Tacos, tortas, burritos, carne asada, adobada, lengua
Calle Hermenegildo Galeana 8442, Zonaeste, 22000 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico Get directions
MX$100–200 · Menu
"From the Esquivel family comes a prominent taquería franchise boasting seven locations in Tijuana with its newest location here in East LA. Operated by Aria Esquivel, the taquería offers the same menu using the chain’s proprietary recipes created by founder Antonio Esquivel. Tacos de carne asada come dressed with chopped onions and cilantro, salsa de asada, and an abundance of fluffy guacamole. The exceptional adobada has a unique touch of crema de adobada, cilantro, avocado, and Mexican cream sauce seasoned with chives. The East LA outlet offers a family-friendly, sit-down dining room." - Bill Esparza
"Tijuanazo is a popular chain from Tijuana known for its spicy spit-roasted adobada cooled with a splat of cilantro crema (which you can also find at its sibling spot Taqueria Frontera in Cypress Park). Sinus-clearing pork aside, what makes Tijuanazo stand out in taquería-rich East LA is its methodical approach to building every individually-wrapped taco on its massive menu. Cabeza cooked until it’s as soft as warm butter comes on two lightly fried tortillas for extra support. The Taco Azteca arrives wrapped in a grilled nopal filled with jiggly chunks of lime-marinated lengua. Each cut of meat is strategically paired with its complementary salsa. So when the cashier asks you, “con todo?” say yes—Tijuanazo knows what it’s doing." - sylvio martins, garrett snyder, brant cox
"Founded in 2008 in Playas de Tijuana, I consider Tijuanazo one of Tijuana’s best taquerías, and its new Hillcrest outpost aims to deliver the same stylish, family-friendly, service-oriented, elevated taquería experience. Under founders Antonio and Claudia Esquivel, with daughter Karyme Esquivel managing the San Diego operations and sister Aria overseeing Los Angeles, the family-run chain (seven branches in Tijuana and recent U.S. expansion) plans to grow further while remaining hands-on. Signature tacos de carne asada and tacos de adobada are highlights: the carne asada is marinated steak grilled over a charbroiler, dressed with chopped cilantro and onions, the taqueria’s salsa de asada, and Tijuana-style guacamole on handmade corn tortillas (tortillas recién hechas from El Grano de Oro). The service setup includes three stations—carne asada, a comal de acero for tacos de fritanga such as suadero, and a trompo for adobada—whose tacos de adobada come dressed in salsa de adobada, slices of pineapple, and crema de adobada (a cilantro dip mixing cilantro, crema mexicana, avocado, and chives), one of Antonio’s signature twists. Meats are available as tacos, mulitas, burritos, quesadillas, tostadas, and more; the Hillcrest location will also serve the family’s popular birria de res. Diners can augment meals with surtidos (roasted chiles güeros, grilled onions, grilled nopales) or vasos de frijol (well-seasoned bean soups from plain to fully loaded with meat and cheese). Other menu items include the taco azteca (a taco in a grilled nopal wrapper) and fantasmas (chicharrónes de queso topped with your choice of meat, chopped onions, cilantro, salsa, and chips). As they expand from Tijuana to Los Angeles and San Diego County, the Esquivels promise to stay involved to maintain the same quality and service—"We are a nice taco stand inside of a restaurant," as Antonio puts it." - Bill Esparza
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