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The Taco Stand

4.3 (1.8k reviews)
Closed • 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 3 months ago

Order The Taco Stand Takeout or Delivery

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THE TACO STAND ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Dogs allowed
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - The Taco Stand

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Reviews With Photos

Mariness D.

Every time I pass by this place, there's always a line. It's a pretty small and quaint restaurant and they sometimes have a few tables outside on the sidewalk. Today we came for their breakfast burrito, and though the line was pretty long plus roughly a 20 minute wait after you order, it was worth it. We ended up getting the Ranchero breakfast burrito and their infamous California burrito. Similar to taco spots, they have a salsa bar. Our fave is their habanero and pico de gallo. I also like the ambience and decor of the place, with its barstools, bright writing on the walls and high ceilings, making it look like a legit taco stand inside. If you want to skip the wait, you can also order online and pick up for a "to go" order. Next time I'll be coming back to get their Carne Asada fries, which looked amazing.

Mai H.

Stopped by the other day and had the carne asada burrito and a couple of tacos. The carne asada burrito was pretty small for $10+, and I feel like the meat doesn't taste as good as it used to. Don't get me wrong - the food was still decent overall, but it didn't quite hit the same as previous visits. The sauce bar is still a hit, per usual! There's a good variety of sauces to choose from, and I love the extra toppings like pickled red onions, pico de gallo, carrots, and jalapeños. Such a great addition and a must for me! The sauce bar was also clean and well-maintained. It's still a solid option for Mexican food downtown, but it's missing that wow factor it used to have.

Chicken burrito
Jackie L.

We ordered a chicken burrito, the asada tacos, & Al pastor tacos. Asada was little dry but still flavorful. The Al pastor and that grilled chicken in the burrito... delicious. We are asada people so we were a little disappointed that it came out somewhat dry, but the other proteins made up for it. Still so flavorful and smokey. They finish on time when we picked up & took it to-go. Good spot if you're on the go!

Carne asada volcano taco - delicious
Kate F.

I love the Taco Stand. My favorite are their carne asada or al pastor tacos volcano style which comes with melted cheese, onion and a generous helping of guacamole. They have a salsa bar in the back This place gets busy so if possible order ahead with DoorDash Enough people grab and go that I always have seen seats available when I have come in

Shan S.

So many wonderful options of delicious tacos. I tried the battered fish, grilled shrimp, steak, mushroom tacos as well as the guacamole. The chips were fried very hard and the guacamole could use some additional seasoning so I didn't finish either of those. The mushroom taco was by far my least favorite but everything else was great! Not lots of space inside and very long line but well worth it. Fish taco 10/10 Shrimp taco 9/10 wasn't a fan of the cheese on it Steak taco 10/10 Mushroom taco 0/10

CALIFORNIA BURRITO
Alex B.

Cute and colorful interior with clean bathrooms! Their Kitchen space is open and you can see the chefs making the tortillas from scratch! The food was phenomenal! I got the California Burrito and it's definitely one of my favorite CA burritos I've tried, it was so flavorful and juicy. Their Chipotle and Cilantro salsa is GOATED! Would definitely come back and bring friends :)

CALIFORNIA BURRITO
Dylan B.

Took a recent day trip to San Diego and as a lover of Mexican food, I needed to confirm with my own taste buds that SD does have the best California Burrito considering they are the birthplace of my favorite style of burrito. It was a bit overwhelming trying to pinpoint one spot to get one since so many locals online named several different shops testifying they are the best. Luckily we were stopping by Balboa Park anyways and that whole area around it is basically the centerplace of all the burrito spots folks online were talking about. We just chose the Taco Stand since it was first one we were gonna pass by. There was a line out the door and every table was taken at the time but by the time we got in and put our order in, a family outside was already leaving so we got seated as we waited. We only ordered one burrito to share because we were planning to eat other stuff around SD and didn't want to pile it on. It did take a bit of time (around 20 minutes to get our one burrito), but we were able to get settled with all of our salsas and acoutrements at the salsa bar they had. The amarillo and verde salsas as well as the cilantro crema were insanely good and they also had pickled red onions and peppers/carrots which was also nice. The burrito: my goodness it was perfect. I honestly don't think I have ever had a California burrito that balances the meatiness of the carne asada, the creaminess from the guac and sauce, and the crispiness from the fries as well as this one. The fries here seem like they were double fried as well cause it boggles my mind the satisfying crunch that you get from it (part of which also comes from the fried cheese INSIDE the tortilla which is also amazing). It was stuffed to the brim with carne and although I will say I have had better asada, it was damn near A tier. Ultimately this has made me more excited to try other things on this menu and also the other California Burritos around SD next time I am around.

Shrimp and al pastor
Aleksandar K.

Great tacos; the shrimp one is a gem In a city where taco competition is fierce and I already had so many local favorites, I decide to give taco stand a try. Usually every spot has a signature taco, where for any given style there is usually a spot. I had my fish, carne asada, lengua, cabeza and shaders spots all lined up respectively it now I found the shrimp spot and they make a great al pastor as well. Shrimp is 5/5 Al pastor is a solid 4 Try this out and get your tier list running

California burrito is huge (and the best thing I've eating this year)
Mark S.

I was told "when in Cali, get a California burrito" and when I saw them here for under $11 I was all in. Verdict: It was so good I was eating it like a starving man rescued at sea - the steak was so uncharacteristicly tender (not chewy) and whatever they stuffed it with was insanely tasty. After all the euphoria I wanted to see where else they have locations, and was shocked to see there are many locations in Miami. Please come to Orlando?

POLLO ASADO BURRITO
Steve S.

It's really all about the service at the Taco Stand. The staff create the vibe and elevate the experience. There's always a line so don't plan on eating here if you're the impatient type. Generous portions.

Danielle V.

Great tacos! I loved the mahi mahi one. Lots of options and very authentic. They also have a salsa bar so you can go get whatever salsa you want. The tacos were also decent size for the price. They have some indoor and some outdoor seating. All the tacos we had were really great. The burrito looked good too!

Sharon B.

Fun little taco restaurant in the San Diego downtown area. There's free street parking right outside that we were lucky though to snag. It's a small restaurant but there's plenty of seating inside and out front. Giselle took our orders and was great at recommending their favorites to us. The tacos were large and prices were very reasonable. Ordered the carne asada and the camaron tacos this time. Orders are made to order. Delicious! We will be back when we're in the area again.

Secret Menu
Winston L.

The Taco Stand in La Jolla was one of the best taco experiences I've had in my life, so we had to check out this location in San Diego. This location does not disappoint. We went twice last week. Once on a Wednesday night as dinner for the kids. There was about a 15 minute wait as most ingredients are made to order - fresh corn tortillas and grilled meats. While we waited, we watched the chefs make our food. Upbeat music was playing and the employees were having fun. Kids had trouble finishing their tacos even after me taking my obligatory dad tax. Friday morning, we stopped in as they were opening. It took them a while to get started prepping meats, so unless your order was egg based, you'll have to wait a bit. We waited about 25 minutes being the first customer to get our order in. The food? You have to get their tacos. The fresh corn tortillas, large portions of taco filling, and the plethora of salsa options makes for a very memorable and customizable dining experience. I will usually get some combination of Baja (fried fish), Asada, Camaron, Pollo, and Al Pastor. I don't think you can go wrong with the tacos. They are on the bigger side, so I think most people would be happy with 2-3 for a meal. One item that I thought was just ok was the Pollo Ranchero Burrito. By going burrito instead of taco, you lose out on fresh corn tortillas and get a premade large wheat tortilla. The chicken is the same as the taco - well seasoned with really good char-grilled flavor. The other things were fine - rice, refried beans. I believe there is a convenience factor in just having everything in one wrap, but this burrito was a bit flimsy and a bit of a risk if you're eating it on the go. The TLDR version is come here, eat their tacos, be happy.

CAMARON TACO (left). SONORA TACO (right) CHIPS & GUACAMOLE (above)

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Reviews are largely positive. People praise the flavorful tacos and burritos, friendly and helpful staff, lively and colorful atmosphere, and the great salsa bar.

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10 days ago

Great experience at The Taco stand in Convoy. Great costumer service, fast and delicious tacos! Ordered carne assada and pastor! Thank you!

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10 hours ago

Val was amazing, i had the best meal of my life. I was in the company of greatness today

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The Taco Stand Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - The Taco Stand

Are there still gluten free options safe for celiac?

You should call them to confirm, but they should have quite a few gluten free options. Their standard taco is made with fresh corn tortillas made to order. However, the burritos looked like they were all made with a large pre-made wheat tortilla.

How many tacos per order?

You order the tacos individually. One per order

Do they have a Taco Tuesday deal?

They do not

Is there a long line?

There was nobody in line when we were there.

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La Puerta

4.2(4.8k reviews)
0.5 mi•Gaslamp
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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!!!

We had a great experience at La Puerta! The service was excellent, and the atmosphere had that…read moreperfect mix of chill and lively -- definitely a popular spot without feeling too hectic. They also had some really great vegetarian options. The tostadas, veggie tacos, and flautas were all awesome and full of flavor. The margaritas were reasonably strong, which was nice. And definitely save room for the churros -- they were so good! The only thing that wasn't quite our preference was the queso fundido. It was a little more solid than we like; we prefer ours to be extra melty and gooey. Otherwise, everything was fantastic. Great food, drinks, service, and vibes!

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Quixote - Chocolate cake

Quixote

4.0(739 reviews)
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The Positives: The food was excellent and we loved the…read moreatmosphere! The Negatives: It's pretty loud in the main dining area. If you prefer a quieter experience, I'd recommend requesting a table away from the main area. We called ahead of time and the host confirmed that we'd be seated in the "Hell" room, which is the quieter area of the restaurant. However when we arrived, we were told they couldn't accommodate our request because it was never guaranteed. If that was the case, why not set that expectation upfront? What We Ordered: Fondue -- 0/5: This was a major letdown. It turned into a congealed blob after just a few minutes, and I wasn't a fan of it being served with tortillas instead of chips. Fondue needs that crispy crunch to balance out the texture. Memelita -- 5/5: The best thing we ate! It was packed with rich, delicious flavors and was easily our favorite dish of the night. Beets -- 4/5: Very tasty and worth ordering since there's lots of fried items on the menu. Crab Corn Donut -- 3.5/5: The crab meat was delicious, but the donut itself was a little too dense for my liking.

To say this place is a vibe would be an understatement... it's such an immersive dining experience…read morethat once you enter the doors, you feel like you've been transported to another place in time. We attempted to make reservations but had trouble with OpenTable, so we opted to just go and tempt fate. The hostess suggested sitting at the bar because it would be a few hours wait if we made a reservation. Our group sat at the bar and the bartending staff was friendly and helpful in not only making recommendations for our food but for where we could go out after. Because the venue was very busy, I anticipated the food to take a while, but it came out incredibly fast which was much appreciated after a full day of sightseeing. I ordered the masa fried chicken tacos and a drink and it did not disappoint. Can't wait to return to this gem of a place the next time I'm in San Diego.

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Quixote - Dramatic dining space!

Dramatic dining space!

Quixote - Chamoyada dessert, the mango sorbet was the highlight!

Chamoyada dessert, the mango sorbet was the highlight!

Quixote - Sangre Santa. Taste like a sangria. It was delicious.

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Cocina de Barrio

Cocina de Barrio

4.5(1.2k reviews)
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Happy hour specials
Full bar

My sister recommend this location when a friend of mine and I were looking for a place to have…read morebrunch on a Saturday and I am so happy she did! We got there early and got a good spot in the Patio. The service was amazing Jose and Karen provided what felt like white glove service in a fun atmosphere. I saw Jose take a glass of Milk with a Paleta Payaso to a kid as a surprise and the look on the child's face was worth his efforts! Bottomless mimosas were good! We had the Mango Habanero Aguachiles and the Breakfast Tlayuda as well and both were superb. For me the Aguachiles needed a bit more spice so Karen recommended their matcha salsa and that went well with everything! Will definitely be coming back! Thank you all for a great experience!

This has been my friends' go to brunch spot for a while so I finally got a chance to check them…read moreout. We showed up on a Saturday with no reservation and the wait ended up being shorter than estimated which was nice. The place was clean inside and offered indoor and outdoor seating. All of our food had good servings, were tasty, and enough to share. The place is known for their bottomless mimosa deal, which all my friends participated in. One thing I will say is that there was a point where they didn't check in enough for refills but were still strict with the 90 min cut off. I will come back again and try different menu items and maybe participate in the bottomless mimosa deal.

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Cocina de Barrio
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California Burritos

California Burritos

4.3(1.4k reviews)
5.2 mi
•$$

This is my first time dining inside this California Burrito Restaurant…read more I was driving around in this area and I saw this California Burrito Restaurant and I wanted to give this place a try. I enjoy eating authentic Mexican cuisine. I parked my car in their parking lot then I walked inside their front door. I talked to the owner Caesar and asked him How long has he been in business at this Starling Drive location in San Diego, CA? Caesar said he's been operating his California Burrito Restaurant business for 20 years now. Caesar also said to me that he works with his wife and grown children at his Mexican restaurant every day. My order was placed by Caesar today for my lunch time meal at 12:30 PM. I ordered one Beans and Cheese Burrito. The price is $7.50. Then I had to pay a tip of 20 percent that came up to $1.25. The tax was $1.50. My total purchase today was $9.25. I had to wait at least 30 minutes later until my order number 109 was called to the front counter today. There was non stop walk in customers coming into this California Burrito Restaurant at the lunch hour between 12:30 AM to 2:30 PM today. Their majority of their customers were of Mexican descent and I saw only 3 Black People placing their orders with Caesar today. I was the only Asian person ordering from this California Burrito Restaurant this afternoon. I also noticed 2 Nurses picking up their orders today who work for Sharp Memorial Hospital today. This man and woman nurse were of Caucasian descent. It's interesting for me to get to know the population of people who are living nearby this Starling Drive location. Caesar called my order number 109 today. Then I was served a really HUGE Beans and Cheese Burrito. I also drank cold ice water today. It was a beautiful day today because the weather conditions were very cool and cloudy. I sat down at this window seat so I could see the outside. The Beans and Cheese Burrito was very tasty the beans were refried and thete was a very generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese. The Tortilla was heated up and slightly toasted. This Beans and Cheese Burrito was a HUGE Size. I wasn't sure that I had an appetite to finish eating this Beans and Cheese Burrito but the flavor was amazing! I kept taking small bites on this Beans and Cheese Burrito for my lunch time meal this afternoon. I also received excellent customer service from Caesar and the rest of his family I saw was working very hard in the back kitchen area preparing and making their very popular Carne Asada Burritos. I also saw Caesar and an older lady sweeping up the floor and also mopping up the floor inside their front entrance to their California Burrito Restaurant Caesar told me to come in again soon to try their Steak Carne Asada Burrito. This item is the most popular food in their California Burrito Menu. I told Cesar the owner 3 I will dine inside his restaurant again soon. I love Carne Asada Burritos.

When i saw that there was an actually spot called California Burrito, you bet that I had to try a…read moreCalifornia burrito at California burrito lol Got the California burrito, carne asada taco, chicken taco and menudo. Portions were massive but unfortunately there was not much flavor, and im not too keen on hot salsa since i cannot handle spicy. It was ok but unsure if this would be a go to spot. The staff here are friendly and at the time i came, a Wednesday night around 5pm, there was a steady stream of people ordering to go and also eating there The place itself isnt that big. Theres counter space with about 5 stools inside and 4 tables outside. This is more of a take out spot. Parking may be limited depending on the time of day/night you go.

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The Taco Stand - mexican - Updated November 2026

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