Love that this location is open from 3am on Saturdays not that I was planning on staying up that late though but it's good to know if I had the midnight munchies for good tacos that I'd have a spot to go to. Got my food in about 10 minutes which is good because I was hungry. The chips and guacamole were really good. We really enjoyed them. I got a carne asada taco and a shrimp taco. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the shrimp taco more than the carne asada one and I'm usually a carne asada girl. I think it's because the habanero salsa wasn't as hot as I usually like it but it was good. I also got the avocado salsa which was good. We sat outside on the benches and watched people as they walked by on a Saturday night which was pretty entertaining. All in all, a nice spot and glad I stopped by. read more

TACO CENTRO - Salsa bar with my selection of 2 on the left. - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here around 9 PM on a Thursday. It was pretty busy, but there were still plenty of seats available, and the place was very clean. No wait at the counter either, which was a nice surprise given the crowd. We ordered a few things: *Carne Asada Tacos: honestly, these were a bit dry. The salsa bar helped a lot and added some much-needed flavor, but on their own they didn't really stand out. *Carne Asada Quesadilla: this was actually pretty good. Definitely heavy on the cheese, but once you dipped it in the salsa, it came together nicely. They also have a solid craft beer selection, although a few options were out when we went, and no IPAs available. I ended up going with a pale ale, which was decent. Overall, the service was great and the space is clean and well-kept, especially for being right in the heart of downtown. Food-wise, it's just kind of mid. Not bad, but not something I'd go out of my way for. read more

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Customer service zero !! No smiles always depressed cashiers who don't speak English from Mexico TJ. St Patrick's Day I got no customer service. The salsa bar was empty my favorite green St Patrick's Day. I asked for four 4 Salsas please. After waiting 10 minutes to refill the salsa bar the cashier told me no. No make your own at the salsa bar. The food is very good but the customer service is a zero. Never smiling never listening to the customers. The green Salsas were sitting there the whole time. Pre-made. I'm a local live in Gaslamp for 12 years. I might have to find a new Taco Shop. Cashiers are assholes. Mean Mexicans Latinas. There's over 10 taco shops Mexican restaurants and one block. Not easy to find a new spot who gives respect what customers want. Dos tortillas 4 for sauces. Do your research there's over 10 Taco Mexican spots in one block. Food GREAT. Customer service is zero. read more

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Good tacos, good service, reasonable price and good vibe. The place opens early and closes late so you can go there all day long.

I'm from Texas and wanted a breakfast taco but I guess that's not a thing in California. They did have breakfast burritos, but I still chose to get a bowl and I asked them to add some lettuce to make it healthy. It was very good seasoned very well. Place was clean and still pretty popular at 9 o'clock in the morning on a Sunday. service was fast. read more

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4-18-26 4pm... Walked in dancing to some good salsa dancing music and a welcome in can I help you...this place gives you a club vibe...I ordered 3 Al Pastor tacos to go...Quick Lil afternoon snack...I danced my way to the salsa bar after ordering...this place is always buzzn day or nite so grad a seat inside ot outside and enjoy...it's plenty staff on hand to handle any hunger rush...after a good song or two my number was called and I was handed my tacos with a luvly smile and a thank you for coming... read more

I visited here on Valentine's Day to get a quick bite. I reviewed the place and they said that the tacos were good so I decided to try as I was coming in a tour with pulling up so I quickly went inside to get my order in before the tour was entering the inside is pretty small so they have tables outside for you to be able to sit and enjoy your food. The service was quick as well. You serve yourself with the condiments and your drinks. They make the tacos in front of you, which was pretty cool to see. I got the Al Pastor,carne Asada, and chicken tacos. I wasn't really a big fan of the tacos. Maybe I didn't get the right ones lol. It seemed like they lacked flavor. Being from Texas I'm used to it being a little bit more flavorful, but overall it was a good experience. read more

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Always looking for new taco places to try whenever we're in SD. We arrived around 1130am on a Sunday and looked like we were one of the first ones there. Parking is pretty terrible if you're lucky enough to find street parking or you can park across the street but they charge a ridiculous amount minimum about of $50 we planned on eating there but decided to just take it to go. They have indoor and patio dinning. They had a self service ordering kiosk that we used to order our food. 11 tacos (asada, al pastor, birria, camaron, and Baja) 2 burritos (bacon, sausage and hashbrown and one Tierra). Pretty pricey and they charged 4% surcharge and 3% card fee. They have a self service salsa bar. The salsas were really good. I love the guac and salsa verde. The tacos were okay. Definitely had better in SD. The asada and el pastor was a bit dry. The birria meat was good. Glad to have tired but probably won't be back anytime soon. read more

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I stopped by here to satisfy a craving for some seafood tacos while visiting SD. The restaurant is clean and the menu is very large. The sale bar is also a nice option. There is plentiful outdoor seating which is fabulous since the weather here is so nice. I ordered the taco Cameron enchilado and the taco grilled pescado. The Cameron enchilado has melted cheese lining the tortilla which is insanely yummy. There is a good amount of shrimp inside and they are seasoned perfectly. The chipotle sauce is delicious. The taco grille pescado was also very yummy. The piece of fish wasn't that large but the flavor was quite good. Again the chipotle sauce is amazing. Prices are good! Tacos are small but high quality. Server was not that friendly but that's ok, the food was delicious. I will definitely come back! read more

TACO CENTRO - TACO CAMARÓN ENCHILADO (Spicy Shrimp) and TACO GRILLED PESCADO - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

I am a bit bias because I have had some of the best tacos / Mexican food in Denver. However Taco Centro did bring some flavor and a very well dressed taco to the argument. I loved the tacos Cameron the best, the carne asada also slapped. The pollo asado I could do without. Overall it's worth going back. Ask for Gabby when you go ! read more

TACO CENTRO - Carne asada Pollo asado Al pastor - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Taco Centro is located in Downtown San Diego. Address: 539 Island Ave, San Diego, CA 9210. Taco Centro is conveniently open on weekends up to 3am! Their blue and white backdrop creates a simple ambiance, with beer signage around the restaurant. It took so long to get my tacos. Longer than I expected. The restaurant wasn't even busy with customers, as it was past 11 p.m. on a Sunday night. The tacos are tasty, but with my order taking at least 30 minutes, I'm NOT planning to make a return visit. read more

I came here on a mission for churros only. The churros were tasty and didn't need the dulce de leche dip but it was still good with it. My preference would be for the churro to be more crunchy. It was $6 for 3 churros. read more

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This was a location on a food tour I was on. They had a wide range of different tacos as well as burritos, quesadillas, etc. They also had a salsa bar with a number of options. I sampled two tacos, the carne asada and grilled fish. The carne asada had guacamole present. There was a nice char on the meat, and it was tasty. The tortilla held up nicely too. The grilled fish was I believe mahi mahi. It was a large portion of fish and again, the tortilla held up. It was appetizing too. I also had some of their salsas on these tacos too. The avocado salsa was my favorite while the cilantro cream was spicier than I would have thought. The regular salsa had a nice kick to it as well. I would have all three again. Will I go back? Yup. read more

TACO CENTRO - Carne Asada Taco - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Yum yum yum! If you're looking for a taco spot the next time in SD, I'd highly recommend. Service was quick and received our food and drinks pretty quickly. We arrived at opening so the line wasn't too long. It is a very popular spot and seating is open, so first come first serve. We ordered micheladas, guac, and a variety of their tacos. Tacos are pretty good size and could've eat just 2 vs. 3 Their Fish tacos were FIRE. Wasn't that impressed with the nopales but the mushroom was good. Guac was tasty. Parking was nearby but expensive. Would visit again read more

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When in San Diego, you must and I mean you must get some tacos! To my luck, there was this taco place just a minute or two walk away from me. And the hours! Oh the hours open! Late night! THE BEST I decided to get a fountain drink with a regular steak taco and two quesabirria tacos. I cannot adequately describe how good this all was. My mouth my salivating smelling this and each bite sent me so many good feelings. The people who work there were super helpful. I was a confused lady for a bit but they helped me out a lot. Plentiful seating both inside and out! Bright lights and good music too! I can't wait to go back! 5/5 read more

In a sea of sit down restaurants and all you want is a quick bite for tacos, Taco Centro is your best option downtown! Essentially your elevated taco shop, the tacos are hearty and the prices are reasonable. I got the Mar y Tierra and carne asada tacos. They were juicy and flavorful. Their salsa bar has 5 different choices, sure to find something for everyone. Service is quick and there is an abundance of seating inside and out. They also have $5 beers during happy hour (until 6pm). What a steal! read more

TACO CENTRO - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food: 5/5 Drinks: 5/5 Portions: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Customer service: 5/5 Speed: 5/5 Price: $ Takeout: yes Outdoor seating: yes ADA access: yes Dogs: patio Kid Friendly: yes Vegetarian options: yes Ambiance: casual Pros: affordable prices, good food, friendly staff, STRONG drinks Cons: none! read more

TACO CENTRO - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Came across this by luck from Yelp. We wanted margaritas but instead got canned ones, so if youre looking for an actual bar, this place doesn't have one, though their Guava canned margarita is pretty good, not very strong though. Their tacos are pretty good but what impressed us was the birria tacos. They had a layer of melted cheese in it, the beef was flavorful and tender and the consume topped it off. Service was friendly and fast. You order your food first and find a place to sit, they bring your food to you. This is a more casual, fast taco place if you're looking for that. read more

This place is right next door to Club Nova. We got to the club early and decided to have a drink here. The food is good and the drinks are very strong. Fast service, their tacos were delicious also. Great place to eat a quick meal and have a drink. read more

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Worth a try but honestly about a 3.3. I didn't think there was great seasoning to the Asada, I didn't taste the smokiness . The Baja fish taco came with an extremely small strip of fish, but I thought it tasted well. Both of these two came at the bottom of all of their, relative, competition. Salsa bar was cool though . read more

TACO CENTRO - Carne asada; Baja fish taco - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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As a San Diego local there is an abundance of taco shops everywhere.... Literally everywhere! After a concert at Petco, we were on the hunt to get some grub and found this place with loud music, line out the door and tons of people chowing down on their food and knew this was going to be good. With the crowd size, we knew we were in for a wait, but we were ready for it. Food did not disappoint and was worth the wait. They have a good variety of tacos but we were in line long enough that we were ready to order as soon as we go to the cashier. Would definitely come back if we are in the area. read more

3.5 stars... We have been walking past this joint for months and realized we needed to give it a shot... I'm a creature of habit so the Cali Burrito was my choice... nice size, and stuffed with meat and fries... birria taco and fish tacos were both good. Ambiance is beachside boisterous, service was at the counter, and prices were above expectation, but it's in a touristy area. read more

TACO CENTRO - TACO BIRRIA - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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We decided to stop here after reading some pretty good reviews. Walking in there was no line at the time, but the woman working didn't greet us or anything. We hadn't been there, so we wanted to check out the menu for a minute. A few others came in, so we let them go first. As we were ready to order, the woman taking orders just appeared annoyed to be there. Her responses were one word, and she did not say thank you or anything. The food came out within a few minutes. They do have a great salsa bar, but I can't say we were impressed with our food. Their carne asada burrito was super greasy and had so much beans that it was impossible to pick up. It was falling apart everywhere. On the tacos we wanted to try different meats, so we got pastor and carnitas. None of the meats were very tender. Their house beer is a happy hour special, and it was decent. Their cocktails were canned, which is fine, bit a bit pricey. The place looks nice and has a good outdoor space, but we just have too many good taco spots for us to want to go back. I'm guessing they will survive on convention and Padres traffic, but it was not a favorite for me. read more

TACO CENTRO - BURRITO CARNE ASADA - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food was fresh and arrived quickly. Each item brought out as it was ready. I wanted more flavor and spicier sauces. Don't have experience to compare to other San Diego spots. It's good but I would try other options before visiting again. read more

Late night taco spot with banging salsas! Loud music and great energy for the tipsy crowd at night. Their Al Pastor is well-caramelized and great as a taco or burrito. The Baja Fish Taco was also nice and crispy. read more

TACO CENTRO - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Service is fast and friendly. Food you need to wait a little bit because its made to order. Ambiance is casual with outside seating. Family friendly. Toppings bar was impressive with like 8 salsas you can choose yourself. Most people ordered for to go. read more

TACO CENTRO - Baja taco - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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My partner came here before and loved it. So I tried it for the first time and the food was really good. Luckily we got there a little early because it got packed real quick. I got the carne asada and Pollo asada both were good, I liked carne a little more. The flavor was there. There is also a salsa, and topping bar where you get all your taco toppings. If you are looking for amazing tacos come here. They played great music and great vibes. Would recommend this place. read more

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Best place to get some good tacos Saturday night team is the best. The cook Juanita is the best and the server gabby is always welcoming you and making you feel like family,salsa bar is also the best. Give these people a raise ASAP!!! read more

Vibes were ok here. They have a small dining area inside and space outside to sit. The space outside is decent but cars pulling up while out there made us anxious since it's just too close for comfort. They do have happy hr (reason why we were drawn to the place) but only until 5pm and it's house beers only. The food was ok as we only had their fries and ceviche and decent in pricing for the area. The service was ok as well. read more

TACO CENTRO - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Taco Centro: where the music's so lively you forget you just came for lunch. I "accidentally" ordered tacos, a burrito, chips, guac, raided the salsa bar like a menace, and washed it down with horchata. Zero self-control, 10/10 would do it again. read more

TACO CENTRO - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Stopped in and was pretty underwhelmed by my experience. I ordered the 3 taco meal, which came with chips and a beer. I wish I'd realized you couldn't choose your beer--before I could even ask, the cashier handed me a cheap beer that tasted like water. I also got chips and guacamole, and the guac was made with visibly overripe, black avocados that tasted terrible. The tacos were ok, nothing to write home about. read more

I remember passing by Taco Centro the first night I was in the area and was intrigued by the lights, music, and crowd, but did not go in b/c we were in search of a bar. I noted to come back here before I left and I enjoyed my experience and food there. What I ordered: Carne Asada Taco El Pastor Taco Pollo Asado Taco Sonora Taco Second visit, same day (I had a flight to catch and planned to bring a burrito w/ me): Modelo (drank inside) Sonora Burrito While all of the things I ate were delish, my fave taco was the Sonora. There were so many items off the menu I wanted to try. I really liked the music that was playing along with the what they were playing on the TV inside. I was learning a lot from watching how things were made and I enjoyed the fresh openness of the establishment - seating inside or outside the windows near the bar seating open up and there is a parklet with a few picnic tables outside for larger groups to gather as well as some bar table seating outdoors. Help yourself to the beer if you happen to order one - they can be taken from the mini fridges below the cashier counter. Watch how your food is being made - there are clear windows where we can see into the kitchen. Mini area where you can grab all the salsa, grilled / pickled veggies, radishes, jalapeños, limes, hot sauces, self-serve soda and juice machines, too. Don't forget to buss your own table! There are trash cans and areas to drop off plates inside by the front door. I thought the staff I encountered were nice. I had a fun solo time here and would come back. Love the energy of the music and the yummy food!! Again, so much I want to try still! read more

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Really good surf and turf nachos. Also, they serve a really good shrimp burrito. The portions are pretty good and well seasoned.

Great tacos!! They're so flavorful and taste authentic! The staff is nice and works quickly and you can even watch them cook through the open kitchen. There's a good amount of seating and is great for a quick lunch read more

Hands down, the absolute BEST taco spot in Gaslamp, likely the best - definitely my favorite - in SD County (granted, my experience is along the coast and Vista/Escondido for the most part). The salsa selections are phenomenal, flavorful, and they taste truly fresh. The best of the best (again, in my opinion): Blue Azul, grilled Pescado, Birria, and Carne Asada. Any of those with a splash of green salsa are rock-solid and massive flavors while still having a depth of delicious that's hard to find elsewhere! And this was based primarily on a visit after 10pm on Super Bowl Sunday when so much was closing in Gaslamp. But I will say my other visits have been as tasty too... Sorry, got lazy and copied my Google review - doesn't make any less true - just wanted to let people know I'm a real person with real taste buds!! read more

Honestly, Taco Centro is way overpriced for what you get. The tacos are fine, not terrible, not amazing, but the pricing is straight up Gaslamp tax with nothing to justify it. Portions felt small for the cost, and once you add a couple tacos + a drink, you're suddenly paying "sit-down restaurant" money for a quick counter-service meal. Flavor-wise it didn't blow me away, and the whole experience felt more like convenience than quality. If you're hungry and it's right there, sure, but if you're looking for value or anything memorable, this isn't it. Rating: (2/5) Bottom line: Average tacos, ridiculous prices. read more

This is such a fun and lovely place to get something quick and authentic. I got a grilled mushroom taco along with a El pastor taco, pretty much devoured it. This is the place to go when you're at a busy conference at the local convention center. I'm thankful I gave it another try as the first time I ordered a birria Ramen, thinking that the Ramen was like dried Ramen taco shells so I was disappointed at the moment realizing this was actually a ramen soup with taco meat & season! Just glad I gave it another shot. read more

TACO CENTRO - TACO MUSHROOM (V) TACO AL PASTOR - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Food was amazing. Recommends to friends and family! The service was awesome they were very kind and consistent.

Came here around 2 am, and it was delicious. We ordered tacos de pastor, asada, and a mulita. It did take a while to come out, but it was well worth the wait. I would recommend trying the tacos de pastor you can't go wrong with them. Place was a cute vibe with inside and outside seating. read more

TACO CENTRO - TACO AL PASTOR y MULITA AL PASTOR - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

I recently had a really sour experience at this restaurant. Saturday night (4/25) I went to the restaurant to ask if I could use the restroom or if I had to make a purchase first which I was totally fine with but the cashier who was the only one at register at the time told me that it was fine and just to get in line to use it. I get in line and I'm waiting for a few minutes because someone in there takes a while. This other employee, a Latina with big blonde curly hair (yes I'm Latina myself), comes out from the back and joins the line. After waiting for a few more minutes that same employee proceeds to tell me "the bathroom is for customers only" and I tell her "oh the other employee said I could just get in line" just to explain myself and then she looks at me straight in my face and accused me of lying. Mind you this girl had just come from the back and wasn't there to hear my interaction with the cashier. I was honestly so shocked that I just replied with "I mean you can ask her, she'll tell you" and she immediately says "well I work here and I know the restroom is for customers only." At this point I'm not looking for any sort of altercation and just told her that she didn't have to be so rude and could've just led with that and that I'll leave. Imma be honest and say that I think she just needed to use the bathroom more than I did the way she was dancing around and arguing for it. I was more than willing to make a purchase just like I had asked in the beginning so I was disappointed with the recent interaction especially since I had been a repeat costumer. I guess I'll still be coming by just with less nicer friends lol! read more