Came for tacos, left questioning every taco decision I've ever made in my life. The food was GOOD good. The taquero convinced me to get one extra asada taco, and unfortunately for my self-control, the man was absolutely right. That taco had no business being that delicious. The asada was , the tortillas were on point, and everything just tasted fresh and legit. I've had tacos from that other very famous taco spot ... and let's just say TJ Tacos had me wondering why I've been wasting my time standing in those other lines. TJ Tacos: 10/10. Taquero: 11/10 salesmanship. My stomach: 12/10 satisfied. My wallet: mildly offended by the extra taco, but understands. Would absolutely come back. read more

TJ Tacos was a disappointing experience. We ordered 12 tacos, and the total came out to almost $59, which felt very expensive for what we received. The tacos had very little meat, and the portions were not satisfying. To make matters worse, our order only came with four hot sauces. When we politely asked for more hot sauce and extra napkins, the staff refused. We were also told that only one napkin was allowed per plate, which was surprising. Even other taco places, like Frida's, are much more accommodating. Overall, the food did not justify the price, and the customer service left a lot to be desired. Unfortunately, this was an unpleasant visit, and I won't be returning. I'll definitely be taking my business somewhere else in the future. read more

my search for the best taco spot in sd is finally over. im a big tacos el g hater and tj tacos blew them out of the park. tacos el g used to be good, don't get me wrong. but the quality went down, salsa tastes like water, meat is tough, dry, and chewy, and expensive. tj tacos did everything right. tacos were huge and full of meat. 10/10 no notes. we ordered adobada, carne asada, lengua, tripas, and cabeza tacos. everything was insane. adobada was juicy, flavorful, and addicting. my brother looooved their carne asada and he's picky with his tacos too! the smokiness and char from the grill gave it the absolute best flavor. it was also super tender and juicy. my lengua and cabeza were just perfect. cabeza wasn't too fatty like some places. i enjoyed how carne asada was paired with a fresh flour tortilla while the others came with corn. they had the best tortillas! i'm just a girl who loves salsa and i need them spicy. that's where a lot of tacos spots here fall short. their salsas, especially verde, were spicy and soooo good. i was so impressed! lots of seating inside and outside. you order first and pay after. don't forget to ask for grilled onions, jalapeños, and extra salsa. can't wait to come back for drive thru! read more

TJ Tacos - adobada, carne asada, lengua, cabeza tacos - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Delicioso I don't usually eat taco with corn tortilla. I just eat the Carne Asada. For the first time, I ate it with the corn tortilla and everything was delicious and delicious. read more

TJ Tacos - Asada Taco - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Amazing tacos! IMO better than tacos el gordo in terms of how juicy the meats are here! Service and price are very comparable to other spots. Interior is very simple and service is fast! Highly recommend if you're in Escondido read more

TJ Tacos - Adobada Taco & carne Asada Taco - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

The park ones were so good. Spicy and flavorful. I would skip the carne asada next time.

One of the best burritos and tacos in Cali and top pick for SD! This spot is well worth the drive!

I came here over a decade ago, remembering how good it was, but forgetting to write a review. Plus there are hundreds of Mexican joints all over Escondido. But only a few that specializes in making fresh tortillas and adobada tacos. Here's what I loved: ~ Parking / Dining / Service ~ Nothing special about parking, other than it can get packed here with only one row to park along. Otherwise, it's street parking, or just opt for take-out. Dining in seemed clean, as I didn't see a dirty table. Looks well maintained, I'd say. Service was decent, no issues. Fairly easy to manage as you go from station to station to order. Meaning, you order a burrito on one side, speciality tacos and quesadillas in the middle, and adoboda tacos near the entrance. Different from your standard ordering style, but arranged well. ~ Tacos & Burritos ~ What I ordered: - Taco de Adoboda ($3.99) sliced straight from the skewer onto a freshly flattened corn tortillas, mmm mmm mmm!!! Definitely al pastor street worthy in flavor! - Taco de Chorizo ($3.99) aww man, so good! Marinated and seasoned well, but wasn't my favorite of all, because that goes to the... - Lengua Taco ($5.15) and just seeing the tongue getting pulled out of the pot and onto the cutting board was tongue dropping in itself, literally! But the first bite was just soft and beefiness that I enjoyed tasting! - Burrito de Carne Asada ($15.99) was OK. The carne cuts weren't as big or flavorful as I had wanted. Or maybe I was just overwhelmed with how good the tacos were. A solid burrito in size, but I had to keep adding sauce to give it a kick. Their salsa roja and salsa verde were excellent too btw! Overall, I was debating between a 5 or 4-stars, and it pains me to give it a 4, but I do consider this taqueria a solid 4.5 kind of place! The tacos meats and tortillas are legit! If anything, as I'll be honest, I don't like paying extra for salsa, but I get it in these rough times. I mean, there's good reasons as to why these guys have been open for so long all these years. And that, I'll give them credit for. Highly recommended to try, as I shall be back again soon some day! read more

See all

TJ Tacos My family and I absolutely love this place! We don't live nearby, but whenever we're in the area, we always make a point to stop by. Our favorite tacos are the pork, beef, tripe, and beef tongue. The meat is always fresh, hot, juicy, and full of flavor--never dry. Every time we come here, the tacos taste amazing and consistent. The restaurant is clean, and the staff are very friendly and welcoming. They work with such a cheerful attitude that it makes the whole place feel comfortable and relaxed. Even though we're not very good at speaking Spanish, we never feel awkward or nervous ordering here. The only small downside is the parking lot. It's a bit small, so it can be hard to find a parking when it gets busy. Overall, it's definitely one of our favorite taco spots, and we're always happy to come back whenever we're nearby. Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 read more

See all

This place reminds me of Tacos El Gordo but the lines are significantly shorter! The meat selections are essentially the same and the tacos here are DELICIOUS! The ambiance is very lively and the place is busy. But since it is a smaller establishment, I can actually talk to and hear the workers when I'm placing my order lol Their asada and al pastor are wonderful. Perfectly cooked. Tender, lightly salted and savory. We also got their tripa and lengua. Both are wonderful as well if you're into those types of protein options. Another thing that I liked about this place is their drink options. Just like Tacos El Gordo, they also have a fountain for Bang! You can get Orange Bang here!! My meal was complete when I saw it lol Highly highly recommend this place!! I'm planning on coming back the next time I'm visiting Escondido. read more

TJ Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Did the drive through order. The menu looked a bit confusing but ended up getting the asada California. It had so much steak in it! It was good but I would rate it 3/5 it just wasn't salty enough for my tasting. read more

TJ Tacos - Asada California Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

If you love Tacos El Gordo but can't drive all the way South, this is the next best thing! I LOVE their Al Pastor tacos. Always ask for pineapple on the side! Service is quick and food is amazing. They have a drive through line as well for quick pick up. read more

Maybe it's just us, but we found the beef a bit bland. I say this because there's so much positive reviews and the place had people in and out all the time. The drive through was constantly busy, but for some reason, it was a let down for us. We got the asada fries and while the actual fries were good, the beef seemed meh. We've had more flavorful marinated meat from some deli than this. But again, maybe it's just us, because this place clearly has a lot of fans. I do appreciate how fast and straightforward the whole process is. Interesting how others comment on the pricey tacos, cuz they're actually pretty cheap compared to San Diego city tacos. Perspective. Overall, I'm glad I got to try the spot for myself. read more

TJ Tacos - Carne asada fries. $17.99 - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Good burrito but PRICEY Food -California burrito ($16.99) - It tasted good 4/5, the ingredients were good quality but paying $18.47 (with tax included) for a burrito that's a 4/5 is pricey in IMO. -The tacos did look really good, I would come back to give them a try. Their tortillas are handmade. Service: no issues everyone was friendly. You order at the stations then pay at the cashier. They have a drive thru which is convenient! Ambiance: Gives off proper Mexico food vibes. Overall good spot but beware of the price point read more

See all

The tacos are Good overall. This plac is a little overhyped, but the asada and al pastor were flavorful. They have a drive-through with plenty of parking. read more

adobada, cabeza, tripa, buche, carne asada, lengua, suadero, and whatever else your little heart desires in a street-style taco or burrito as long as it's beef or pork. TJ TACOS in Escondido sets a high bar. the place is always busy. lines are organized in cues for maximum efficiency. these guys turn out huge volumes of food in a hurry. little disorienting at first, but if all else fails, follow directions. for this visit I had CABEZA (slow-braised and shredded cow face) and ADOBADA (grilled pork that's been marinaded in a red-chili adobo) tacos and both were perfect. open till 11 pm, Sunday through Thursday and till 12 am on weekends for when you get late-night cravings. great excuse to make every day of the week Taco Tuesday. read more

TJ Tacos - CABEZA (braised beef-head) taco -- can you ever get enough head? - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

See all

Hands down the best tacos I ever had in San Diego! Really authentic Mexican food and options that you don't find in other places, like beef head and tongue. My favorite is the Al Pastor tacos. You can choose corn or flour tortillas for the tacos and they come with condiments, such as salsas and radish. There is drive through as well which is great for when the place gets crowded. Limited parking is available on the side and the back of the restaurant. The interior is nothing fancy but trust me you want to try this place! read more

TJ Tacos - Asada Taco - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

See all

Kept hearing good reviews about this place and finally got to try them out. I got the asada and al pastor tacos. The tacos were good sized portions and the salsas were yummy. The green one had a good spice to it. My favorite was the green creamy sauce. It is extra for the sauce. Will definitely come back to try more tacos. The service was great and didn't have to wait in a long line. read more

See all

It's been a few years since our last visit and the adobada meat is still packed with flavor and tenderness! A must visit when we're in the area :) read more

TJ Tacos - Adobada tacos - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

First time here- the food was good. The all time favorite from what were ordered were the adobado and cabeza tacos. There is parking but limited. Downside is that sides are extra sides (had to pay for avacado). read more

TJ Tacos - Adobado, carne, tripas, and cabeza tacos. - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

This location can get quite busy but the staff seems to be ready to pivot and respond to the lines for each station. Parking is hit or miss, they do have drive thru and small parking lot, as well as variable street parking pending construction situation that day. Operationally, you get in line for the station with the meat you want. My favorites here are the al pastor and lengua. Generally, the taco style here seems to be on the wet and juicy side (they literally do a sauce pour over for the lengua taco), so be prepared for a slight mess when eating but it's worth it!! Needles to say, lengua is my favorite here - soft enough to feel like fat but still has enough hold to chew. Their tortillas are freshly made in house (you can see them making it behind the meat stations). The al pastor here, similar to the other tacos are on the juicer side, but also possibly the sweetest al pastor I'e had. I wish I got a slice of pineapple but it was still good. Overall, I would make the drive out from san diego proper to get these tacos! read more

See all

We stopped by TJ Tacos during our last trip to Escondido and were very happy with our choice. You basically walk up to the counter and order from 4-5 serving stations. For example, tacos, quesadillas, burritos, etc. After you receive your food, you checkout at the cashier. The service was very efficient and the food was very tasty. My boys each got two tacos and a quesadilla. My wife and I each ordered a carne asada burrito. My brother in law ordered the carne asada fries. The burritos and fries portions were large. The pricing was on the higher side. The decor was nothing fancy but very functional. There was also a condiments bar. read more

See all

If you wanna get ripped off, go here cause the food is to slimy. the burritos are gruel, literally the tacos are small, the price high I spent 44 for one Cali burrito and 5 tacos. I didn't even know how this place is in business the meat seemed as if it was boiled rather than cooked on a hot tray or grilled. The most I'm upset about is I tried to like the food and just couldn't pretend anymore half way I rather eat Arby's. Don't go here if you want to eat good. Nasties burrito I ate here Albertacos is better and I don't like their food. read more

TJ Tacos - Nah bro this was so slimey that is literally was slimey for the price - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

This is the legit taco destination. No frills but clean. You walk up, wait in line and order by what you want. ie carne asada and adobada on 1 side and cabeza and Lengua on the other side. Then after you get your food you walk to the cashier to pay. Everything is made fresh. I love the carne asada and adobada but my family loves the Lengua and cabeza. They load up the corn tortillas with the meats, onions, cilantro, and guacamole. It's so good! If you want authentic tacos come here! read more

See all

Very authentic and delicious street tacos! We have expected to come try this one for a long time because we saw some local food bloggers really recommend here. And it is very impressive and the meats are very tasty. The price is nice and service is good as well. Restaurant is clean and comfortable. read more

See all

If you're in Escondido or if you pass by Escondido on the way to SD or back, this is an absolute must try. The tacos and burritos are top tier and I personally think they have the best to offer. My husband and I shared 3 tacos and a burrito and we were impressed by how juicy the meat was on every item. From the asada to the lengua and pastor, we loved it all. There's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating at the restaurant and you order at different lines for the different meats. We can't wait to go back on our next drive down to SD! read more

TJ Tacos - Tacos and Asada Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

7.99 for the quesadilla in the picture is crazy. That's 7.99 each by the way. I posted two pictures so you can see how small they are. This is a complete rip off. Secondly the carne asada was so bland and poor quality in meat. Lastly the Adobado had no flavor and my trepas was burnt again. I waited years to come back here and sure enough the quality of food was still a problem. I spent $90 for my wife and I and 14 year old son, were completely disappointed especially driving all the way from Vista. read more

TJ Tacos - Flour tortilla quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

See all

Great food. You order first in line and then you go to the register and pay. I had the adobada fries and they came FULLY loaded. The meat was heaped on the fries and the sauces were amazing, such a great find! read more

Mulitas were SO GOOD, Tacos are great as well, Service was also good. These people give you a generous amount of meat in the tacos 5/5

Each counter serves different things. Ordered the Asada California burrito. The most meat I've ever seen in a burrito. Good flavor, everything was hot and fresh. Large size burrito too. The Adobada taco had excellent flavor. Good sized taco too. Inside was clean, workers were friendly, got my food fairly quickly. Seemed a little pricey. $17 for a burrito and $4 for a taco. read more

See all

Wowowoowoowowowow perfection! Best MULA I've ever had people aren't wrong saying this is the best. There's sauce, salsa, and ingredients were top notch. Had me licking my plate from how good it was. This place was packed! They have different lines for the meat you want. I highly recommend the Aobada that was the longest line. It goes by fast. I really appreciate how often the workers are cleaning. Inside is lively, fun, causal. Would come here again in a heart beat. Bathrooms were clean read more

I really do believe this place is comparable to TEG and it has way shorter lines and is much closer to me so I'm very happy about that! The winner for me were the Mulas de adobada which you can ask in flour tortillas. It was amazing, will definitely be back for that. I loved that they loaded the meat on everything, even the fries. The fries were honestly more meat than fries. Everything tasted great, there wasn't a long wait, and reasonably priced! Can't wait to come back read more

TJ Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

See all

One of our favorite taco shops in San Diego for legit street tacos. Honestly better than tacos el Gordo... it does get busy and sometimes there isn't enough indoor seating so dress warm as they have plenty of outdoor seating just no heaters. Lengua and adobada is our fave! read more

Loveee the tacos here. The asada was tender and had an incredible smoky taste. The adobada tacos were my fav. Service is quick, friendly and efficient. I would highly recommend! read more

My second visit to this place and it did not disappoint. The positives...tasty tacos, all you can drink "agua frescas" ( fresh waters=Tamarindo, Horchata & Jamaica) as well as the usual offerings of sodas, unlimited slices of fresh radishes which compliment the spicy tacos, comfy booths, clean restrooms and plenty of parking. What kept is from a 5-stars...guacamole is only standard on the carne asada tacos and theses only come with one tortilla...all the other tacos we ordered came with two tortillas which were great to split the meat into two tacos. They add oil and lightly fry the tortillas which makes the tacos "greasy" and add no enhancement to the tacos which are already nice and fatty . See pics for more info...Enjoy !!! read more

See all

Pretty solid tacos! Tortillas are freshly made in-house and they give very generous meat portions. They garnish with cilantro, onions, and salsa for you so you aren't able to do it yourself. However limes are self-service so you can help yourself. Each taco was $3.85 and they offer various cuts of beef (asada) and pork (adobado). There's a drive-thru and plenty of parking to enjoy inside. read more

TJ Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

My first time eating at any TJ. As soon as I saw adobado on the menu I knew this was legit as you mostly only see it available in Mexico. Service was quick and everyone was ready to help. I got the fries with adobada with everything which is cream and avocado sauce cheese and red salsa, the salsa was really good and the fries were also perfectly crispy. I thought the meat was a bit dry but good flavored I would def try again. read more

TJ Tacos - Adobada Fries - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

Love the lengua mules. That's about all I've tried. So tender and flavorful. How Mexicans prepare beef tongue transforms it into this delicious stuff. read more

Great service with a unique cafeteria/ chipotle esque experience where you pick up your items from chefs and then pay after getting your items. The tacos are excellent; highly recommend if you're in the area. read more

TJ Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Escondido, California

See all

We always try to stop by TJ's tacos on the way down to San Diego! Service is great and efficient. You simply stand in line under the specific meat line that you'd like and order. Its easy to divide and conquer if you have multiple people in your party. Definitely recommend the al pastor and cabeza! The toppings are simple but well done and the meat is the star of the show read more