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The Taco Stand serves incredible tacos just up the street from the beach, and that perfectly captures what makes SoCal such an amazing place to live. We tried almost every taco and the standouts were the Baja and Sonora. The fish in the Baja was perfectly fried. It tasted so fresh and airy. The steak in the Sonora was fatty deliciousness and the melted cheese brought things to another level. We waited in line for 30 min and close to another 10 min for our food to come out. The long wait made our expectations even higher than they already were, but the food still managed to impress us. I highly recommend The Taco Stand! Can't wait to come back!
As my first visit to SD in a long, long time, I felt it was necessary to visit one of the most iconic stops in the city! We have The Taco Stand in Las Vegas, but there is truly something special about getting delicious tacos by the water. The wait could get very tedious. The line wraps around the building into the parking lot with cars pulling in & out. You also wait a bit for your food. Compared to the location here in Vegas where I could be in and out in 5 minutes, spending nearly an hour standing around is less than ideal on a trip :/ But....... the food is unfortunately very very delicious. AND THE CHURROS! so yummy and sweet. My favorite is the Baja Taco. An absolute gem.
3.5 The small restaurant had a long line that moved quickly. Even the wait for the food after ordering was not long. I had the mushroom/vegan taco. The tortilla was great. The mushrooms were sautéed with garlic and were flavorful. What was missing was the spices and freshness of a sea side taco stand. There was a bit of cilantro and a dollop of avocado - but no salsa nor chili powder. I didn't mind the messiness of the presentation. Overall a solid taco choice.
I'll start out by saying the line is always long at this place... but I can confirm.. that it is SO worth the wait. Once you order your food you don't wait more than 10-12 minutes, even with how packed it is. Workers are friendly, seating area available inside and out, and the food it to die for. The pastor tacos were the winner for me and my boyfriend, with the carne asada being a CLOSE second. The juiciness and sauce on the pastor was crazy. The guac on the asada was also so delicious. All in all, PLEASE TRY IT!!
Decided to try the taco stand on a Saturday morning after a walk in downtown La Jolla. The spot can be a little walk from the downtown. The spot was busy in the morning so recommended getting there early. The service was speedy. My burrito was good though it could use a little more flavor. The salsa bar had plenty of salsa options depending on the spice palate. The prices are good for the portions. Overall a good experience!
the taco stand: they have a few locations down in oc and sd, but we went to the la jolla one. i rlly liked the tortillas and they pack her up!! it is like $4 for a taco but def worth it. meats were juicy and tender + they have a sauce bar in the back w unlimited sauce, pickled onions, and pico de gallo. i def wanna come back for their cali burrito bc ive seen so many videos abt it. warning tho, seating is limited inside and no bathrooms. service was efficient but come early bc lines can get long.
Tasty tasty tacos that took about an hour to get. Self serve salsa and toppings bar which is awesome, the different sauces all added something yummy. Had the fish and beef taco which were so much better than a few other places during my trip. My complaint mostly is the wait. I get it, we came on a Saturday but the line barely budged, although when you're inside you can see they're producing tacos and packing them really quickly so what it looks like is they're doing a lot of mobile orders in between standing customers which to me isn't great. Maybe turn off mobile ordering on busy days and treat the people waiting in line first?
Went on a Sunday around dinner time and this place was POPPING. We ordered online for pickup and still had to wait about 15 minutes when we got there, but honestly good thing we did because the line to order was literally out the door and down the block. The workers were BUSY. Not a ton of seating inside, but we just took our food to the beach and had a mini picnic, which made it way better anyway. They also have a self-serve sauce bar, which I always appreciate. We got carne asada tacos, al pastor tacos, and carne asada fries. The carne asada was solid. Good flavor, decent sized pieces, not dry or chewy, actually pretty tender. The al pastor was kinda underwhelming though. A little dry and just didn't hit the same (flavor-wise). Also not a huge fan of raw onions and they cut them pretty big, so it was a bit overpowering. The fries were really good texture wise, and the steak was just as good as the tacos. Only thing is the nacho sauce on top was a bit much for me. Made everything kinda soggy toward the end. One thing I will say, they are VERY generous with the guac, and it actually tasted really good too. But I still can't get over the price... ~$5 per taco is kinda crazy. I get that they load them up, but still.
This is hands-down the best tacos ever. They make their corn tortillas fresh in-house, the meats are deliciously grilled, and their unlimited salsa bar is filled with delicious pico de gallo, salsas, limes and pickled onions. Although it does take some time when it's busy to get your food, it is so so worth it. There is plenty of street parking a few blocks down by the neighborhoods. The service is fast and the atmosphere bustling. Only bad thing I can say is there is not bathroom. The tacos are the best I've ever had in the States though, so full of fillings and fresh! The steak and shrimp fries are also delicious and the burritos are highly recommended as well.
This was a taco stand alright because we spent most of our time standing and waiting. That being said, the food tasted so good that it was almost worth it. The parking lot is pretty tiny--especially considering how it's shared by several restaurants. We must have come at the right time though because one spot actually opened up right when we got there! The line never let up the entire time I was there even though it was already well past lunch time on a weekday when we arrived. I think we waited for about an hour before even taking our order. There was plenty of seating both inside and out, but there were just so many people that not everyone had a seat. Not only that, but many of the people who were sitting were still waiting for their food. After ordering, I think we waited another 30 minutes for the food to be done too. Luckily, some people left and we were able to take their seats before the food was done. The entire menu looked really interesting and yummy, so it was hard to make a decision. There was a small fridge by the doorway that was full of alcohol and soda in glass bottles. They even had churros being fried right next to the register! I ended up going with three soft tacos--baja, carne asada, and al pastor. Each taco was loaded with plenty of things already, but there was also a sizeable sauce/salsa/topping bar in the back to get even more! The tacos were all a pretty good size. They were packed with flavor and cooked perfectly. The fish in the baja taco was especially delicious. The fish was fried to perfection It's too bad that this place is so far away from where I live. If I lived nearby, then I would try to find the slow hours and then go all the time!
So the long lines and the social media definitely has a hand in the popularity of this place is it worth lining up for well I think that answer depends on the person but our experience is definitely one of the most tastiest that we have been to any Mexican restaurant somehow the meat is very very smoky flavor and one of the favorite items is the asada fries and definitely get the churro since you're standing in line for such a long time you might as well go all out limited seating area in the front outside in a few tables inside the salsa and sauce bar definitely gives a lot of variety and definitely you need to get that up there's always a line and very limited parking what better place to eat at
1 month ago
1 month ago
22 days ago
8 days ago
The Taco Stand serves incredible tacos just up the street from the beach, and that perfectly captures what makes SoCal such an amazing place to live. We tried almost every taco and the standouts were the Baja and Sonora. The fish in the Baja was perfectly fried. It tasted so fresh and airy. The steak in the Sonora was fatty deliciousness and the melted cheese brought things to another level. We waited in line for 30 min and close to another 10 min for our food to come out. The long wait made our expectations even higher than they already were, but the food still managed to impress us. I highly recommend The Taco Stand! Can't wait to come back! read more
As my first visit to SD in a long, long time, I felt it was necessary to visit one of the most iconic stops in the city! We have The Taco Stand in Las Vegas, but there is truly something special about getting delicious tacos by the water. The wait could get very tedious. The line wraps around the building into the parking lot with cars pulling in & out. You also wait a bit for your food. Compared to the location here in Vegas where I could be in and out in 5 minutes, spending nearly an hour standing around is less than ideal on a trip :/ But....... the food is unfortunately very very delicious. AND THE CHURROS! so yummy and sweet. My favorite is the Baja Taco. An absolute gem. read more
17 days ago
3.5 The small restaurant had a long line that moved quickly. Even the wait for the food after ordering was not long. I had the mushroom/vegan taco. The tortilla was great. The mushrooms were sautéed with garlic and were flavorful. What was missing was the spices and freshness of a sea side taco stand. There was a bit of cilantro and a dollop of avocado - but no salsa nor chili powder. I didn't mind the messiness of the presentation. Overall a solid taco choice. read more
I'll start out by saying the line is always long at this place... but I can confirm.. that it is SO worth the wait. Once you order your food you don't wait more than 10-12 minutes, even with how packed it is. Workers are friendly, seating area available inside and out, and the food it to die for. The pastor tacos were the winner for me and my boyfriend, with the carne asada being a CLOSE second. The juiciness and sauce on the pastor was crazy. The guac on the asada was also so delicious. All in all, PLEASE TRY IT!! read more
Decided to try the taco stand on a Saturday morning after a walk in downtown La Jolla. The spot can be a little walk from the downtown. The spot was busy in the morning so recommended getting there early. The service was speedy. My burrito was good though it could use a little more flavor. The salsa bar had plenty of salsa options depending on the spice palate. The prices are good for the portions. Overall a good experience! read more
3 days ago
Presentation was lovely! Shop was cute but small. Waited an hour in line to order then another 25 minutes to get our food. Meat was moist but too bland for my liking. read more
the taco stand: they have a few locations down in oc and sd, but we went to the la jolla one. i rlly liked the tortillas and they pack her up!! it is like $4 for a taco but def worth it. meats were juicy and tender + they have a sauce bar in the back w unlimited sauce, pickled onions, and pico de gallo. i def wanna come back for their cali burrito bc ive seen so many videos abt it. warning tho, seating is limited inside and no bathrooms. service was efficient but come early bc lines can get long. read more
Tasty tasty tacos that took about an hour to get. Self serve salsa and toppings bar which is awesome, the different sauces all added something yummy. Had the fish and beef taco which were so much better than a few other places during my trip. My complaint mostly is the wait. I get it, we came on a Saturday but the line barely budged, although when you're inside you can see they're producing tacos and packing them really quickly so what it looks like is they're doing a lot of mobile orders in between standing customers which to me isn't great. Maybe turn off mobile ordering on busy days and treat the people waiting in line first? read more
Went on a Sunday around dinner time and this place was POPPING. We ordered online for pickup and still had to wait about 15 minutes when we got there, but honestly good thing we did because the line to order was literally out the door and down the block. The workers were BUSY. Not a ton of seating inside, but we just took our food to the beach and had a mini picnic, which made it way better anyway. They also have a self-serve sauce bar, which I always appreciate. We got carne asada tacos, al pastor tacos, and carne asada fries. The carne asada was solid. Good flavor, decent sized pieces, not dry or chewy, actually pretty tender. The al pastor was kinda underwhelming though. A little dry and just didn't hit the same (flavor-wise). Also not a huge fan of raw onions and they cut them pretty big, so it was a bit overpowering. The fries were really good texture wise, and the steak was just as good as the tacos. Only thing is the nacho sauce on top was a bit much for me. Made everything kinda soggy toward the end. One thing I will say, they are VERY generous with the guac, and it actually tasted really good too. But I still can't get over the price... ~$5 per taco is kinda crazy. I get that they load them up, but still. read more
5 days ago
Everything is prepared fresh and the service is fanatic. We love the carne asada fries (SC on the side). Get the churros! read more
1 month ago
This is hands-down the best tacos ever. They make their corn tortillas fresh in-house, the meats are deliciously grilled, and their unlimited salsa bar is filled with delicious pico de gallo, salsas, limes and pickled onions. Although it does take some time when it's busy to get your food, it is so so worth it. There is plenty of street parking a few blocks down by the neighborhoods. The service is fast and the atmosphere bustling. Only bad thing I can say is there is not bathroom. The tacos are the best I've ever had in the States though, so full of fillings and fresh! The steak and shrimp fries are also delicious and the burritos are highly recommended as well. read more
This was a taco stand alright because we spent most of our time standing and waiting. That being said, the food tasted so good that it was almost worth it. The parking lot is pretty tiny--especially considering how it's shared by several restaurants. We must have come at the right time though because one spot actually opened up right when we got there! The line never let up the entire time I was there even though it was already well past lunch time on a weekday when we arrived. I think we waited for about an hour before even taking our order. There was plenty of seating both inside and out, but there were just so many people that not everyone had a seat. Not only that, but many of the people who were sitting were still waiting for their food. After ordering, I think we waited another 30 minutes for the food to be done too. Luckily, some people left and we were able to take their seats before the food was done. The entire menu looked really interesting and yummy, so it was hard to make a decision. There was a small fridge by the doorway that was full of alcohol and soda in glass bottles. They even had churros being fried right next to the register! I ended up going with three soft tacos--baja, carne asada, and al pastor. Each taco was loaded with plenty of things already, but there was also a sizeable sauce/salsa/topping bar in the back to get even more! The tacos were all a pretty good size. They were packed with flavor and cooked perfectly. The fish in the baja taco was especially delicious. The fish was fried to perfection It's too bad that this place is so far away from where I live. If I lived nearby, then I would try to find the slow hours and then go all the time! read more
So the long lines and the social media definitely has a hand in the popularity of this place is it worth lining up for well I think that answer depends on the person but our experience is definitely one of the most tastiest that we have been to any Mexican restaurant somehow the meat is very very smoky flavor and one of the favorite items is the asada fries and definitely get the churro since you're standing in line for such a long time you might as well go all out limited seating area in the front outside in a few tables inside the salsa and sauce bar definitely gives a lot of variety and definitely you need to get that up there's always a line and very limited parking what better place to eat at read more
4 months ago
Ok, so... the wait on a Saturday is long. It doesn't get shorter in the afternoon or weird hours between lunch and dinner. Long. There's another wait for salsas and soda. Then, there's the wait for food. It's also long. Seating is sparse. Vegetarian review: mushroom taco was ok. Filled to the brim though, with mushrooms and topped with a fair amount of avocado. It just wasn't very flavorful. Chips and guac: chips were good. Guac was ok. Churros: these were good. You get 3 of them along with some condensed milk. Crispy outside, chewy inside, lots of cinnamon and sugar. Salsas were pretty good. Parking was not too bad. read more
12 days ago
Ivan was amazing!!!! The food 10/10 the carne asada volcano hats off to the chef. They had a salsa bar well stocked and clean. It had limes, pickled onions (immaculate), jalapenos and carrots (possibly pickled), salsa (like 4 kind ranging in spice levels), cilantro cream sauce and chipotle sauce. everything was fire!!!! when back in town they are a must have. small building and business was booming!!!!! street parking and some indoor and outdoor seating. they also had beer if you're a drinker. read more
The Taco Stand on Pearl St in La Jolla never fails to draw a crowd of people who are willing to wait a little for the tacos self included. This taco shop is between POP's Bagels, and Pizza on Pearl, which is next to a burger shop. It's a small restaurant with a few seating inside and out. Parking can be challenge. Overdue review because I Have been coming here for over 2 years and mostly for togo but sometimes when seating is available I may stay. My pup knows the aroma of tacos and she drags here for her carne asada meat taco. My favs are the Baja crispy Mahi Mahi fish or Grilled Mahi Mahi fish tacos, the mushroom with cheese and also the Nopales which is diced cactus...All are so good especially with added spicy hot sauce from the salsa bar. They have cerveza aka beer or Topo Chico the mexican sparkling H20, which I like. This taco stand is casual, not fancy and everyone knows it's among the best for tacos and other casual mexican foods( burritos, quesadillas, loaded fries, chips and salsa, elote(corn) and churros( a sweet cinnamon and sugar sprinkled longish skinny donut dessert you can eat most of the foods without utensils, it's finger foods and you can eat with your CLEAN hands. There are other locations throughout San Diego but this spot sure gets a lot of attention with the locals and visiting tourists. Remember this, It doesn't have to be Taco Tuesday to Go Get Tacos!! Recommend read more
This is the original location (circa 2013) for this ever-expanding local franchise that's now up to sixteen restaurants in four states (CA, TX, NV & FL)--with six more "coming soon" locations. The Good: * The menu is pretty straightforward and not overly complicated. * Handmade corn tortillas. 'Nuff said. * Great self-serve salsa bar in the back. *Bottled beers available *Service was fine. Nothing great, but nothing terrible. * Maybe the best carne asada I've ever had. Thick, tender, and plentiful--now this is what a $5 taco should look like! * Carissa thought their Al Pastor was phenomenal. She couldn't stop talking about it. *Maybe the best Carne Asada Fries I've ever had. I don't know how they kept the fries so crispy even with all the toppings on there, but they did. Marvelous. Simply marvelous. The Meh: * Small outdoor space, but it's available at least. *Free street parking only The Ugly: * Very cramped and tiny interior, especially if you're the size of a small village, like myself. Definitely bull in China shop vibes, as every slight turn I felt like I was going to run someone over or knock something over. *This place gets very busy, busy, busy and for good reason! Get here early. Conclusion: Some of the best Mexican food we've ever had, but we just wish it was a better environment to dine in at. read more
Wow just knew walking up this taco joint it was going to be amazing by the line of a dozen plus people waiting outside to order. In the pics you'll notice a small press they are loading fresh masa mash into and hand rolling out fresh tortillas to heat on the grill. We ordered cactus & Baja tacos both super yummy also got grilled shrimp & carne asada tacos. Skirt steak, shrimp and Baja great flavor n spices going on here folks! Cactus taco unique but worth tasting! Fresh salsa bar was on par, everything about this place was fantastic so get some for sure if your in La Jolla. Oh and don't forget they got churros yea buddy ya going to enjoy those too! Crispier than a new $1 bill. I'll be back as Arnold would say. Cheers! read more
Menu is on a corrugated aluminum and was kinda hard to read unless you're up close. Seemed like other people were having the same issue so IMO it slows the line done. Food is made to order so the wait can take a while as well, so just be ready to wait a bit, but that's enough of my logistical analysis of the cue. The tortillas are elite and the pollo asado tacos was solid but didn't blow my socks off. Now the Mar Y Tierra burrito, was def a banger. Beef was tender and the shrimp weren't over cooked, cabbage added a nice texture and the salsa paired well. The salsa bar had some variety but the pickled veggies were better than average to me. Place is not huge but does have outside seating. Parking can be a bit of a chore so stay diligent. 4/5, want to pull up again and get through the menu read more
Decent taco spot for the price. I think the carne asada could have had a stronger flavor to it and the meat was rather chewy. Tortilla was good but the cilantro salsa saved it all. Definitely could put that stuff on so much. Line and wait can get very long here. Street parking only which can suck depending when you go. Indoor and outdoor seating but can also be competitive depending when you go. read more
Second time trying this location. I came around lunch so it was busy so I expected the long wait. Note,if you come during lunch or on the weekend, there will likely be a lot of people and you will need to wait (1hr+). I enjoyed the food I had this time. Had an al pastor burrito. Great. No complaints. Their salsa options are great too. plenty there to choose which you prefer. Tacos - carne asada, fish, al pastor were all good too. read more
7 days ago
Good, but not as good as the tacos from Tacos El Gordo. - Baja Taco: Good, but the fish could've been crispier. Also would've liked more flavor. - Camaron Taco: My favorite of the bunch. The shrimps were plump, juicy, and flavorful. - Al Pastor: Super meaty which I liked, but could've been moister and warmer. Meat isn't crispy, so if you like your al pastor that way this might not be for you. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the tortilla texture which didn't seem fresh. Regardless of the critiques, I still generally enjoyed the tacos here. read more
3 months ago
We waited for over 30 mins order food, and it was totally worth it. The tortillas were made fresh. I enjoyed the carne asada burrito and Al pastor taco. We sat in front of the open kitchen and it was cool to see the guys hustling to make tortillas and cook the different kinds of meat. read more
18 days ago
Part 2 of San Diego's famous taco spots! A popular restaurant near the tourist area with a great atmosphere. There was a bit of a wait, but the food was absolutely delicious. The churros were amazing too! We got our order to go, so I can't really comment on the service. read more
24 days ago
We ran into this place and will come back again. The best salsa was the hottest one. Not even that hot, but flavor was good. read more
Out of the three Taco Stand locations I've been to, I've definitely visited this location the most. Although known for their tacos, the Taco Stand also has quesadillas, loaded fries, and delicious burritos. I haven't tried their loaded fries yet, but I have tried every taco, every breakfast burrito, some regular burritos, and a mushroom quesadilla. And I'll start with the mushrooms: what a flavorful and interesting choice for a vegetarian meat at a taco shop! I feel like I was thinking about how Mexican food doesn't really feature mushrooms a few years ago, but I either didn't realize or totally forgot about Taco Stand. I guess mushrooms provide the right texture for the way they season and cook meat here. I've also ordered a mushroom taco and a mushroom burrito before, and they're all good. My mom loves mushroom and she really enjoyed her mushroom burrito when I brought her here. For the tacos, I honestly think they're all good, but make sure you add cheese! They grill it so it sticks to the tortilla. My favorite taco is the sanora taco, which comes pre-loaded with toppings and salsa. If you like to add salsa yourself, they do have a pretty bangin' salsa bar, which provides salsa of every spicy level, pico de gallo, pickled veggies, and limes. My fiancé and I enjoy the cilantro crema the most, and we've tried them all except the "hottest" salsa (which comes pre-portioned). Their breakfast burritos are fiiiire, but I don't know if they offer them at other locations, or just this one. I know that you can't call in to place an order, and the online menu doesn't list breakfast burritos yet, so you have to just show up in the morning and hope for the best. They have some unique offerings for breakfast burritos that fall outside of the "eggs, potato, meat" format. Taco Stand is also home to my fiancé's favorite California burrito of-all-TIME! He exclusively comes here to get one, and I've tried it, and it's pretty dang good. The seasoned fries are what elevate it, methinks. As for ambiance, uhhh it's taco shop ambiance? This location has bar seating for the windows that meet in the corner of the shop (which is pretty cool for this location), and the other tables are for small parties (maybe one or two available for a group of 4). Their branding is "red accents" so you see this in the dining room as well. Anyhoo, if you come early enough on the weekends for the breakfast burritos, the line isn't too bad yet. I think once it reaches like 11am, you shouldn't expect to wait any less than 30 minutes for food if you order in-person. I've definitely seen the line go out and down the street many times while driving by. But it's a pretty well-oiled machine and the employees work hard and get through lots of orders every day. You won't be disappointed, either. read more
25 days ago
Visiting La Jolla for my birthday weekend, I was told The Taco Spot was a must-try lunch spot--popular and all over social media. When I arrived, there was a line out the door, which actually gave me plenty of time to look over the menu. They offer a great selection of meats. We sat at the bar, and it was such a treat watching the staff prepare everything. They press and cook fresh corn tortillas right in front of you. The staff member making them must have noticed us admiring them because he handed us two tortillas fresh off the griddle while we waited...such a nice touch! I ordered the steak burrito, which was delicious. It wasn't oversized, but it was the perfect amount for lunch. My friend had two tacos, and we shared chips and guacamole. We topped everything with their fresh salsas and pickled peppers from the salsa bar. The restaurant was small, busy, and filled with what looked like mostly locals, always a good sign. I'm really glad I got to try The Taco Spot, and I'd definitely come back next time I'm in town. read more
8 months ago
Get here early or you may find yourself waiting in a long ass line. Parking can be tricky so you may have to walk a bit. In a non-descript small strip mall, The Taco Stand does not have a ton of seating. Hence another reason to get here before the dinner crowd. Loved sitting at the counter and watching them make the tortillas and tacos. I should have gotten the fish and am kicking myself, daughter ordered it and it looked very tasty. Flaky fish fried up with a fresh slaw on top. I was feeling adventurous and got the mushroom taco accompanied with an al pastor taco. The latter turned out to be much better, in my opinion, with its tender meat and touch of pineapple. Next time I would get these to go and take these to the beach! read more
7 months ago
15/10 One of the Best Burritos I've Ever Had The Taco Stand at the La Jolla location is unreal. From the moment you walk in, you're watching them make fresh tortillas right in front of you, which already sets the tone. I ordered the California burrito, one pastor taco, one carne asada taco, and one chicken taco, and honestly, everything was amazing. I usually default to pastor, but at this location the steak completely stole the show. The carne asada was perfectly cooked, flavorful, and easily the highlight of the meal. The California burrito deserves special recognition. It's hands down one of the best burritos I've ever had. So good that I immediately ordered another one to go so I could have it again the next day. I also tried the churros, and you can tell they're fresh-made. Crispy on the outside, warm on the inside, and the perfect way to end the meal. The orange sauce at the salsa bar was absolutely out of this world and paired perfectly with the steak burrito. Everything around me looked amazing too, which just confirms that you really can't go wrong here. This spot instantly shot to the top of my list for Mexican food. It's so good it genuinely makes me consider moving to San Diego just to be closer to it. Absolute must-visit. read more
22 days ago
Be prepared for the long wait that will be quite annoying, but other than that this is the best taco I've had at sd, anyone who is not allergic to seafood have to get their shrimp taco!! Recommend coming before 11am to avoid long line read more
Stopped by The Taco Stand in La Jolla for a late lunch, and it was a good experience. I did not anticipate such a long line, but we waited about 40 minutes and then I opted to go ahead and place an online order. The restaurant itself is a bit small and a bit cramped. There's limited seating outside and inside, so finding a table may be a challenge. Luckily, we were able to find a table inside and sit down, and I requested to switch our to-go order to dine-in. Customer service was quite friendly and better than expected, especially since I had to go and interrupt them to check in on my order and then my additional order (I forgot to initially order drinks and churros). They have an area in the back (next to soda dispenser) to get salsas, limes, and etc., but there can be quite a line for that as well. So, it's important to be patient & prepared for possible crowds and very limited space. The pricing for most dishes seemed pretty fair and reasonable. We initially ordered 5 tacos, a side of chips and guac, and 1 order of carne asada fries & it was a little over $40. Now for the food, I opted to try the carne asada fries, which were pretty good, but seemed to lack toppings. The meat had a nice char and flavor, which made the dish. I really enjoyed the sonora taco, with steak along with the churros. Unfortunately, the food this time was not as enjoyable, as the last time I visited but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I will say the staff were trying to be diligent and polite with all customers, but there were a lot of orders and I imagine it was quite overwhelming. The Taco Stand is definitely a solid spot for lunch or dinner. I'm curious to also try their burritos & quesadillas in the future. The good thing is there's several locations in SoCal, including a few out of state. So, if La Jolla is out of the way, I'd recommend going to another Taco Stand location and trying out some of their tacos! read more
4 months ago
This is the first time for me to come to this location as I've only been to the convoy location. My favorite is the shrimp taco and the carne asada taco. These are good size tacos stuffed with meat, guac and sauce. They make everything fresh here. This location tastes very similar to the convoy location. One thing I've never ordered before was the carne asada fries. And it was very good here. The fries were on point! They were thicker type of fries and crispy on the outside while soft in the inside. The cubes of carne asada on top of the fries with all the cheese was delicious. Great to know the food here is consistent to their other locations. read more
If you are a tourist or a local; the taco stand is a must when in La Jolla. Don't be discouraged if you see a line outside the store.... there will be a line! The food taste amazing and it's super affordable. They have a small salsa bar in the corner with a variety of salsas. Make sure to leave some room for the most delicious churros. Seating is limited but they also have outside seating. read more
The Taco Stand was tasty and good but not quite worth the hype in my opinion. We were lucky enough to come when there was no line to order, and we got at least one of each taco except for the mushroom and Sonora. My favorites were the spicy shrimp, Baja battered fish, and carne asada, and the tacos tasted clean and not greasy. The meats were flavorful, and the fresh housemade corn tortillas were great. The grilled fish was a bit dry and overcooked. The self-service salsa bar was cramped and inefficient in the corner, but I liked the variety of salsas and pickled onions, jalapenos, and carrots. I wish they had more specialty cuts like cabeza or lengua, but I'm still glad I tried The Taco Stand! read more
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More info about The Taco Stand
621 Pearl St
La Jolla, CA 92037
La Jolla
Directions
(858) 551-6666
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https://www.letstaco.com/location/la-jolla
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Ask the Community - The Taco Stand
Are the carne asada fries gluten free?
NO. Fries have wheat in the ingredients and are in a shared fryer. They are very accommodating for other items and happy to answer any questions. Great spot.
What is the parking situation like?
Uh, there isn't one. Parking is super tight. Go a block away, and just park on the street somewhere. If you see a spot within 2 blocks, grab it. The lot next door is for Mitch's Surf Shop (which is a great local surf shop - must visit), so they're… Read more
Do they sell deep-fried tacos? -fried the corn taco shell
Just soft shell, but they do have deep fried house made churros and chips!
Where do you park?
There is a very small parking lot shared by other restaurants and shops. You're better off finding parking on the street. We parked around the corner in a neighborhood.
Is it cash only? and do they have an atm machine?
I'm pretty sure I paid by credit card.
Is there a long wait when pre-ordered online pickup?
No just tell the restaurant workers you're here for pick up and they should have it bagged and ready to go
Is your chipotle sauce and cilantro sauce dairy free?
Hello, Both sauces contain dairy. The chipotle sauce has mayonnaise and the cilantro sauce has… Read more
Do they have vegan options?
Very limited. Cactus Taco or Bean Burrito. Not a great place for a vegan.
Do you guys offer takeout?
They do take out, but keep in mind that they don't do phone/online orders on weekends because of how crowded it gets.
Gluten free items?
Hi Karen, Our tacos are gluten free, with the exception of the Baja and Sonora. Our quesadillas… Read more
Are there any recommend times to visit during the day that's the least busy?!?
I have been there once when visiting San Diego, the family and I got there around 6pm and sat down to eat around 7:15pm. A long wait, yes! But damn was it worth the wait. We cannot wait to stand in line for a long time to eat there again! 😉
Is it safe to eat here for someone with a peanut allergy?
Be sure to let them know beforehand, but I believe you should be ok. I’m almost positive nothing in the menu contains nuts.
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The Taco Stand - foodstands - Updated June 2026
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