As I was driving over to Escondido on a Saturday afternoon, somewhere between Cole Grade Rd and Valley Center Pkwy I stopped at a red light. It was there I saw the sign "e'*lo*te", uniquely stylized with noticeably bright green and yellow colors. This wasn't at their restaurant but probably a street vending operation. The logo definitely caught my attention, and there was a fair number of customers grabbing food to go. Fast forward, and it's now 8:30pm. Along Valley Pkwy, I see the same logo, and I figured let's give them a go. Customers were coming in and out, though at this hour there was no one else dining in. I decided to try an adobada burrito with a combination of rice, beans, corn, and a selection of other fillings like cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce. The TV was showing local news about the newly elected local fire chief while I waited. Service here was quick, and Ericka piled on the ingredients. As generous of a portion as it was, I devoured the whole burrito in one sitting. Great flavors from the pork, and the sweet corn rounded everything out nicely. Looking at the menu and all their other offerings, this place deserves a repeat visit. As a side note, the area behind the restaurant has the Escondido Street Market every Friday from 6pm to 9:30pm. read more

Elote - Adobada burrito - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

We generally go to the one in valley center but because it was getting late and the other spots we went to were already closed, we decided to stop by Elote in Escondido. We got their corn in a cup but we were not impressed with the cleanliness and set up of the place. The worker kept touching the computer, his face and the iPad and then went back to making our cup all with the same gloves. On top of that the kitchen looked very disorganized with dirty trays everywhere in the back. The knives were all dirty not clean. I decided to still buy the cup but ultimately ended up throwing it out. Additionally, there a taco set up in the front and also a hot dog guy in the back... got me confused didn't know who to order from. There's a lot of organization that the place needs and the workers need to be trained on how to keep their areas clean. I know it gets tough with rent and maybe why the space is being shared with the hot dog food truck in the back but I bet if they organized the place better a lot more customers would come in. I would not order from here if you're scared of getting some sort food Bourne illness. We'll stick to going to the competition for now. read more

Love the street tacos they have in the evenings Thurs-Fri. Also had the esquite & agua frescas, it was all really good. Will definitely be going back. read more

Elote - One of each taco from the street tacos they make Thurs-Sun, starting at 4pm. - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Elote piqued our interest because they offer Elote and esquites that is made with corn that is freshly fire roasted outside the restaurant. The corn itself was cooked great and had a tasty fire roasted taste. Everything is made fresh to order because the waitress went outside to the machine and took out a fresh cob for us! It has the standard toppings but they do add freshly squeezed lime on top and a spicy limey sauce. This made the taste of the Elote overall very acidic so we weren't able to taste the other toppings with the corn. They had a lot of seating and clean bathrooms. Parking was also super easy for us. Overall, Elote was great to try once and we had an enjoyable experience. I just wasn't wow'd enough to want to come back to try other items. read more

Elote - Elote - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Enjoyed the elote in a cup...tasty but I think it would've been fresher on the cob. Tried carne asasda and adobada tacos. These were okay. I prefer the meat to be a bit thicker bs almost minced?... nice that guacamole was included for taco topping w/o extra chg. Service was average and seating area very large and roomy. read more

Elote - Tacos and elote in a cup - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

The loaded baked potatoes are absolutely supreme! Baked potato + carne + veggies + cheese and toppings! They absolutely overstuff them and it is easily 2-3 meals. Absolutely delicious and so fresh. Highly recommend. read more

Terrible food. Everything either out or cold. 4 of us went in and ran to somewhere else to eat.

I have been here before, and always seem to run in to the same issue, they are out of avocado! On this occasion my wife and I split a burrito and a cup of corn. The Burrito itself was surprisingly bland and tasteless, the esquites was good, not as good as the previous time, but did have that nice balance of citrus, tang of the cheese and texture of the corn. I would come back again for the corn, but do not think I would try another burrito here. read more

Visited on a weekday around 6 and the place was empty. I wasn't sure it was open but I'm glad it was. There's plenty of parking and the interior has plenty of space It was our first time visiting and I wish the menu would've been explained more (just like if we add toppings right there or get called up once it's ready, I didn't know that ). But it's 99% self explanatory. I had a baked potato w/carne asada & my husband had fries with adobada and carne asada. I topped mine with some roasted corn which was really good! I was going to try the elote but I got full off of the potato. Just FYI, the carne asada is more chewy than crispy but other than that, it was good! I didn't expect the pricing being $40 for the two of us but honestly, it's 2024, it is what it is. Picture of the papa because the fries got demolished. read more

Elote - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

I come here all the time for their elote corn on the cob which is oooh so good. It just seems like everytime I come it's more expensive than the last read more

Elote - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Got here before they closed at 10 last night after my friends recommended the baked potato. My boyfriend ordered it online which made it easy to customize all the toppings. He got butter, sour cream, green onion, and carne asada. We forgot the add tortilla on the side which my friend also recommended. But we used some at home and she was right about how good it is wrapped in a tortilla! The potato was cooked just right and I didn't have to add anything to it. There are other toppings and meat options which we plan on coming back to try again. Thanks Elote! read more

Elote - Baked potato with carne asada - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

$18 for 2 small esquites?! The good thing: they roast their corn so it gives it a nutty flavor. Other than that not worth the price. read more

Elote - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Was coming down from the mountains when I craved food. For those who have followed me being Paleo, I decided to give Pescatarian (vegetarian + fish) a try for 40 days, so whatever I ate needed to fall into this category. A quick Yelp search yielded some results, but one word caught my eye: ELOTE. For those who are unfamiliar, elote is basically loaded corn on the cob. If you're like me and don't like wiping your mouth all the time whilst you eat, there's esquites, which is loaded corn on the cob in a cup. I stepped in and was immediately greeted. The theme is green and yellow, and there was a futból game playing for more ambiance. I went in knowing I wanted a bowl, though I needed to try the esquites. NEITHER disappointed. Esquites had the right ratio of cheese, corn, mayo, and hot sauce / Tajín (I love lots of cheese in my esquites). The bowl was legit a two-serving bowl, loaded with roasted corn and pinto beans, veggies, and my protein selection: grilled seasoned tofu. Wow. Give it a go. Will return on my next trip to Escondido! read more

Elote - Elote Make Your Own Bowl (tofu, lettuce, spinach, Cotija cheese, jalapeños, pico de gallo) - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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Came across Elote on DD yesterday and we had to order it for lunch! We got the following: -Chicken quesadilla - huge portion and super stuffed! My husband enjoyed it :) -Chicken burrito - although my burrito was gigantic (which I was super excited about), it was filled with mostly rice and beans, which I think reduced the flavor. Not enough chicken! I also ended up transferring it into a bowl at home and confirmed that it was indeed mostly rice and beans. It tasted just okay for me, and I probably wouldn't get the burrito again. -Adobada (pork) tacos - super yummy! We ordered two just to try and compare to others we've had. These were on the smaller side, but we still liked them and thought they were flavorful! Will definitely order the tacos again next time! For $3+ each, I just wish they were bigger! -Elote in a cup - of course, we had to order the Elote from Elote duh! Soooo sooo good like addictingly good. My husband and I were making all kinds of faces as we took in every bite of deliciousness. We built our own cup but still tried to stick to the traditional ingredients - cotija cheese, Tajin, lime, mayonnaise, and added butter & cilantro as well. Super bomb, definitely get it and thank me later! Our order came with the red and green salsas on the side. We will definitely be ordering from here again. read more

Elote - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Food looks good in theory and it was decent but man their kitchen was a disaster. It was messy af, toppings all over the place, they were cutting stuff on plastic serving trays. Please get a cutting board, for everyone's sake. Was not excited to eat the food after seeing the state of their kitchen. I would have walked out but it was an order for work so I had to accept it. read more

Excellent roasted corn that is actually roasted!! I have been to many places that say they have roasted corn when it's actually steamed or boiled and tossed on the grill. Elote really does roast the corn. We ordered it with everything which included mayo, cotija and hot sauce. It tasted fresh and had a nice roasted flavor. We also had asada . The asada was tender and had a nice peppery flavor. The beans tasted homemade and were very good. We will definitely be back. The owner, Genaro was very helpful explaining their menu and really seems like a person who cares about his business and customers. Very nice to see someone his age with such ambition. read more

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service was good. Super busy with there online orders, but hey that's a good sign. I had a chicken quesadilla with guacamole, pico de gallo, lime, and extra cilantro. Chicken tasted amazing as if it was slow roasted I would get the chicken without a doubt next time. My partner got a loaded potato - his only complaint is the toppings seemed basic and due to all the topping his potato got cold. Ambiance is your good ole small business type place. Overall, would go again. read more

The staff at the Old Town location recommended we check out their restaurant in Escondido. After years of wanting to go, we drove the 40 minute drive to North County. The portions were average and prices were high. A quesadilla with meat and guac cost $17+ tax, corn in a cup $8+ tax, bottled drinks were $5+ tax. Although the business contains the word restaurant, it is by no means a restaurant rather a taco shop. As far as the atmosphere, it's not clean. The fountain drinks were not operating and had mold. The chairs and tables were mismatched, there were large posters in the wall, a dj table on one side and various kids toys. It almost seemed as if it operates as a night club at night. Overall, I am not impressed by the atmosphere and it actually makes me skeptical on the quality of food. read more

What an absolutely wonderful experience. Drove to Elote and there was plenty of parking. Navigated my way into the restaurant. While I was standing in line three gentlemen told me how delicious the food was going to be. This was music to my belly!!! I decided to start with the elote bowl and got it with the beef. I ordered an elote (had to!) and a coke. Then the fun began!! You step over to the side and tell them everything you want thrown onto your bowl, burrito, or potato, etc. They have so many choices, sauces, and powders to add! Whatever I told her to put on...it came out so tasty! I ate the entire bowl. Couldn't finish my corn...not for lack of trying. Go to this place...its really yummy. The staff there is amazing and so friendly. Next time I'm coming for the potato! See you there! read more

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Because I had the Yelp Elite Experience here the day before, I came back to try the Elote bowl and it did not disappoint. The corn is delicious and I can now see why the restaurant is named after the Elote. I also got the carne asada bowl with all the works and toppings they had as well as the fresh squeezed orange juice. That was the best orange juice I've ever had. We sat in the restaurant and the ambiance is quite bright, but many tvs to watch different games and we loved that no one else was really sitting down, most people were doing take out. The staff really are kind and were so helpful with hooking us up with ample amounts of toppings. I left there very full and grateful to come back and check out this place once again. read more

This place was really good. Choose your base, meat and toppings and they make it in front of you. The baked potato was unique but I opted for a bowl. The rice, beans are corn we're at the bottom and very good! I also really enjoyed the meat and all the fresh toppings. It was a great meal. A few downsides were the bowl was not sturdy enough. When I got home with my to-go order my food had sunk threw the bottom, and unfortunately I accidentally ate pieces of the packaging. The inside of this place is very odd. It's huge but there's only a few tables kinda just thrown there. Seems more like a to-go place. Overall food was great, I'd definitely stop by if I was in the area. read more

Elote - Pork bowl - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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DELICIOUS! the best mexican food after Safari Zoo. We had tacos and drinks, our daughter had roaster corn cup. so good.

Think of this place as Chipotle with more authentic flavors. I ordered a chicken bowl and really enjoyed it. Their rice and beans were really good. I especially enjoyed their salsas. I feel that salsas are a good indicator if a Mexican place is going to be good or not. My bf order a carne asada burrito which he said had really good flavor, unfortunately the rice/bean to meat ratio was pretty off. There were only a few pieces of meat in his burrito. The location is good, there is plenty of parking. The place itself is huge! There is quite a bit of empty space behind where the tables are. Almost looks like a dance floor? If you're in the area, give them a try. I did see a lot of people order pick up. And many order their esquites. Now that the weather is colder, I might give an esquite a try. read more

Elote - Carne asada burrito - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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This Elote location offers up more than just cups of Mexican corn. While not quite Chipotle, this fast-casual restaurant does a great job with standard taco shop classics. Burrito review. Basically the ordering process works something like this. You'll order a burrito with a protein. They'll start cooking it and when it's done they'll call you up to the front where you can select your cold ingredients. They have everything from corn to spinach to guac and even mayo?!? as an option.. There isn't a limit per se, but based on my experiences you don't want to add everything just because you can add everything.. if you keep ingredients in balance you'll have a tasty burrito, just how you like it.. Overall, this full menu Elote location is worth trying when visiting Escondido. They're located next door to Kennedy's Meat Company. - They're heavy-handed with the refried beans. You should monitor closely. - The also support Escondido High football. read more

Elote - Custom burrito - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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I noticed that something had gone in to the old Kennedy's building, and so I stopped by to try it out. So glad I did! If you're craving an enormous baked potato with a ton of Mexican toppings, this is your place! I had basically a Chipotle bowl on top of a big baked potato, and it was delicious! There's no way I would be able to eat the whole thing, so I will share it for dinner next time. Big baked potato with adobada, 2 cheeses, corn, sour cream, guacamole, red & green onions, cilantro, hot sauce, tajin, and some spices! So freakin good! This was a little like the big baked potato that you can sometimes get at the fair. Paul was super helpful, and walked me through the choices. They opened recently, and I hope that they continue to get new customers. He said that they are doing live music on Saturdays now! I'll be back to try more of the menu, but I don't know if it can top that potato! read more

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My son and his wife picked up dinner for me from Elotes....I had a bowl, with tofu, beans. Corn, and avocado. It was ok, especially with the hot sauce. Would try something else from there 8n the future. , read more

Elote - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

The meats are grilled to perfection, the salsas are the perfect blend of flavor and spice, everything comes out quick. The word "fresh" only begins to describe the toppings. The drinks offered are all Mexican inspired. The corn (on the cob or in a cup) will make your toes curl. At first glance, one may write this place off with its Forestry Service green paint and yellow trim, stick and peel flooring, and cafeteria style seating... But, any good San Diegian knows that writing a place like this off would be a mistake. These, are the hallmarks of good food here in San Diego. Very little money placed in Decore, as the food will speak for itself. E'lote is the Mexican restaurant you've been searching for. It's a good mix of food stand meets chipotle. The Decore is simple for this very large space. A sign hangs on the wall stating 60 persons. There's a lot of room for activities here. A few tables and chairs you can move around, a large flat screen (which had the Padres playing), a couple of bathrooms, and in the back a Dj is set up for some entertainment. It's got a start up, trendy, neighborhood vibe. I like it here, I feel like they nailed it. We are pretty spoiled by the food scene in Escondido. I am really happy E'lote has moved in. I hope you all give them a try. read more

The food was ok. The people that work there are very nice. Big open space. The burrito was huge and you can customize it any way you want. Their michilata was really good. read more

Elote - Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Got a burrito here, it was good... I needed something.... but I cant pinpoint it yet. Service is ok. There were two young people there... there was a special deal on Instagram and when I asked about it, they both were kind of confused. I had to pull up the story on Instagram so they could know what it was. They have a fan on or something; which makes it really hard for the guy to hear what I'm asking for. I had to pretty much yell my order to him. It reminded me of chipotle. You can add different toppings to your burrito. The Agua Fresca was sooo yummy (I got pineapple). All in all, I recommend this place read more

Elote - Monster burrito - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Welcome to the neighborhood! Great tasting food and no long lines... yet! I love elote... who doesn't!? Reasonably priced food and quick service. Limited parking shared with Kennedy's. Be sure to tip well. read more

Elote - So good! - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Best elote I've had in north county! This place reminds me of the home cooked Mexican food I had at my friends houses when I was younger. You can make your own bowl, Iike chipotle, but actually with a more authentic Mexican flavor. We ordered a bowl to share, one elote, a beer and a michelada. Perfect for two people. Drinks are reasonably priced, affordable. The corn is cooked perfectly and the amount of lime they put compliments the elote very well. All the veggies and toppings are very fresh. I just wish they had fresh jalapeños but that's a personal preference. The workers are very friendly and quick to accommodate. They play football games here! The tables and chairs are all mismatched, I thought that was interesting. read more

Elote - Elote - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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My last review was over a year ago and I am very pleased that Elote is still in business! Elote is my go to for Mexican food. Not because it is the closest, the East Grove has many good places. Elote is a GREAT place. The folks that work there are the best, always friendly. I seem to get the bowl every time 'cause it is a FEAST! The aroma...ahhhh! The finished dish is beautiful! You dig in and nothing comes from the table except for yummy sounds. Nom Nom Nom! Friday nights brings the block party fiesta atmosphere to the rear parking lot that is fun to go to. I just talked myself into lunch at Elote! read more

The esquites is so delicious! We have visited the location in old town San Diego and were in the Escondido area so we had to try this location too. You can order ahead and pick up. There are also banquet style tables inside to eat there. read more

Elote - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

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I been here a couple times and only takeout. This place smells bad, not sure how to describe it. The idea is good, but seems to be done half way. The elote cups are good. That is the only think we have bought. The chairs make a screeching sound when moved, they need padding. There are a bunch of boxes laying there and the tables are weirdly arranged. This could be a cool place but seem the interior designed quit gal way through the job. read more

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The space is nice, the staff was very friendly and the food we had was delicious. We have been before for an event and decided to come back for the overstuffed potatoes. They were our favorite, loaded with carne asada and toppings. You feel like you are eating semi healthy at least. Very filling as well. read more

Brah!!! Do you like corn on the cob? Do you like corn on the cob roasted??? Yeah barh you herd ME roasted... Bome in a cup with all the toppings brooo.... I am talking about lemon mayonnaise you ever had that?? It's delicious.Takin Tapatio all the sauces cheese and I don't know what other stuff delicious all kinds of stuff in a cup, mixed together in your mouth delicious. They have other stuff too but I had the corn on the cob in a cup, and it was delicious coming back!!! read more

I stopped in yesterday to finally try them out as they keep getting recommended. I ordered a chicken bowl, and a corn in a cup(esquite)- Sadly, I wasn't made aware that there was no chicken when I purchased my bowl BUT they gave me a refund without a problem. They also did offer to replace the chicken with other meats but I declined. The esquite was absolutely delicious, had just enough of everything! Giving them 5 stars as I'm sure next time I stop by I'll be able to try the chicken bowl. Thanks for your friendly service. read more

This is such a cool spot in Escondido the employees are so friendly and food choices are soo many and is soo delicious from the elote, carne asada, baked potatoes And fries tried them but so many more choices to try, definately gotta go if you have never been go such a wonderful place for Great eats for sure get the Elote and I love the baked potato too. Yummy read more

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For those who know Esco (Escondido), Elote is next door to Kennedy's Meat shop. This joint has a section of the parking lot of this plaza taped off to ensure there is ample parking for its customers, but the plaza has such a large footprint it should not be an issue most of time. There was plenty of parking when I rolled up on a after work on a weeknight. I was greeted warmly by several staff upon entering. The inside of Elote is brightly lit, with plenty of seating and TVs to watch some sports. Be sure to check out the wall murals in the dining area! There are several sections of the walls in the dining area that feature hand-painted murals, with several more sections marked for more art to be added. Elote is set up as a "build your meal" quick serve restaurant, similar to Chipotle. The big board inside lists just three steps: 1. Pick a food: burrito, tacos, corn (on the cob or in a cup), potato, or bowl 2. Pick a protein: carne Asada, chicken, adobada (pork), or tofu 3. Pick toppings and any extras: too many for me to list here On this visit we ordered to go: - 2 tacos with carne asada: the marinade is a bit different than I'm used to. It's not bad. Just noticeably different. - 1 burrito with adobada, corn, and freshly chopped tomatoes. Even with my meager item selection, my burrito was a hefty one! Again the marinade was different than I'm used to. Not bad. Just different. - 2 corn in a cup with butter, mayo and cotija. The elote alone earns a star! The covered cup was very convenient for transport,. It was almost as tasty as having actual elote on the cob, which I will have to try on my next visit. Overall, it was a solid visit at Elote and I will definitely swing by the next time I am anywhere in the area. read more

Their carne asada burritos are massive, especially when you add the ton of toppings they have available. Also got the elote corn on the cob and a michelada. Everything was good. The building itself needed a little bit of work. Only a few tables were out and they were oddly arranged. It's a massive room and the unfinished appearance and random TVs on the wall seem out of place. Almost like a sports bar, without the bar. Parking is a bit odd too. There is some directly in front which may compete with Kennedy's Meat Market next door, but we had to park next to Elote in the strip mall parking. If you're local to this area, I do recommend trying them out at least once. The elote and michelada are excellent. Take it "to go" and you'll be fine. read more

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