I really wanted a burrito so swung by to give this shop a try. I was initially thinking of a breakfast burrito but after asking the cashier my suspicions were confirmed that they are significantly smaller than the regular burritos. I ordered a California burrito for $13.75. It was a little smaller than I would have liked but enough to satisfy me for lunch. Salsas are not self serve and are quite small. You get 3 max per burrito which was barely sufficient. There was plenty of seating inside. I wouldn't recommend using the bathroom. read more

Valerie's Taco Shop - Interior - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Don't know why this place only has a 3.3 rating, it's way better than that. trust me I first went here to try their beef tacos, and they were solid. Been going back for a while now. Then yesterday I wanted to try a burrito, and I got the SD burrito. When the guy handed me the bag, it felt like it weighed 10 lbs. It was easily the heaviest burrito I've had in recent memory. Then when I opened it up it was HUGE! Then tasted it and it was solid! Highly recommended, try the beef tacos and the SD burrito read more

Valerie's Taco Shop - SD Burrito - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Takeout Experience 1. The carne asada fries were delicious, but there multiple sauces were amazing! 2. The spot has fun casual vibes 3. There are indoor and outdoor seatings available! 4. The staff were timely with the order! 5. Parking lot is medium size! Note: I did see a restroom available for customers! Photo: Carne Asada Fries and Carne Asada Chips read more

Valerie's Taco Shop - Carne Asada Fries (TikTok: @justandyvu) - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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new to the carlsbad area and this place is EVERYTHING !!! from the customer service to thee food .. DONT WAKE ME UP IF IM DREAMING .... I will definitely return and i am very grateful for this location and their food.. DONT EVER STOP. THANK YOU GUYS read more

Valerie's Taco Shop - Carne Asada 6. Quesadilla... - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Friendly service- this place has a wide selection of traditional Mexican dishes to choose from, including some combination plates with rice and beans if you're hungry! Big burritos, tasty tacos and a good salsa bar (gotta love those carrots!) Salsa bar included regular salsa, along with a couple that are actually pretty hot! I was able to pay with credit card, and found it SO refreshing not to be asked to add a tip (at a taco shop) and was so appreciative that I left a couple bucks in cash :) ' Easy parking, clean tables and interior. Fun mix of music- not too loud. Good all the way around! read more

So glad to finally find this SOLID and super TASTY Taco Shop! Valerie's is located the little shopping and business center on El Camino alongside a Donut Shop, Banks, and a Chins Chinese. Oh, and it's next to a Domino's Pizza. The flavors here are spot ON! I loved their Cabeza Mini Tacos because they weren't super greasy or salty. Anything they make with Shrimp is excellent! Their Shrimp Plate was yummy, I loved that their Shrimp Salad had tortilla chip strips, and their Surf and Turf Fries were the bomb! The inside is really clean and the service was awesomely friendly! The only suggestion for improvement might be that they should be more available to telephone orders. Many people who work nearby, including myself, only get 30-45 minutes for lunch so it really helps to be able to phone in your order and have it ready when you arrive in order to save time. A couple of times when I tried calling to place a take out order in advance my calls went straight to voicemail. Still, it's not a deal breaker and this is now my go-to Taco Shop! YUM!!!! read more

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I just moved to the area, so I am trying all the taco joints I can find. Valerie's is a very good find! I got the Carne Asada burrito and it was delicious. The meat was still juicy the guac, generous and delicious and salsa, medium, and hot. Counter help was friendly and helpful. Try it out read more

Let's start with the positives: 1) I thought the size was perf, split. If I ate the whole thing it would have been perfect, not too big 2)tortilla-- warm and yummy. However too much tortilla in proportion to the innards. 3) Ratio of eggs to sausage to guac was excellent 4)DISTRIBUTION of ingredients was almost TOO good (as you can see from my ENTIRELY GREEN insides...) I would have appreciated less guac as it was too overpowering. 5) the SALSA! Creamy green was f*ing fire!!!! Definitely a saving grace for the lack of flavor The neggies: 1) wrap job-- pretty loose if you ask me. Part of it was wrapped up in the paper so that was silly 2)ingredients-- okay wtf. The base burrito only has eggs, meat and cheese...obvi did not get cheese because I'm lactose intolerant so hence the replacement with guac... but like where's the potatoes??? Or the beans??? Doesn't make sense. 3) flavor profile-- lacking in seasoning and tasted completely like guac...which still wasn't v good. Sausage was fine but it could have been crispy at least. Tasted like chopped up Jimmy dean.. 4) price-- for around 10$? Idk a base price but for what's in it? Wack. Overall a 2.5 out of 5... read more

Valerie's Taco Shop - Sausage Burrito with Guacamole and no cheese - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Ordered two carnitas tacos and a carne asada burrito. About 26 bucks. Tacos had two super thick corn tortillas for "each" taco. Didn't care for it. Carne Asada burrito had bits of fat/cartilage in it which was gross because I had to keep pulling this pieces out of my mouth before I could continue chewing. Glad I was by myself. I was going to only give it 1 star, but the place looked clean and the cashier was friendly and had a nice smile, so I'm bumping it up to 3 stars. read more

This is the closest taco shop to me. Despite being a taco shop lover, I've been less than a handful of times in over a decade, if that tells you anything. It's clean, the food is "decent enough", expect medium sized burritos, but what gets me is the whole "1 to 3" tiny cups of hot sauce per item that you have to ask for (no self-service or bottles) and don't think for a second they'll skip this rule! The red is the most basic reconstituted dried pepper hot sauce so why be so cheap!? I always run out even while being super sparing on my burrito. It's also worth mentioning the service has always been meh. Never once did it feel friendly or polite. Oh, and heads-up, the prices on Yelp are probably at least 6-7 years old from when burritos where half the price they are now. read more

Stopped in as we were craving Mexican food. The restaurant is clean and welcoming. Also the staff were friendly and helpful with recommendations. Lots of salsa options with descriptions on their heat levels, what a great idea! We had burritos, chimichangas, and rolled taquitos. Everything was delicious and satisfying. Definitely will be going again! read more

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Very bad food and bad service they are very rude with the customer I don't recommend it because my food was very cold and plus expensive

This is a little larger than your typical taco shop with some indoor and outdoor seating. It is clean and the prices have the La Costa adjustment you would expect. I will add details in the pictures but bottom line: if you are nearby and want taco shop food, then give it a try. However, this isn't the level of taco shop you would travel to visit. read more

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This review is for the location that just opened up on Tamarack. We ordered 2 combination plates and live 1/2 mile away, food was Not even warm. Didn't realize that this was a bring home and reheat place. They need larger take out containers so that the food is not piled on top of each other. Sorry to say, won't recommend nor return read more

Customer service is terrible. I ordered the menudo for the first time and they forgot to add the hominy. I called and asked and she said I can come back and get the hominy separately but I'd have to hurry because they close soon. Since I couldn't, I asked for a refund or a remake and she said no. After arguing about it she agreed to refund. I will return tomorrow for my refund. Hopefully without issue. **update: I was given a refund without trouble. read more

Valerie's Taco Shop - Menudo missing hominy - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Adobada Tacos are my go to all the time never fails they are delicious. Quick service as well .

Totally confused by the reviews?.?. This place is really good. Cali burritos are simple and on spot! Tacos tried 3 different types all good. You all need to give this place a shot! GOOD SHAT! read more

Stopped by last night for taco Tuesday. SERVICE - The restaurant was pretty empty when we came and no one was at the register but a few minutes later, a nice woman came out. She took our order and was very pleasant. FOOD California Burrito - This was a solid burrito. The meat was flavorful and the fries were crispy. I would have liked it more if it had sour cream in it but I saw that you could add sour cream after the fact. Carne Asada Tacos - My husband got several as they had a good taco Tuesday deal. They were decently sized with a good amount of meat in them. No complaints. There were no utensils or napkins readily available but if you asked the nice woman behind the counter, she happily gave them to you. Service was good and food was pretty solid. read more

My favorite Taco shop ever love the authentic of the food. We have eaten a lot of Tacos since we move here in 1985. I'm completely obsessed with the shrimp Diablo tacos read more

Very rude customer service no meat on the tacos for 15$ and would not add any more my family comes here every week we will no longer be coming here. read more

I ordered a carne asada burrito. The price was listed as $7.50, but the total came to over $9. When I questioned this, the man working there quite rudely said, "Do you want it or not?" and pointed to a letter stating they had to increase prices. There were plenty of other spots on the menu that had been taped over...they should do the same on the prices if they are going to change them randomly. The man before me ordered a burrito and paid the price that was on the menu (they handed me his receipt also). The medium red salsa was bleh and lacked any flavor or heat. The chunky tomato salsa was the best part of the meal. I will not be back. read more

Valerie's Taco Shop - Clearly states a price of $7.50. You can also see the tape. - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

5 stars: dulce de leche filled churros! 2 stars: beef Crispy tacos were underwhelming. There was a surprising lack of flavor. 5 stars: flautas! We've had mixed experiences with parking and wait times. It can be a really crowded parking lot. Net-net: this is a decent place, but it's not one I'd go out of my way for. read more

It's hard to find a good Mexican food place these days. With fresh ingredients, large portions, friendly staff, this place is definitely one of the best taco shops around. I highly recommend this place read more

Stopped in to try this place after it was recommended to me. First impression was very positive. Place is located in a little retail center, nothing fancy. When I walked in, there a family of four was inside eating, but that was it. Not crowded at all. The place was very clean and the lady that took my order was pleasant and friendly. The California burrito was good. Good mixture of meat, cheese, and french fries. I would go back. read more

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Great big tacos with homemade corn tortillas, love the carnitas! You won't find a better taco anywhere!

Well, meh... I come from this area, and my claim to fame for so cal Mexican food is the fact it isnt 9 bucks for a burrito like they have up north... portions were a good size, and food was fair... it was greasy the way I like it, but really no wow factor. I should have driven to encinitas for some better priced grub, with the same quality. 20 bucks for two entrees is just too much for what I got, and know to expect... As my usual fashion... lesser loved places get shorter reviews... I'd pass, unless you're close and hungry. read more

I actually enjoyed this place for the salsa bar!!! We ordered: Chips- they were freshly made a little greasy but good.. Rolled tacos that were average The star of the show was the salsa bar so so good!!! The spicy salsa had so much flavor. I would go back for the salsa bar. Give this place a go. It's worth a try. read more

I'm a vegetarian craving potato tacos called ahead and was told they made the best tacos in town and I've be satisfied. I rushed to get my tacos I got hardahell tacos made with small tortillas unfortunately there was hardly any potatoes in the taco I was disappointed since there was still oil on the tacos. Overall potato tacos are not good this was my first time and last time eating from this restaurant. read more

Valerie's Taco Shop - Potato taco not so much potatoe - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I am beyond shocked this place has been open as long as it has. Salsa is flavorless and the food is below mediocre. I wouldn't eat here if it was free. 3 stars for nice service from the employees read more

I was out and about running errands, and as lunchtime came and passed, my stomach gave me a gentle reminder (cough). I was headed home, and while Notorious Burger was on the way, I wanted something lighter (so clearly I was quite ill, as me turning down a bacon cheeseburger is just whack). I remembered seeing a sign saying "taco shop", so figured I go check it out. I walked in, and yep, a dive taco shop. This usually is a positive sign. Went and checked out a VERY complete menu, and ultimately decided on a carne asada and pollo asada soft taco with beans. Picked up a Diet Coke (yech, but the choices were limited), and sat down to watch a rare Saturday NFL game while I waited for my food. A few minutes later, the cook set it on the counter, and I picked it up and went over to the salsa bar. There was the usual array, but one was marked "very spicy". Now, here in the good ol' USofA, this usually means "be careful, this has black pepper in it", or some variant thereof. So, scoffing, I heaped it on both tacos, went back and sat down and took a bite. HOLY CRAP....this stuff packs some HEAT!! I instantly got a solid bead of sweat across the forehead, and my hair stood on end. This is AWESOME STUFF! And the two tacos were made the better for it, as good as they were to begin with. DEFINITELY will be going back to this place. Wish they had more drink options, but the food (at least the two that I tried) were divine, and the sauce is just simply awesome. read more

The lady that runs this place is very rude. Be careful they charge hidden fees. Food is average at best - go to another taco shop in the area. read more

Carne asada burrito was ok. Not a flavor explosion in my mouth like I'd prefer but, it was decent. Now, as far as the California burrito goes, just go somewhere else because if you order a California burrito when someone orders a San Diego burrito (that comes with shrimp) your end result will be a shrimp infused California burrito (ew) They really should pay attention to this because not everyone likes a shrimp tasting burrito. read more

The service and the ppl behind the counter are good. They were nice enough to let us change the channel to watch the baseball game. My partner order surf and turf nachos fully loaded and they looked really good. I think I should have gone with that option. My California burrito wasn't all that. I thought that it came with guac and sour cream but then realized that it said cheddar, guacamole, or sour cream. So if you want all three you have to tell them. That knock the flavor to the burrito down since with just the cheddar it wasn't all that. Next time I'll just go with the nachos or carne asada fries. read more

First of all, The Food: I think that the food is absolutely fantastic! The crunchy tacos, street tacos, and rolled tacos are some of the best I've had. Truthfully, you can't go wrong with the tacos. The enchiladas are also pretty decent. From what I have seen, the less flattering reviews on here are about the quesadillas and burritos. I will say that the quesadillas and burritos tend to be on the greasy side. So if you are looking for a quesadilla or burrito, then valerie's taco shop may not be the best place to go. On the other hand however, if you are looking for awesome tacos, there is no better place to go than Valerie's taco shop. Service: I think the service at valerie's is great. The chef in the back always says hi when I'm there and I haven't experienced a mix up on my orders in the numerous times I've gone. I can't guarantee anything, but in my experiences at Valerie's, the service has always been very solid. read more

$50 for 4 tacos on taco tuesday!? lady with heavy accent misunderstood my wife then would not do anything to make it right. why can other places refund or make order right but every taco shop cant!? Rude! read more

First time here and I hope I can change my review after trying a few more times. Did takeout since covid 19 and I was a little let down in flavor. I got the carne asada fries, chicken enchilada platter, and carnitas platter. Also got a churro and horchata. The fries had the most flavor but as you can see there was not much cheese, guac, or sour cream. Flavor was the best out of everything we ordered though. The enchiladas were not that powerful of flavor and I thought the homemade salsas would help enhance it but sadly none of the salsas had another pow! Everything lacked in seasoning like not enough salt for flavor. The carnitas was dry and lots of fat in it too. The serving was very little too i felt. The horchata was good and so was the churro. I am going to go a couple more times and try other things on the menu to see if maybe it was just a bad day but this at most was a 3 star for me. Hoping it just one bad day because I would love to come back more often since it is walkingCarnitas PlateShredded Chicken Enchiladas distance to me. read more

Valerie's Taco Shop - Carne asada fries, carnitas platter,chicken enchiladas platter, house made salsas, horchata, and a churro. - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Out with the old - in with the new. Valerie's recently opened here in what was the location of "another" taco shop. It's a small but decent improvement than what is was before. Food was good, made to order and came out quick. The location is clean and the service was friendly. Looking forward to grabbing food here again since it's close to home. read more

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I bought 3 borritos and a taco and when I asked how much it cost the guy in the back said in Spanish "does he fucking want it or not?!?!" right after I paid! The cashier Jennifer said no refunds right after I paid, thank God I speak Spanish so she said her manager is aracelli and never told me when she worked I tried calling multiple times to speak with her manager and Jenifer always answers and hangs up on me when I try to report her and the guy in the backs wrong doing. I'm going to report them to the BBB I cut into the borritos and it was 99% french fries btw for a California borritos NEVER COME HERE YOU WILL REGRET IT FOREVER THEY ALSO HEINOUSLY CHARGE 10$ and AN EXTRA 1$ FOR THIS DISSERVICE AND ABOMINATION read more

Valerie's Taco Shop - An absolute disgrace to call this a California borrito - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Nice people, delicious food, and fantastic hot sauce. If you like your hot sauce fiery, you gotta try the red extra spicy. It is very hot but also very flavorful. I enjoy the shrimp quesadillas, fish tacos, and veggie burritos. They also offer a potato breakfast burrito that is loaded with potatoes if you are into that. Only reason I did not provide 5 stars is bc the dining area lacks niceties and the furniture is pretty beat up. read more

This place is ok. My crispy potatoe tacos were to greasy, maybe not so much cheese would have been better. The Chile Relleno was very good, spicy, but good. No napkins , we had to ask, no ice, again we had to ask. The staff was very nice. Shrimp quesadilla was good, but ive never had rice in a quesadilla. It was loaded with rice and skimpy on shrimp. It would have been better minus the rice. Agua fresca was good. read more

Valerie's Taco Shop - Way to much rice in shrimp quesadilla - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California