Raul's Shack : A quaint roadside burrito plug doing god's work in a godless world. No, that is not a typo, but on the contrary, a measured and thoughtful evaluation on this restaurant. Manned by a two man team of register boy and burrito wizard, this fine eatery is somewhat low key in respect to their quality. You will not find a dimly lit interior dining area rife with quarter vending machines filled with fake teeth and sticky hands, but instead two small wooden tables and about 7 chairs. They say don't judge a book by it's cover, but that is dumb as there are many boring books that have boring covers, so I usually say judge away, but not here. No, this tricky trickster of a burrito wizard is cunning in his guise of his skill, he is an unassuming gentleman quite normal of appearance as is the taco joint itself it is teeny tiny, but the flavor is huge. Yes, his craftsmanship is truly without match in these times of shitty burritos and trash customer service. Contained within my test burrito were : CRISP golden fries, COLD Sour cream, FRESH and WELL SEASONED Carne Asada, MELTED cheese not cold cheese slapped on at the last second so you end up with a weird lukewarm cheese bite and your like wow why did I come here, and to top it off a warm but not burnt tortilla. Every bit of the burrito was delicious, and with a drink + a tip my total was about 14 dollars 9 for the 'Reet, 1.50(?) for the pop, and a buckaroon or two for the boys. Top notch, will be returning and WILL be ordering a second for the road read more

Had the chile relleno burrito, tacos and chx flautas, and carne asada plate. Nothing special just ok. With all that food, they charged us $1 for a small dollop of sour cream. My review is go somewhere else. read more

It's barely ok ..... expect a cafeteria style experience. Ordered a carne asada plate... didn't hear any clanging metal spatulas working the grill.... when the food came out it was luke warm (rice and beans ). The carne asada looked like left overs... took it out the fridge and semi warmed it up in a microwave (closer to cold)....the rolled tacos were good. It's a chance you take when you order food to go. Clearly no quality control... I mean where is the sense of pride... ? Could I go back or recommend? Go back no. Recommend to my enemies... yes. read more

I got the chimichanga expecting somthing good but when I tasted it and it was the best chimichanga ever

Fresh, fresh, fresh. The tortilla and salsa are fresh and that makes the difference. Why can't the gringos in town figure this out? Ay caramba. read more

This review is mainly in the context of my search for a great fish burrito. AND WHAT A SEARCH IT HAS BEEN! Kind of realized recently that I should share my thoughts on this search here on yelp. But, I got it in my head recently that I wanted to find a place where I could find a delicious fish burrito, the best I could find, actually. My girlfriend has typically had the carne asada burrito when I go with her to these places, so that gets the review as well. So, Raul's Shack... The cod was well battered, fresh and not fishy tasting, but the white sauce they use is overly tangy; it's suspiciously like a watery Miracle Whip, actually. It should be a bit sweeter, maybe a bit thicker, but definitely be there to help cool a hot piece of fish and not overwhelm it with a mayonnaise bite. My love got the California burrito, basically carne asada stuffed to the brim with old french fries. Her meat was under seasoned and those fries had no salt. There's no shame in putting no salt on the fries, but the whole point of that would be to over salt the meat and have the fries soak all the extra. As it was here at Raul's, her burrito was just a bland log of chewy beef and mushy potato. So, all in all, not the best of dinners. Price wasn't horrible, but the wait was crazy long and the taste not really what it should be. Their beans might save them, but we didn't have any of those, just the disappointment of the fish and carne asada. read more

Raul's is our favorite after school stop and summer walk-to for burritos and fish tacos. It takes a little while, but they are delicious and worth the wait! read more

I am back with a Mexican food spot that is cheap, convenient and ON POINT! Now to the list or reasons why.... 1. Perfect Carne Asada - I love Mexican food (born and raised SD) but I have not had carne Asada in a burrito as good as Raul's. You HAVE to get the California Burrito. No question. 2. Price point - To put it simply, the food is cheap. $4-5 for a burrito that is huge. My wife loves rolled tacos and she thinks they are the best. Those are only $3-4. (Per any change) 3. Laid back feel - You are in Encinitas, SUPER So Cal beach town. There is nothing more So Cal than a walk up taco shop 3 blocks from the ocean. My picture has a beer from Lost Abbey in it, just down the road and a GREAT spot. Improvements - Seating could be improved and ease of parking could be better (not their fault). Anyway...go to Raul's, get a California Burrito, go sit at Moonlight beach and plan a move to Encinitas or a great reason to "miss" your flight home. read more

Raul's Shack - Fast Food Near Me - Encinitas, California

A hidden Encinitas gem. Look for the line of people in swimsuits with sandy feet straight off the beach at the corner of D Street and the 101. It is literally a hole in the wall, you're lucky if your server speaks English, the change in your pocket will feed you, and your food will take forever to arrive. Pure Mexican charm! The chicken soup is the bomb if it's a stormy night. The breakfast burrito is straight forward and affordable for your morning quickie. Grab your food to go and head to the beach for some Knar Knar!!!! read more

Raul's Shack - Fast Food Near Me - Encinitas, California

This place lives up to its praise. I have my buddy Phil to thank for bringing me to this local gem. Incredible mexican food. Got 3 soft tacos. 2 Carne asada and 1 carnitas. The carne asada is crazy good. The carnitas was solid. Though I'm with one of the reviewers here that I'm more about the carnitas being fried after it's braised. Where it gets that beautiful brown crust to crunch through and the juicy (and yes fatty) white meat. The guac/onion/cilantro topping is plentiful and awesome. Quick service, super cheap. Crappy parking and, for all intents and purposes, no seating. Cash only. Sweet little area by the beach too! Just treat this place as your go-to take out spot. read more

The young man (teenager?) working the cash register was very nice and provided good customer service which surprised us. We ordered a California burrito and a Surf N' Turf burrito and we were not disappointed! The salsas tasted fresh, and I will be recommending it to all of my many, many friends! read more

Why has it taken me almost 10 years of living here to try this delicious spot? We had it for lunch yesterday and again today and the beef taquitos are the best taquitos I've ever had. They serve them with fresh guac on top and the shredded beef is . We also tried the flautas which were also delicious. Today my husband got the tostada which was also insanely delicious. All the meat seems to be much more tender than any of the other mexican food spots we usually love. I'm thinking we will have it for the third day in a row tomorrow! read more

Great service but it just didn't live up to what you'd expect a burrito in San Diego to be...

A little window shack and man, it's welcoming, fairly priced, not busy, and DELICIOUS. This is everything I could've wanted after a beach day! I got the quesadilla and wow it was perfect amount of cheese, chicken and crispy tortilla. I absolutely loved it! read more

Trash. If you know good Mexican food then you know that this ain't it. Go somewhere else! Salsa tastes like tomato paste, French fries were way too overcooked. Mediocre at best. read more

Update: I found out about this place, as mentioned in my review, via Huell Howser's PBS show "California's Gold". Sadly, if you don't already know, Huell passed away recently after a battle with prostate cancer. His various shows really touched a lot of people, with his "regular guy" persona and the stories he offered to his viewers. He will be missed by a lot of people, myself included. Rest in Peace, Huell, and Godspeed. larrythediner read more

Super good simple spot for post surfing tacos. Totally a "must stop by and grab a few" place. Good spot for street tacos. Cash is much easier. Order a nice amount of them to get full (like 6-8). Parking is super easy around the corner. My favorite is the carne Asada and carnitas. They are hot, delicious and the salsa is amazing. Not fancy at all, just a scrumptious place to savor the simplicity of street tacos. read more

Raul's Shack - Taco time after a solid surf session at swamis :) best post surf food ever. - Fast Food Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Best value for Mexican food for sure. All the basics on the menu and the pricing is quite a deal. Portion sizes are generous and the flavors are delicious. This is a family favorite spot for us and will be for a long time. Making me hungry just typing about it! read more

Raul's Shack - Great grub at a great price! - Fast Food Near Me - Encinitas, California

I started coming to Raul's recently and I am hooked. The carne asada burrito is one of the best in town. The red salsa is ridiculously good. The owner Fabrisio and cashier Kosta are always there to get your order right and deliver great service. If you want great Mexican food near the beach, go to Raul's! read more

I love this place! Best Mexican food in north county! I have been coming here for 16yrs! The chicken soup is my favorite thing here! But all there food is amazing! They are cash only so make sure u bring cash! The 7 11 across the street has an ATM tho! read more

Raul's Shack - Best breakfast burrito! - Fast Food Near Me - Encinitas, California

The girl and boy at the front were very respectful and professional! It's so good to see teenagers working in a family owned restaurant. I came tonight and ordered the adobada quesadilla and the chicken soup! It was delicious. I have to say this is the best Mexican restaurant in all of Southern California. They have the best burritos and they're only $10! This employees at this restaurant seem like they have a very nice friendship and it's good to see others working so nicely together! This is a great place for anybody to come grab a bite to eat at! read more

This place has the best Mexican food in town. I ordered the carne asada burrito and homemade guacamole. The front staff is vvvveeerrry friendly and accommodating. Also my wife ordered chicken tacos which were unbelievably delicious read more

Cashier not wearing mask and worse then coming outside and interacting with friends between taking orders. They have signs up asking us to wear masks but don't require their own basic sanitation. read more

Food was good but customer service was awful. Restaurant closed at 8 and we ordered sat down outside to eat. Trash was overflowing and we were the only customers. At 1950 was told they closed in 10 minutes. No worries we were close to being done. At 1955 the young girl opened the window and yells at us that they are waiting on our table so they can close and rolled her eyes as if it was a problem. Really disappointed in the bad attitude. read more

I absolutely love mexican food and typically eat it everyday. Unfortunately I've tried this place multiple times and the food is NOT authentic and they will give you the worst service you'll ever experience. It is tough for me to say this because I have worked in restaurants for over a decade but I have to be honest. When I asked the taco guy his name he claimed "Pablo Escobar". So whoever that worthless guy is, he's the reason why you should NEVER make the mistake of coming here. read more

I can't believe I have never been here before. Of all the taco shops in Encinitas/Leucadia this is one of the better ones. I ordered the Carne Asada without the salsa fresca but I did add cheese. It was pretty good. I would definitely eat it again. As another Yelper said they do have some pretty yummy hot sauce. The burrito and the sauce definitely satisfied my cravings. The burrito was $5.50! (plus tax). This has to be one of the least expensive taco shops. For the price and the good food it is definitely worth it. This is a taco stand. It is outdoors. You walk up, order and wait for them to call your name. There are two tables out front and there is some in dining tables. Parking can be a bit of a challenge depending on the time of day you go and if there is an event in Encinitas. read more

Raul's Shack - Carne Asada Burrito sans salsa fresca but with light cheese - Fast Food Near Me - Encinitas, California

My friend treated me to a burrito for my birthday and he recoommended the taquito burrito. It was so awesome! Sadly I couldn't finish it, but it was one of the best burritos I've ever eaten! His family actually owns this shack and so we were treated very nicely. I'll have to take this challenge again and I'm sure I can finish it next time. :) read more

Raul's Shack - taquito burrito - Fast Food Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great Mexican food in Encinitas! Chicken tacos are tasty, moist seasoned chicken, crispy corn tortilla, fresh lettuce, shredded cheese, tomato - added hot and green sauce, soo good! Bean and cheese burrito , forget about it - so huge, the creamy and savory pintos were sooooo good, I could only eat half- huge portions read more

Raul's Shack - Chicken taco - Fast Food Near Me - Encinitas, California

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After a nice morning of yoga and beach run, it was time to grab breakfast and head to the beach for a couple hours! I was a loner this morning so I didn't feel like eating at a sit down.. Plus best case scenario was to bring breakfast to the beach and eat!! Normally sandwiches are great for a beach picnic, so I chose to go for an easy to eat breakfast burrito. Has bacon, egg, French fries, and pico de gallo. Maybe one piece of bacon so that kinda blowed.. It wasn't the best of its kind but it worked for me this morning. Their red salsa is yummy though! I used both containers for my burrito! Only $5 and my tummy was satisfied. Burrito and beach ain't a bad deal so I may come back. read more

This is my Favorite taco in Encinitas! I never know the hours, but could eat a crunchy beef taco every day! read more

If you like flavorless burritos and tomato paste style salsa, then look no further! The food here is trash. We all know size matters and these burritos are shrimp gang to the max. read more

I love this place, tastes like home cooking. I always take the opportunity to get the chile relleno burrito or the spicy chicken soup when I'm in town! read more

This place is consistently good. We have had almost everything on the menu and it never disappointed. Location can't be beat. The locals are very kind and kid back. read more

The food was SO good. Great prices, and local quirky beach vibe. We loved this place. Easy "to go" food for the beach. Go eat at Raul's!!!

Raul's creates some of the best and most affordably priced rolled tacos and street tacos. Their cabbage salad is often excellent. Their homemade chips are excellent, as is their red salsa. Raul's just needs to hire some cashiers who smile and care the way the owners do. Too often the kids at the register forget your order or miss the details and show no sign whatsoever that they ever cared. read more

I love their grande chicken tostada more than anything else in the mortal realm. I slather the thing with red sauce and then devour it in under ten minutes. Not a pretty ambience, but the freshness of their tostadas is unbeatable. Thank you, Raul's. read more

This has become our go to spot in downtown Encinitas for Mexican food! The family love the taquitos and the carne asada burritos are done just right. read more

Just wanna say I love this place. It's fresh and it feels like real food. I've been coming here for years and yea sometimes it's a little inconsistent but overall I think they care about what they're making. I hope they have lots of success. I would love to see them expand. read more

Awesome spot. I got a cali burrito. The beef was very well seasoned and overall the burrito is solid. The red sauce is really tomatoy which I don't personally like, but the green sauce was really good. The price and quality the food was excellent. I recommend this spot for you if youre craving mexican food and are not looking to spend too much. read more

Raul's Shack - Fast Food Near Me - Encinitas, California

Rauls was never on my radar due to Alibertos being next door. Well Alibertos jumped the shark and now sucks so I dropped by Rauls for a carne asada burrito one day and I was pleasantly surprised. You know how they say you are the company you keep? Well it's close proximity to Alibertos could be a mark against them. But don't let it be so. Food is definitely fresher and tastier. A nice beach community taco shop that I will definitely be frequenting. read more