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    Las Ahumaderas

    4.5 (159 reviews)
    InexpensiveTacos
    Open • 8:00 am - 6:00 AM (Next day)

    Las Ahumaderas Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Las Ahumaderas

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    Brenda D.

    Came here at 4 pm and tacos were still coming in hot! This places is a great option for late night grubbing!! They had music playing and everyone was so lively, so late at night. We had asada, chorizo, cabeza, lengua tacos. All had good flavor. The do the salsa and guacamole, as true Tijuana tacos do. Service was great. The wait for food was short and we're eating tacos within 10 minutes of getting there. For Tijuana tacos and all their hype, this place was okay. Note: they take American dollars, pesos and you can pay with card. Just ask for the exchange rate before paying.

    Grilled meats of all kinds!
    Erika P.

    I love that I found parking right away, seats right away, and the taco guy took my order and served me immediately. Pure perfection. The tortillas are handmade, the meat perfectly grilled, and the carne asada was absolutely delicious. I usually go for cabeza, but this time the asada won my heart. Go check them out, you won't be disappointed. You can thank me laters.

    Roselia G.

    Delicioso! Whatever meats you get whether carne asada, adobada, lengua, or cabeza, it's going to be delicious! I love the giant glob of guac that they top every taco with. There's a good amount of seating inside, and clean restrooms. They even have hand sanitizer at every table. A must stop while in Tijuana.

    Diana G.

    I love Las Ahumaderas! One of my favorite places is las tres salsas! Yummy! You can go to las ahumaderas and have a variety of little taco shops to eat from; however, my favorite is "las tres salsas!" The place is tiny; smells like tacos of course; but it's super good! It's always packed! The service is quick and the tacos are DELICIOUS! They are not cheap with their salad, lemons, and or meat! The guacamole on the tacos de asada, by far... great! You have to check It out when visiting TJ! I love going here!

    Taco alley
    Ryan M.

    Known as Taco Ally or street, Las Ahumaderas is a little further away from the boarder and a longer walk away from Avenida Revolución. It's one of the spots that Anthony Bourdain visited, which should be reason enough for you to make your way here. Its a row of open air taco stands, they all pretty much have the same items, they each have a walk up bar type seating with the exception of the one on the far left which has indoor seating and a bathroom. I liked that you could see the open charcoal grill and watch them prepare it at your seat. They offered all the meats they had at other taco stands but they also had chorizo which I didn't see at any other place. The chorizo was cooked in its casing then cubed, not the loose type of chorizo that is taken out of its casing and cooked with eggs that you are used to. It wasn't too spicy but a nice change from adobada and carne asada that is served at most other taco stands. It was actually nice to have whole cubed chorizo this way, I wish there were more places that served it like this. There were maybe 5 or 6 taco stands all in a row, even though I haven't tried them all, I'd guess they are all the same. They all have the same menu, same prices and same grill set up, I guess their recipes could be slightly different but I haven't tried them all and the main draw is the meats cooked over the charcoals. I went during off hours and it was rather empty, but im told during peak hours its really busy. The tacos are a little cheaper than what you'd find closer to Avenida Revolución because its more of a trek to get there and away from the tourist area. I felt safe and I'd make the trek during the day but probably make sure I was back towards the boarder before it got dark.

    Dary P.

    Google "tacos" near the place that we were leaving and found this place within walking distance. Looked it up and realized Anthony Bourdain also came here so you know we had to try it. And boy, we were so glad we did. Immediately we were welcomed and were pointed to an available table. You go up to order your food and man, are they quick to serve them up to you. We were even given carne asada to try while we wait. We ordered adobada, carne asada, lengua (tongue), and vampiro. All the tacos were so good and the salsa that they put into the adobada had a kick. We couldn't stop eating or sweating lol but it was a good sweat. Their onions were seasoned well. Everything was cooked with charcoal which was a plus. It just hits differently. We ordered a total of 25 tacos and spent $55 (excluding tip). You can't get that in the States. Make sure to try the taco alley if you are ever in TJ.

    Several vendors under one roof
    Nadine C.

    Third foodie tour stop in Tijuana, Mexico... Las Ahumaderas has the nickname of Taco Alley, but it's not an alley. It's a row of open-air taco vendors next to each other. Some of the vendors have counters with seats right along the sidewalk. We chose the shop on the end with tables and chairs inside. I sat near the fan because it was late afternoon and a bit warm. Luckily, this shop had a restroom upstairs. I ordered an adobada taco and a horchata. This combination has become my favorite. I like the taco's flavored meat because it reminds me of Cha siu (Chinese BBQ pork). The horchata has a cinnamon sugar taste to the rice water. It sounds weird, but it's surprisingly good! I was just happy to sit down for a bit. The service was kind and efficient with limited English. Very admirable! Note: there's a YouTube video with Anthony Bourdain visiting "Taco Alley"!

    3 tacos de asada 3 de Lengua un pastor quesadilla. Coke
    Gabe C.

    I have to stop here every time I visit! TACO ALLEY! Good quality food. People are always welcoming! As authentic as it gets. When people say TJ tacos this is what they're talking about.

    Tacos de Lengua
    Arnold R.

    Un paraíso para los amantes de los tacos! Las Ahumaderas, o "Taco Alley," es el lugar perfecto para probar tacos auténticos en Tijuana. La variedad es excelente; probé los tacos de asada, adobada y tripa, y cada uno estaba lleno de sabor y cocinado a la perfección. Las salsas caseras son deliciosas y añaden el toque justo de picante. El ambiente es muy animado, lleno de locales y turistas, lo que le da una vibra auténtica y emocionante. Además, el personal es rápido y amable, a pesar de la cantidad de gente que siempre está en el lugar. Si estás en Tijuana, este es un lugar imperdible para una auténtica experiencia de tacos. ¡Altamente recomendado!

    THEY DO NOT SELL BEER... so I bring my own =]
    Chris H.

    My family has been coming to this taco stand for decades now! The staff recognize us as soon as we walk up and are very friendly and easy to talk to. Pay the security guard to get a good parking spot and they will keep eyes on your vehicle and belongings. You can smell the meat cooking over the mesquite as soon as you get to the corner. Many places to choose from around this area but hands down this spot is the best! Ask for a grilled jalapeno and they will hook it up with salt and lime!

    Bill P.

    Legit tacos, what can I say. I was in TJ with my Daughter and she wanted tacos. After searching on yelp and reading the reviews I settled on Taco alley. Anthony Bourdain came here a did a segment so it must be good. It was, I left fat and happy ready for my journey back accross the boarder.

    David K.

    Las Ahumaderas is made up of several taco bars, and the smoke from the grilled meats wafted down the street enticing diners! Sitting down at a bar seat, I ordered the Vampiro with Adobada, two crispy corn tostadas topped with fatty marinated pork sliced from a rotating spit, along with melted cheese, onions, cilantro, and guacamole. I also had the Kamikaze, a taco with carne asada, two chopped habaneros, onions, cilantro, salsa, and guacamole. This was an aptly-named creation, as the orange-colored habaneros were super spicy, setting my mouth on fire! The tacos went nicely with some lime and grilled scallions, and this made for a fun street food experience!

    Another adobada spit setup

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    4 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    9 months ago

    Food is amazing! Their asada is delicious. Highly recommend. We have ate at a few asada places in tj, this place is fire!

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

    The best tacos I think in Tijuana, I have been going there for 4 years and they have never failed and great customer service

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    2 years ago

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

    The first thing I noticed was that the people who were there were all smiling and having fun eating delicious food with great service

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    4 years ago

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    8 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Highly recommended this place!! Delicious tacos and service!!! We had the carne asada and they are absolutely delicious!!!!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great tacos lots of history old school standing on the side walk eating tocos and drinking a beer!

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    3 years ago

    Yep. The best. Hands down. Add some roasted jalapeños, then green onions & an horchata and what more can one want?

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    Page 1 of 4

    Las Ahumaderas Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Las Ahumaderas

    “They put a lot of guacamole on the tacos, it seemed liked they put more guacamole on the adobada than the lengua.”

    Mentioned in 24 reviews

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    Tacos El Franc - Tacos Al Pastor

    Tacos El Franc

    4.5(689 reviews)
    1.2 km•Zona Centro
    •$

    If you're looking for authentic tacos in Tijuana, this taco spot is an absolute must visit…read more The asada, pastor, and everything is packed with flavor. What really sets this place apart is the outstanding customer service, the staff is welcoming, attentive, and treats every customer really nicely. The atmosphere is lively & outdoorsy, the prices are great, and the entire experience feels genuinely local and memorable. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a regular, this taco stand delivers incredible food that will keep you coming back for more. It's cash only btw.

    This was our very first stop after crossing the border into Mexico, and it absolutely lived up to…read morethe hype. It came highly recommended by both locals and fellow food lovers, and after seeing the incredible reviews, we knew we had to experience it for ourselves. We ordered a little bit of everything: tacos de tripa, tacos al pastor, tacos de asada, and an asada quesadilla. Every single item was packed with flavor and tasted incredibly fresh. The tripas were perfectly crispy without being greasy, the al pastor was juicy, well-seasoned, and had that classic balance of savory and slightly sweet flavors, and the asada was tender with a delicious char-grilled flavor. The asada quesadilla was generously filled with meat and gooey melted cheese, making it the perfect complement to the tacos. One thing I really appreciated was how convenient the ordering process is. They have a drive-through style setup where you simply pull up and park in front of the restaurant. An employee comes directly to your car to take your order, and once your food is ready, they bring it right out to you. It's such an easy and efficient experience, especially if you're eager to grab amazing food and get back on the road. It's easy to see why this place has earned such a stellar reputation. Between the authentic flavors, generous portions, friendly service, and convenient setup, this was the perfect way to kick off our trip into Mexico. I'll definitely be making this a tradition every time I cross the border.

    Photos
    Tacos El Franc - Tacos El Franc

    Tacos El Franc

    Tacos El Franc - "Dos más, por favor" / "Two more, please"

    "Dos más, por favor" / "Two more, please"

    Tacos El Franc - Menu

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    Menu

    Tacos El Franc - Adobada Taco

    Tacos El Franc

    3.9(626 reviews)
    15.7 km
    •$
    Free parking
    Outdoor seating

    Quite good for a spot in the mall. But this is San Diego after all. They have cabeza and lengua as…read morewell. I ordered two cabeza and two suadero tacos. The cabeza was delicious as always. I thought the savoriness of the suadero could've been better. I would've asked for salsa or hot sauce, but they already had an ideal amount of salsa in the taco. They also came with a large amount of onions and cilantro in them. Someone else might complain, but I can eat cilantro as a snack. I did find the huge radish chunks to be slightly off putting. Could've at least cut them into flatter slices.

    Unfortunately, we had a very disappointing experience with the customer service from the waiter who…read moreserved us. He is stocky/muscular in build, has a beard, glasses, and wore a baseball cap. Everything started off well when we arrived. He even asked if we were first-time customers, which we were. My family and I were there celebrating my wife's birthday, and overall, we enjoyed the food. Our bill came out to around $113. The tacos are on the smaller side and cost almost $5 each, while the small flower quesadillas around $10, so it is definitely on the more expensive side, but we thought the food was pretty good even though he also brought my wife's tacos with salsa after she had ordered them without. We chose to not even bother mentioning it. The issue happened when I was paying. I chose to only leave a $2 tip because I was already spending over $100 and was on a very tight budget especially due to how much the bill was. The waiter specifically pointed out that I was only leaving a $2 tip. I confirmed that I was, and he then asked if there was any issue with the service or food which I felt was clearly an attempt to find out why I wasn't leaving more. I told him everything was good and finished paying as he sort of just looked at me. I said thank you, and walked outside towards the inside of the mall. Seconds later I noticed him speaking to the female cashier about the tip with the card reader still in hand. What he said caused her to smile and look out to my direction but then quickly looked away when she realized I had noticed. I want to be clear that I have no issue with the cashier and am not blaming her for anything. She was professional. I only mention that to explain how it was obvious that he was making fun of the tip so my only concern is with the waiter and how he handled the situation. In my opinion, it was very unprofessional and uncomfortable to question a first-time customer about the amount they CHOSE to tip. A tip is voluntary, and you never know what someone's financial situation is. He had no way of knowing whether I was dealing with bills, a tight budget, or simply choosing what I could afford today. Customers should not feel embarrassed or pressured about the amount they VOLUNTARILY choose to leave. I understand that servers work hard and sometimes rely heavily on tips, and sometimes I am able to tip restaurants $10-$20. However, sometimes people simply cannot afford to leave a large tip or any at all especially with today's prices and economy. That shouldn't mean they should feel uncomfortable going out to eat with their family or celebrating a special occasion If they sometimes only have enough for the food itself. In those circumstances should customers not celebrate anything at all and not create memories on family birthdays etc Just because the waiter will question the tip? lol of course not, highly unprofessional on his behalf. I had actually been looking for a San Diego taco spot that comes as close to the tacos in Tijuana as possible, and I initially thought I had found a place that my family and I could regularly return to. One of my coworker's recommended this taco shop to me yesterday. I work in corrections and also serve in the military so honestly I was actually already planning on coming back in the future with some of my buddies being that I haven't been convinced with some of the other taco shops in the area. Unfortunately, the interaction with this waiter completely changed my impression of the restaurant, and we will not be returning. I hope the owner or management see this review and addresses the situation with the employee. The food was good regardless of the prices, but good food does not make up for making a customer feel uncomfortable or embarrassed over a tip. I chose to share my experience here rather than feel pressured to explain my personal finances to a waiter. No one should. It's not his business. I hope management takes this as an opportunity to remind staff that customers should never be questioned or made to feel uncomfortable about the amount they choose to tip. The establishment would have most likely gained many more customers just from my behalf but it is what it is. I just ask that the manager's or owner speak to the waiter to explain what "you would think" would be common sense in customer service. Hope to hear from the owner (Robe, K) soon. También hablo español. Mándame mensaje porfa.

    Photos
    Tacos El Franc - Real Charcoal Grill, Real Carne Asada!

    Real Charcoal Grill, Real Carne Asada!

    Tacos El Franc
    Tacos El Franc - Adobada Fries!

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    Adobada Fries!

    Las Ahumaderas - tacos - Updated October 2026

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