Thrill of the Grill A family-owned restaurant that features the flavors and recipes of Tijuana, Mexico, through recipes passed down from the owner's father. I'd seen this place many times as it's pretty close to my office, but evidently, one of my coworkers saw them on the Tik and Toks and was jonesing to give them a try, and who am I to deny a man his dreams? The Good: * Private shared parking lot. * They had some kind of happy hour with cheap beers and free agua frescas; I don't recall the hours, though. They also have Taco Tuesday specials. * Complimentary chips and salsa were bomb. Maybe the best pico de gallo I've ever had. * Service by Carlitos himself was phenomenal. The man knows good customer service. * The salsa bar was phenomenal as well, and they keep it ice cold. They also have their house salsa macha available in it, and it was delicious! * Handmade corn tortillas--enough said. * The Birria Ramen was delicious, and the broth was rich and full of flavor. If I had one complaint, it's that I wish it had more beef in it, but I always wish everything had more beef in it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The Meh: * 3% surcharge on credit card transactions. The Ugly: * Not the best neighborhood, but you'll be OK. I promise. Conclusion: Fantastic Mexican food and terrific service. What more do you need in life? read more

Carlitos Tijuana Grill - Birria Ramen ($17) - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Such a friendly staff, and clean and cute setting inside the restaurant. Salsa station setting is nice and clean. I did order Plato con carne, meat was bit tough to eat, other wise was good, Thank you read more

Came here on a Saturday evening for early dinner. Carlito's was recommended to us by family who have relatives that own taco spots in MexiCali so we were excited to see how it fared. We ordered: TACOS * fish taco 5/5 * carne asada 4/5 * al pastor 4/5 Quesabirria 5/5 Mulita de asada, 2.5/5 (not my thing - nothing special but not their fault) Their jamaica was good too. The horchata tasted a bit too much like milk to me. The staff were welcoming and friendly. The restaurant was clean and small, but not tiny and cramped. If I was in the area I'd come back for the fish tacos (battered and fried) and the quesabirria. read more

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I found my favorite mexican restaurant!!! It is so rare to find a place that has tripe near where I live, south San Jose. But I am so glad that I found them today. First of all, I loved how clean and organized they are! Cook and waitress were so nice, kind, professional. We ordered around noon on Monday and got the food less than 20 minutes. Thank you! I did not smell anything from Tripe , it was crispy and perfectly cooked! It goes well with nachos and taco. I also tried their fish taco and it was Bomb, unexpectedly goooood! Will definitely come back and it will be my usual spot now :) Easy to find parking and they have a point system (if you put your number registered) where you can get some free stuff too. I have a free taco waiting for me hehe read more

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What went well? The chorizo tacos! It's their family recipe & the tortillas are made fresh. Our drinks: winterita & michelada is delicious! Our server is Carlitos himself and he's fantastic! He advised us on some of the food items because everything looked good, that we were a little indecisive. I appreciate the clean tables & floral arrangement. Thought it was a nice touch & their decorative bar. read more

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Tasty food, clean restaurant, fast and friendly service, free chips with delicious salsa, and reasonable prices. There's a parking lot with free parking as well (plenty of spaces Saturday around lunchtime when I was there). This headlines says it all, what more are you looking for? We stopped by on a whim. It's a nice, clean restaurant with a small business owner feel (in a good way). The service was excellent. I even forgot to order some water, and they asked me multiple times, which I appreciated. The bathroom was also clean (and very large). We ordered the asada nacho fries along with the birria ramen. Both dishes were absolutely delicious. The fries had the extra "crispy" exterior which we loved. The birria ramen had two big hunks of ramen and was served with several flour tortillas and all the fixings. I asked how to eat it, and the method recommended was insanely good - I put cilantro, birria, onions, along with some salsa in there, and then dipped it in the ramen "consume" soup. The chips and salsa was really good as well - we used the salsa on everything. They also have a salsa bar (which we didn't look at), but we enjoyed the table salsa so much we only ate that. There's a cool area with a turntable and some "island vibe" decorations. It looks like there are probably some really fun events there. I'm sure there takeout is delicious as well, but swing by there and try it out if you have a chance. read more

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Surprised this hidden gem isn't packed yet! $3 tacos on Tuesdays ( : Food came out quick! Ordered fish tacos, carne asada tacos, and al pastor negro (?) tacos. My fiancé was a BIIIIG fan of the fish tacos. One of the best in his opinion! I liked my carne asada too. We also got the cucumber lime agua fresca and it was really refreshing. Also, free taco next time you visit if you sign up for their rewards! read more

The food here is good. They provide free chips and guac. The guac is a little spicy. I got two street tacos: el pastor and chorizo and both were great. They were also spicy. The horchata is really good. Perfect amount of cinnamon and milk. The waiter was really nice. He was attentive. It's clean inside and has a nice TV to watch the world cup. read more

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This place is close by and I saw it on IG and decided to give it a try. I LOVE the tortillas are made in house and the meats are made to order. When you order a carne asada taco, they will make the tortilla fresh, and take a piece of thinly sliced beef and cook it on the spot. I don't see many places do this. The carne asada has smoky grilled taste and balances well with the fresh hot salsas. I also tried the Asada and shrimp Burrito. A pretty darn good burrito. There are so many other yummy options on the menu that I need to go back and try! The staff is also very good and attentive as well. read more

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Working out of town and food is always a struggle. I ran across Carlitos Tijuana Grill and it had great reviews. I was very happy. Great service, the spicy shrimp tacos were the bomb and the carne asada was comparable to the Sororan style of Tucson read more

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Saw this spot on TikTok and came the next day. Went around 11 and we were the only ones there but more people showed up to place to go orders. We got a plain fish taco for my toddler. She liked the fish but not the breading. My husband and I finished the breading because it was pretty good, like a beer batter. I got the shrimp enchilado taco and mulita. I wish I ordered more, they were delicious. My husband loved his burrito too. I also have a funny story. We asked for rice for my toddler but it was taking a long time. Turned out they were making fries. They quickly got us rice right away. We'll definitely be back for more items from the menu. read more

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The staff were so friendly and very attentive. Loved how clean the place was and the colorful decor. The food was so good Especially the horchata. The only downfall were the chips and how hard they were. Nonetheless, I would totally come back! read more

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My husband stopped by Carlitos Tijuana Grill for Friday night dinner take out. This is our first time but after reading a few reviews we wanted to give it a try. I had a chicken vampiro and fish tacos. Everything was amazing! As you can see in my photo I have nothing left to share. Next time I'll be sure to take a photo before eating. We will definitely be visiting again. My husband said everyone was so kind and the service was top tier. read more

Carlitos Tijuana Grill - Yummy - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

I've been coming here for a minute & I love even more every time I come!! But let me just say... the Baja fish tacos are SO bomb like seriously 10/10 every time!! Everything tastes super fresh & you can tell they really put care & love into the food. The service is always amazing too!! Everyone is so friendly, quick, and just makes you feel taken care of. The ambiance is such a vibe, super chill, welcoming, and just a good spot to sit down and enjoy your food. Taco Tuesday?? Don't even get me started the deals are so good, you really can't beat it!! Ohhh and the jamaica agua fresca ...DELICIOSO seriously so refreshing!! I haven't been in a little while so I miss Carlito but I'll definitely be back soon!! One of my go-to spots! read more

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Al pastor is pork roasting on a gyro like spit with half a pineapple core on it to provide slight sweetness and caramelization to the roasting meat. This is the best al pastor taco I have had. Not dry. Not rubbery like other places where the meat is a mix or muscle and connective tissue. High quality ingredients and freshly made corn tortilla. They layer on a thick chunk of guacamole to provide a texture contrast. Hard to finish 2. Excellent service. Owner Carlito on site. He cares about his business. Learned cooking from his dad. He buses the tables, cooks, does everything! Homemade salsas in the salsa bar. Not cost reduced tacos. They use whole avocados and mash them up. Not a diluted sauce. Less than 1y old. Worth the drive. Specializes in food in Tijuana region. Different than standard Americanized street taco. Tortillas made on site. They have a corn tortilla maker which looks like a dough mini sheeter. Spicy fried serranos healthier and more texture than hot sauce for heat. Very enjoyable. Hard to find items include ceviche and the ginormous fish tacos. Great place to work. Quiet, fresh coffee made by Carlitos, wifi. Much better food quality than starbucks. read more

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Carlitos Tijuana Grill is an absolute gem! I eat here every week and it NEVER misses! My go-to order: 2 Tijua tacos al pastor --hand-made tortillas, perfectly seasoned lean meat, fresh pineapple and guacamole on top --with a Chavela, Mexican lager + Tajín & lime = perfection Carlitos himself is an amazing owner who truly cares about his place--spotless, well-run, and built on family values, strong ethics, and genuine hospitality . I even had my 29th birthday here and they assisted me to create a personalized menu--next-level service. If you love supporting local, this is THE SPOT! Highly recommend Carlitos for special events, celebrations, or just your weekly taco fix. Pure quality, pure heart. read more

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Went in after not going for a while. So glad I did! Scrumptious fish tacos, rich side of refried beans. Perfect salsa and totopos. Recommend! People, this is delicious Mexican. Reasonable dollars. read more

The service and food was great. As soon as we walked in, we were welcomed in. There's a lot of different food options on the menu. Parking was spacious too read more

Carlitos Tijuana Grill - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

This was so delicious! I came for the birria but also ordered a bean and cheese burrito. Everything was served on fresh tortillas! The consume for the birria was good enough on its own, I'm sure the birria ramen is good- the next time I'm in town I'll come for that. The dining area is bright and clean, they just opened so there is not too much decoration but the food speaks loud enough. It was clean and welcoming. The staff were attentive and on top of making sure we were happy with our food. read more

Carlitos Tijuana Grill - Birria tacos and consume - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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Great Birria Taco's! Hidden Gem :) Food: Tasty Tacos with great contents Carne Asada street taco - great flavors, excellent quantity of toppings. The guacamole was delicious. Fish Taco - Tilapia fried perfectly. Flavor was good and excellent toppings. I enjoyed that they added cheese. Quesabirria - one of the best I have had. The meat was perfectly seasoned and cooked. No fatty parts at all. Good amount of cheese. We asked for very mild, Consome- perfect added great flavor to tacos. Salsa - pretty spicy but delicious Service: Excellent, courteous and helpful. Checked on us frequently and made sure we were satisfied. Made great recommendations as well. Explained spice levels on the salsa. Ambiance - very clean and maintained. The place just opened about a month ago so freshly painted. The seating was perfect. We chose to sit by the window. It was just 5pm so not busy. The bathroom may need some updating but I appreciate it's not just for employees. Thank you for the fabulous dinner. read more

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Freshly made in-house tortillas made with every taco with a great selection of meats to choose from...keep it up Carlitos Tijuana Grill! Carlos was very helpful in suggesting the right items. Super clean and delicious...will be back again for more! read more

Carlitos Tijuana Grill - Tacos were delicious. - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

I drive past this place all the time and recently saw a post about it on IG so decided to stop by and try it out for lunch. I tried the pastor tj tacos and quesabirria. This is now my go to spot for tj style tacos. I ended coming back later that night with my wife and brother so they could try it and I ended up trying the fish taco and pastor mulita, my brother and wife tried the tripe and lengua tacos, asada fries but swapped to pastor and a shrimp ceviche tostada. Everything was 10/10 I don't like onions so everything I ordered had no onions. They have a nice side bar of house made sauces which was a plus.will definitely be back again soon to try out the rest of the menu. Oh yea services was also 10/10!!! read more

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When we first walked in, the restaurant was empty, but it was either a Monday or Tuesday night, so that may have been why. My first impression was good because the restaurant looked clean, and the worker was very welcoming and helpful. We ordered tacos, including pastor, asada, and a couple of the Tijuana-style tacos. The tortillas seemed handmade, which I appreciated, but unfortunately, the meat itself was very bland. The tacos were okay, but they did not really give me that Tijuana-style taco flavor I was expecting. For about $5.50 per taco, I was expecting something with more flavor, especially since our total came out to around $50 for eight tacos. The salsas were also on the bland side, and the fried or dried serranos they offered were not something I personally enjoyed. Overall, the service was good and the place was clean, but the tacos were just okay and felt expensive for the flavor and quality. I personally would not go out of my way to return. read more

Favors and texture is right on. Had the vampiro al pastor chewy crunchy. Salas were great. The way Mexican food should be.

Worst place ive been to in a while, i should have known by it being empty. I love my Mexican food but this food was not good and the waiter was rude with attitude, I do not recommend for people with families read more

Good food and service, clean restaurant. Friendly service, we will come back next time. read more

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I had the fish burrito which was huge! Very flavorful and the toppings bar was an added bonus. The guacamole was made in advance and a little too cold from their fridge. The freshly made churro dessert was great. Service was excellent. Don't sleep on this smaller restaurant because it's in a strip mall! read more

Saw this down my street and really wanted to like it. Came here I think Thursday one hour before closing. We were the only customers. Tortillas are fresh and pressed. We got suaderno, asada, pastor, and tripas. Tacos weren't that special to be honest and for the price is $6 per taco. That was outrageous ngl. Just got some extra guac in a sense. Size of a regular one you get anywhere maybe like half inch bigger at most. Salsa on there is already super spicy so careful adding their other orange one. Really really want this place to thrive. But I have to be honest. That price for that size taco vs anywhere else, you're going to have a tough time making it. Every go try it tho. Some good flavor. I give the horchata 9/10 though. Not overly sweet good cinnamon taste. read more

Honestly, this place is a hidden gem of taco places in San Jose. Ever since trying Carlitos for the first time, it has been my favorite place to get tacos in the Bay Area! The Al Pastor is the most delicious Al Pastor Ive ever had, and all their other meats were cooked to perfection! Their fish and shrimp tacos were so flavorful that it doesn't require any extra sauces! But if youre saucey like me, there is a sauce bar with many different condiments as well! I usually gravitate towards the spiciest sauceN but their medium sauce is just soooo good, that you have to put it on everything! Their complimentary chips and salsa has the right balance of flavor while being light. There are also delicious dried Serrano peppers that you can help yourself to, and they are very delicious . The restaurant and bathrooms are always clean and tidy, and the service is always amazing! Carlos himself always checks in on you and asks if you need anything else, and even caters to your dietary restrictions as well! Im lactose intolerant and Carlos is always double checking to make sure that my dietary restrictions are met! Will always come back when im in the area, and highly recommend to anyone who hasn't tried them yet! read more

Carlitos Tijuana Grill - Food C: - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

I want to like this place more than I do. Very mixed feelings. Been here three or four times but probably won't be back. Pros: the owner and staff are very nice, the quality of the food is pretty good, I really like the environment inside, and they have a complimentary salsa bar. Cons: The portions aren't small, but I wouldn't say they're particularly big either. I find the burritos and quesadillas to be a bit on the average side. For some reason, they do not wrap the burritos in foil when you eat at the restaurant and I have yet to have one that didn't completely fall apart as I was eating it. Also, they seem to be a bit stingy with the chips. The first tray of chips at the table is complementary, but then they charge for each refill. What doesn't make sense is you get one free tray of chips whether you are sitting by yourself or with a large group. I was recently there with three friends and we got maybe three or four chips each before the tray was empty. That policy should probably be reconsidered. read more

Pretty empty on a Monday night. We were sat at a table and the server took our order. There's a self serve sauce bar that has different salsas, radishes, limes and peppers. I ordered a lengua burrito and it was standard. It wasn't extraordinary but nothing to complain about. They did seem to forget one of our orders and there was a long wait after most of our food came out and they had to ask what was ordered again. read more

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I stopped by to try some tacos on a weekday. They were so good I can't stop thinking about them. The salsa was the right amount of spicy. They were ready quick and the batter was delicious. I ended up ordering a burrito to go to take to my partner because I wanted him to try it and he couldn't stop talking about it a couple days later. I'm definitely going to bookmark this spot and be a regular. Keep up the good work you guys! read more

Carlitos Tijuana Grill - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Food: We went today for taco Tuesday and it was delicious, cheap, and filling! They have a get 3 tacos and the fourth one is free. They also serve free chips and salsa and your table comes with spicy dried Serrano chiles to top on your food. They also have a salsa and topping bar in the corner, make sure you check it out! We ordered adobada, Lengua, fish, and quesabirria tacos. It was all yummy and filling! Service: Our server was really nice and checked on us often! We will come back! Loved the food and price for all that we got. read more

The food is top tier if you know good, fresh Mexican. They even nailed the baja tacos. I'm from SoCal and was having a hard time finding a place that tasted like home. The Salsa bar is fresh, handmade tortillas, consome served with the birria was perfect flavor and the beans taste just like my childhood memories. I found this place last weekend and I've already been 3 times. I'll gladly drive out of the way for this. Thank you Carlitos!! read more

Carlitos Tijuana Grill - Outside - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Tried today for the first time and food was amazing. Just what the neighborhood needs. We had the birria, fish tacos, and carne asada. carne asada: meat was seasoned well and there was so much! it was worth the price and very satisfying. Fish taco was one of the best i have had. the tilapia tastes very fresh and the chipotle mayo complemented it well. birria was the best i've ever had. it's seasoned perfectly and i'm so happy they offer it in so many options like tacos, ramen etc the service was amazing. i had chips that never were empty and they checked on me to make sure i had everything often. carlos is a gem and the whole staff was warm and welcoming. they also are bilingual and took care of all the tables seamlessly and were busy as hell when i went in. i will be back! i wanna try the soup ! they have 3 read more

Carlitos Tijuana Grill - birria taco, fish taco, asada taco - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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Checked out this place to give them a chance even if they had 5 stars they had only a few reviews. Al pastor taco: too crispy, didn't taste fresh, texture of the pastor seemed like it was air fried. Carne asada: dry as well, lacked flavor Fish taco: was pretty good, dressed up real nice, wasn't dry at all, tasted fresh. Jamaica: bland, lacked flavor Al pastor 2.8/5 Carne asada 1.7/5 Fish taco 3.8/5 At around $5 a taco the price was way too much for the quality they gave it Service was great and the place is very clean read more

Carlitos Tijuana Grill - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Place is very clean, Service is great, im super pickie with a agua frescas and they were amazing! Tacos are super delicious! 100% recommend to come read more

Carlitos Tijuana Grill - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

My husband was born and raised in Tijuana, so we travel there about once a month. As anyone who knows Tijuana can tell you, there's a huge range in the types of food you can find, from casual street eats to more upscale dining. This is a restaurant not a taqueria I saw a one-star review that complained about the prices here, but honestly, I found them to be completely reasonable. We're currently enjoying our meal in a very clean, comfortable, and air-conditioned dining room with friendly staff. The price reflects that this is a proper restaurant, not a taco truck, and it's well worth it. The owner was incredibly nice, and we came during happy hour, which made the prices even better. Most importantly, the food was delicious and the beers were perfectly cold! read more

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This place is brand new . Staff is so courteous and very welcoming . The food was amazing nothing like I've had before the meat was so fresh and the fish tacos were made with such quality 10/10 the last time I had fish tacos was in Mexico over 10 years ago . This place food is so delicious . I will be returning real soon with the family again . The guacamole is so delicious . I highly recommend this place come in and have a nice meal . read more

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We had lunch here today and it was amazing!!! They are so welcoming! The food was excellent, homemade tortillas and the horchata was delicious. Such a cute vibe inside, the restaurant was clean and the staff were so helpful. We will be back!!! read more

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