Line out the door at 3:30pm. Wonderful whiff of char keeps you in line waiting…read more Inside, no line, just a mashed group of customers crowding the counter - one section for pork, another for beef. You make your order, then wait off to whatever offline space you can find. It's a zoo. Get your order, no tables. We stood outside with our tray of tacos on top of a garden plant border. Not ideal. Right before the first bite a char fragrance meets the nose and pairs the taste so scrumptiously. All the chaos was worth it. This taco joint is guud. Eat here.

I was visiting San Diego for the weekend and had to try Tacos El Gordo! It seems to be one of the…read morecity's classic local spots to go to. We stopped here after walking around in gas lamp. Be prepared to wait in a line as this place is very popular. Once inside you order your tacos at each station based on the meat you want. You can see the chefs cooking the meat right in front of you! The carne asada taco was great! You can taste the smokiness from the grill on the meat which I personally appreciated. The tortillas were made fresh right in front of us as well. It's very casual stall like dining. They have minimal seating upstairs. Luckily we were able to grab a table and enjoy our food. Highly recommend!

"This is the place I trust." A quote from a good friend of mine which is all the proof I need…read more As for everyone else. Fresh tortillas, fresh meats grilled, adobada spicy and flavorful, cactus on top, open kitchen where you can see the passion on full display. Super friendly staff, and working hard too, loved these people. Nice atmosphere as well. I don't want to eat tacos anywhere else now! I need me some El Gordo fuego!!

Great, but didn't quite live up to the hype! This is the only Tacos El Gordo location I've tried,…read morebut I've heard that the carne asada at this location is much better than the downtown location. The adobada was really good though! We got it both in taco form and as fries, and I definitely preferred the adobada. Overall, solid tacos, but I think my expectations were just a little too high going in!

Amazing tacos! I always come here when I'm in the area. The ceviche and tacos are outstanding…read more Despite the line, the order came out fast. The seafood is fresh and i really enjoyed the battered fish taco. Seating is very limited.

Food: 4.5/5 Service: 5/5…read moreAmbiance: 4/5 Busy place but it's thankfully quick! Also had to wait in line but not for too long. The guac is so fresh and delish - just need an extra squeeze of lemon. Sauces and condiments are up for grabs and a lot of it is self-service so it can feel more chaotic. The fish tacos, shrimp tacos, octopus tacos, and ceviche were all good! Not a 5, but a solid 4.5 :)

For the first experience the food was great, and the aesthetic is amazing. I ordered the red…read morequesadillas; the portions were larger than expected, and I had a specific to go request which was accommodated. Thanks to Kristinah for the excellent customer service.

My favorite location so far! Every time my husband & I come here, we are always greeted and treated…read moreso well. They are accommodating! The or birria taco so top tier as always! The crunchstack is my go to when I'm feeling a little bit of a big back - SO F GOOOOOD. I love the food here. Probably going to stop by tomorrow for it. We dine in here and it's clean and well maintained. Can't wait to try Mira mesa's location next! Parking is pretty solid. Never had any issues with it.

I am so mad at myself for only trying Mikes Red Tacos this year, I could have had years of eating…read moresuch good food. My husband had suggested we get this for dinner on one of the rainy days and I was so down. I ordered the birria ramen and he ordered the red quesadilla. The restaurant smells so good as you walk in and my mouth was watering watching other patrons food come out. My birria ramen was so flavorful and was perfect for such a rainy day. Bryans quesadilla was perfectly cheesy and the meat was so tender and juicy. I think next time I want to order their fries, that would be so good. Service was fast and friendly and I ended up joining their mailing list, I heard you get a free churro for your birthday!

10/10 Love me a…read moredelicious, flavorful, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside birria taco! Everything we ordered was sooo good. No wonder this place gets super busy. I love the salsa bar, the variety on the menu and the endless refills on soda. The hype is real guys. Check it out for yourselves. The burrito was a decent size and it was the perfect amount of filling. The ramen was exactly as to be expected. Rich broth, the noodles were cooked perfectly and they were generous with the birria. I recommend using the self serve kiosk, I feel it was more efficient. We didn't have to wait in a long line. Very affordable. Seating on the inside and outside. Friendly staff. Must try!

Best tacos and burritos I've bee had and I am SUPER PICKY with my tacos and burritos. The service…read morewas friendly and helpful. The mahi mahi taco came with fried onion and elevated the taco to a place I never imagined. crazy delicious. the mahi mahi burrito was rolled and grilled to perfection. The salsa bar was tasty and fresh. the place was clean and fun and would eat here every day if I lived here 11/10. Muchisimas Gracias!!!

Cool spot ~ unique mural all over the walls makes good curious viewing while munching on the tacos…read more Plenty of tables but given the quality of area you do not want to sit outside. Drawbacks: ~Not the best part of town so walking there was a challenge. ~No AC. Very uncomfortable in the heat and felt divey dingy. ~Service was dull. Tacos scrumptious, good fresh flavors.

Tacos are so delicious. Very authentic, well seasoned…read moremeat, cheesy, filled with guacamole and onions. Each bite is so satisfying, rich, and add some salsa and it's extra yummy. This spot is open late, and right in the heart of the Gaslamp.

We were excited to try this place, and picked it over El Gordo. What I failed to realized is that…read morethe tacos are prepared Tijuana style, where the guacamole and the tortillas are really bland because apparently there is no salt in Tijuana despite being next to the ocean. Also, they cook the meat with a really pungent, smoke flavor that just ruins the whole food. They may look good in pictures but definitely not worth the time if you are looking for just plain, good street tacos.

Hella good tacos and great customer service. Love this location and the Orange location.read more

We love the taco stand! I always bring my mom here when she's in town. Al Pastor is so so good and…read moreso many fun tacos to try!

There are so many excellent taquerias in San Diego, and they all have their own great recipes for…read moreMexican food. I particularly enjoy the Adobada tacos from Chula Tacos because they serve a very generous portion of meat, guacamole and are very tasty. The first time I tried them was at their H Street restaurant in Chula Vista, but that location is temporarily closed. I decided to try their Palm Avenue location since I was in the area visiting family. The service was friendly, and the tacos were prepared very quickly. The restaurant was clean. I'm looking forward to the H Street location reopening since it is much closer to where I live. Happy Yelping :)

Sometimes, there are nights when only tacos can fix me. It's no secret that San Diego has tacos in…read morespades and being so close to the border, you'd think that a quest to find the perfect taco would be as simple as rolling down to the nearest taqueria. Except, it's not quite that simple. Many beloved staples have gone downhill, while some newer spots that might boast things like a Michelin mention or multiple locations ranging from TJ to Vegas contain more hype and gristle than tender meat and substance. Enter Chula Tacos. Chula is, and always was, the type of place that makes you forget that you're not actually in Tijuana. While part of me misses their OG Market Street location, seeing them with brick-and-mortars feels hard-earned and well-deserved. This location on Palm in IB is relatively easy to access from the freeway, but parking can be tricky. You can safely assume that it will be busy and you will either have to be very lucky or be willing to find a spot on the street. Out of all the times I've been here, it's always been crowded enough that I've never been able to find a table inside, but I enjoy sitting out on the patio next to the ahumederos. The first thing that hits you walking through the door is how amazing everything smells. The queue to the cashier takes you near a window showing the kitchen where you can see the Chula Tacos team making fresh tortillas, slicing meat from the trompos, grilling up jalapenos, nopales, onions, labio, and tripa. For me, it's not so much a challenge to decide what I want, it's more a challenge to keep myself from ordering everything. My usual is four tacos: two asada, two al pastor (but I've heard that I should also try their world famous keka). The tacos though? Perfection. Every time, the asada is the juiciest and most tender I've ever eaten, the al pastor is succulent and flavorful, and no taco in front of me is long for the world. At $3.50 each, every one of them is absolutely loaded. Three would honestly fill me up, but I always want four. After getting burned by spots that ask around 75% more and deliver anywhere between 25-50% less, Chula Tacos feels like an absolute godsend of a Tijuana-style taqueria and I can't see any other contenders being my go-to. So, when I say "Tacos will fix me," what I mean nowadays is "Chula Tacos will fix me."

We came in on a busy Friday and had Avery as our server. Avery was extremely attentive, went above…read moreand beyond, and gave amazing service on a busy night. A great experience and amazing food, we will return!

Found this place during happy hour and it's a great little gem! Chill, laid back vibe on a Monday…read morenight but I'm sure it's packedon the weekends and during local events. I had the 3 Little Birds (homage to Rasta life) because I love Mezcal. It was perfectly smokey and a tad sweet. I started with the guac app but it was way too much for one person; definitely a shareable item. The guac was very fresh and light, with panela chunks to elevate the dish. It was a shame to leave it unfinished. Additionally I had an a la carte pollo asado taco which was divine! The thigh meat was expertly marinated and piled high on a cheese encrusted homemade tortilla. Since I'm a salsa connoisseur, I requested the habanero salsa, which was just my speed... but not for the faint of heart. The salsa verde was good but the showstopper was salsa rojo which had a nice smokey, fire roasted flavor that made me want to order some too take home. Also, I received awesome service from Emily on 9/28/26; shout of to her for taking great care of me! I can't wait to come back!!!