1 Carne Asada Taco on Flour Tortilla. We also had Chips & Guac to share! I got myself a Mexican Coke as well. The Al Pastor came with little cuts of pineapple which weren't tart or stringy. They paired well with the Al Pastor which was really flavorful (without being overly salty) on its own-- really, no salsa was needed for this. It came with cilantro and onions as well. I could probably eat 4 next time! I tried the fish taco as well since the piece of fish was so big. The batter was seasoned which was interesting. It was good, but not better than the Al pastor that's for sure! It was nice to try something different. My moms friend said the carne asada was ok, she also preferred the Al pastor. The salsa bar had pickled onions which paired really well with the chips and guac, as well as the tacos. It was bright and fresh, and it had some oomph of black pepper as well. I tried their "tamarind" sauce, it was dark black colored-- but really didn't have any taste to it. I also had the creamy green sauce-- this one was really light and airy. Cilantro & cream vibes. It didn't really bring anything to the table when I ate it with the taco, but with the chips it was nice. There was also another green salsa which I think was more avocado forward, with some herbs, and the teeniest amount of spice. This also went good with the chips. The guacamole itself looked like it was made in the morning or the day before because it was already a bit discolored, it tasted a bit bland as well. Nothing special and the amount of guac compared to chips was unbalanced! Thankfully, we did get limes with our tacos so I added lime to the guac and then from their salsa bar-- added their pico ! This brought more life to the guacamole which turned out to be much tastier after all the additions. But all in all, I'd probably skip ordering this next time for the group! There's still tacos I haven't tried from here which I'll be having next time. It's a good spot to come to for lunch or late night bite. The area is pretty quiet & easy to walk to. Would recommend it!

I'm a fan of The Taco Stand with multiple locations around SD. Small shop with limited indoor seating but has more outdoor seating. As far as the food, the Mar y Tiera fries are great. The steak and prawns are seasoned well and the fries are crispy with guacamole and their salsa. For the price, it can feed two people easy. They seriously need a different pickup system cause they call out orders by name. They mis-spelled my name so was difficult to listen. Street parking is tough in the area.

Food was great and amazing customer service I would definitely be back. Good music choice

Not sure if I came on a bad day but the food was not good, it lacked flavor and the tacos were super soggy. The churros were really good though! The service was quick to take my order but when it came to receiving the food, it was busy but nobody called my name for the order so my food was just sitting there:/ The seats were pretty dirty and the pico de gallo was definitely old on the salsa bar By the other reviews it seems like a good place but I honestly didn't enjoy myself.

The food was good but I wish they did a little more for the vegetarian options. And the same options translated over to every type of food they served, so the same two flavors for tacos and burritos. Plus the flavor was fresh but I wouldn't say it was super flavorful. I did like now the nopales was prepared, it was very crispy and fresh. The sizes of the tacos were pretty big, and they stuffed it pretty well, I had a hard time holing my taco without things falling out. For everything on the menu, there is an extra cost to add cheese, which I thought was a bummer, but then I saw how big of a slice of avocado they put on my vegetarian tacos!! They did not skimp on the avocado. I also had their bottled margarita, and it was so good! It was 11% and I still couldn't taste the alcohol at all!! It was so lime heavy which I really appreciated. I also tried their guacamole, it was very fresh, not a ton of flavor but it was still good! Lastly I got the churros and they were amazing. They had almost like a cake pop texture so I don't know if that meant undercooked but I liked it!! It had the soft inside and a crunchy exterior. Highly recommend trying their churros. The location had inside and outside seating, mostly tables for four. They had a great fresh salsa bar that was self serve. All the food is made to order so it takes a while to get the food but it's worth it!

Absolutely delicious! Some of the best tacos I've ever had. The tortillas are all made fresh right in front of you and the carne asada had so much flavor and was juicy! All the salsas were amazing. Highly recommend!

Good tacos, freash & flavorful, and made fast. Simple spot but everything hits just right!

The Taco Stand is one the places you can't miss in La Jolla. With their long lines out the door, this place is a handmade tortilla castle! The place is an ordinary taco shop, it's pretty good for what it is, but a bit dry. Their churros on the other hand is incredible, service is fast and easy. The vibe is super awesome. Got the corn on the cob, it was cold didn't like it. 4 stars.

Best California burrito I've had - it's my first stop everytime I'm in San Diego! Can't wait to try more menu items

Food is amazing the Al Pastor and corn on the cob is my go to however it is always very busy which makes the service a little slow. The salsa bar could also use some work no limes were stocked and no cups were available to use

Came for churros and got super friendly and great customer service to complement my dessert.

The California burrito is everything you want: huge, packed with perfectly seasoned carne asada, crispy fries inside, cheese, and just the right amount of creamy guac and sour cream. Every bite is pure comfort food heaven. Definitely recommend!!!

The Taco Stand is amazing! All the locations are great, but our absolute favorite is the North Park location. It has been our favorite spot for tacos in San Diego for 7 years, and it never disappoints. We love taking friends and family from out of town too! Everything on the menu is delicious and made-to-order. Highly recommend!!

Always amazing food and service ! The churros and tacos are fireee! The quickness of each order and quality with it is unmatched.

I am a die hard Taco Stand customer, and the North Park location is their best location after having tested all of their San Diego locations. I have also been on a quest for the best al pastor taco and California burrito in San Diego and Taco Stand takes the cake for both categories. I have yet to find any place that is better, and trust me I've tried. Always busy with a hole in the wall feel, they have their operation down to a science as the kitchen churns through orders. However if you don't want to wait, I highly recommend ordering online and picking up to skip what seems to be ever growing lines as other people discover how great the Taco Stand restaurants really are. Overall a rare 10/10 in my book Pro tip: if you're like me and order a California burrito every time but still want to keep things fresh, their California burrito sub Al pastor and add pineapple is chef's kiss.

Taco stand has the best California burrito in San Diego we love this place! Fast and quick services. Great salsa bar!

Get the El Pastor, came during lunch and the food came out in a timely manner. Five stars all day long!

Good taco place. We had the carne asada burrito which was just ok. Filled with a lot of beans and not a ton of flavor. I also had the carne asada fries which were much better. I had been to the one in La Jolla and it was much better, so this one was a little disappointing. No need to come back with so many amazing Mexican places in San Diego. The place is super tiny and designed for take out. Staff was easy to work with.

Our first time trying the Taco Stand and we love it. We ordered the huevos a la Mexicana breakfast burrito, shrimp and pork tacos, and the carne asada volcan... and we went back for seconds on the tacos. Everything was delicious. Service was also great. We'll be back for sure!

Love taco stand!! Great food at an unbeatable price, especially in San Diego. We went on a Friday evening so it was packed - there's not much seating available and there were people hovering waiting to take our table when we left. Very popular for takeout but I love to dine in as well, as long as you don't mind a little chaos. We got the carne asada fries (my favorite), carne asada burrito, tacos and corn. Everything was delicious!

The Al Pastor Tacos are always delicious! I also had great service at this location! Has both, indoor and outdoor seating.

Woow.. I just love this place. I have not had a better California burrito anywhere. The synergy of the flavors that are put together are just awesome. They also have a salsa cart on the side so you can go and get more poison to put on your burrito. This time I got 2 habanero salsa to liven up my dinner and some pickled onions. Will definitely gonna k everytime I wonder into San Diego.

Always a solid choice for tacosssss! And Mexican corn. Always the corn. I really like this place even though it's a chain. Staff is always nice and the food comes out quick and fresh. The salsas are tasty, they have good drink options, and the ambiance is casual and chill. Prices are reasonable, and taste is consistent from location to location.

Food was made fresh and tasty, but wait was a little long for a weekday lunch. You can see everything made to order so I get why it takes a little longer but seating is limited so it's hard to take up seats while you don't have your food yet but then if you wait there might not be any seats when you get your food. I found street parking nearby.

Good, basic, dependable taco spot. Their sauces and hot sauce selection is great with tons of variety. The wait is never too long even when they're busy. Lots of seating inside and out. Can't go wrong with this place!

Crowded, slow, and garbage food. Al Pastor is my go-to at every taco shop in town. Usually they make me feel great. Not The Taco Stand's. Nope. Their Al Pastor had some mystery sauce in them that made me feel like hot garbage. Wasn't mentioned on the menu so I didn't find out until 20 minutes later when the tacos arrived. Never going back.

Great tacos. Taste pretty much the same as the La Jolla location for me, without the crazy long line. The Baja fish taco was my favorite--fish was very fresh and crispy and goes well with the cabbage.