For me, it is simple: love Bean and Cheese Burritos Sad: prices have gone up twice most recently- the amount of the bean and cheese incased has gone down considerably leaving more tortillas now. Very disappointing read more

Villarta Express is always busy with cars going through their 24/7 drive through. They also have a walk up window that's quite popular, especially in the summer, especially around bar time. The eat in area is adequate especially with their large outdoor dining space. A diverse menu of fair market price Mexican food is found at Villarta Express. They get you through the drive through with fast food type times, but serve sit-down prices. read more

The staff was very friendly and welcoming, and the service was quick. The food itself tasted great, and we enjoyed our meals while dining in. Unfortunately, after eating, both my wife and I became sick even though we ordered different items. Because of that, we're concerned there may have been an issue in food handling or preparation, though we can't say for certain what caused it. Given that experience, we won't be returning, but we do appreciate the courteous staff and the effort they put into the service. read more

Excellent place for late night tacos, always hits. The tacos are a little pricey but at least they're tasty and a good size. Carne asada nachos are good here, but i usually get rolled tacos and a fish taco. read more

Vallarta Express - Giant fish taco - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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This location is right by my job so I had to check them out. I got a Breakfast Burrito that comes with Eggs, Potatoes, Cheese, your choice of meat and Beans, but I asked for no beans. Beans are delicious, just not for me and my tummy. The Breakfast Burrito was super tasty. Each ingredient evenly throughout the burrito which was great. Their salsas come in packets that you have to tear open. I like it, first for me. Their salsas are tasty too, but the green one seems for flavorful to me. I enjoyed that one a lot on my Breakfast Burrito. Excuse my sloppy burrito photos, I didn't have a knife so I ripped it in half to show the deliciousness inside. I ordered through the drive thru so I didn't get the check out the place inside, but from my view it was a very kept up building. Workers come in and out which we they looked like they were cleaning. The cashier at the window was very nice which is always a plus. Next time, I'll have to go inside to check it out, but for now, they have delicious Breakfast Burritos! read more

Vallarta Express - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Asked if we could get Buffalo Chicken for our Chicken Caesar salad. We were told "yes", so we ordered two, along w/other items. Shame on us for not checking the receipt nor the food when we rec'd them. Crispy Chicken (dry) was what rung up and rec'd. No I am not driving back to correct order (long day). We didn't follow our rule #1 when ordering to-go: check food order BEFORE leaving premise read more

Vallarta Express - Chicken Caesar Salad - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

The service was good, but there was no beans in my breakfast burrito.It was too far to drive back thirty minutes for their mistake! read more

Vallarta Express - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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I've been here 3 times and food is legit good. I was surprised the ratings are not higher. Their burritos are big and filling and you get what you paid for. My wife loves their hard shell tacos, which are also filling. Service has been good and they have out door seating. They do have one television inside. I highly recommend this pllace read more

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First time here, did a take out order. $40 for 2 items of just okay food. I live 8 minutes from here and my burrito had a huge split down the middle. Had to eat it with a fork and knife. Other spots have a sturdier burrito wrap. The nachos fell soggy really fast as well, I was racing against time trying to eat them before they all turned back into corn tortilla flaps. For the price, and the amount of food you get, it was good but the chip and tortilla quality just aren't there for me. Meat was tender and flavorful, not full big strips like other Mexican spots, they were smaller and thinner than I'm used to. Giving 4 stars for cleanliness, taste, and service. Don't feel like they deserve a three star but I won't be going back read more

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Amazing salsa, great staff, fast service, and great breakfast burritos. Bonus: delicious free water (unlike Starbucks) read more

Vallarta Express - Water cup - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Filling and cheap, a great place to come when hungry or after a night of drinking out. My fiancé and I stopped by here for an early lunch. We ordered inside and got our food within 10 min. Most people drive through so we were the only ones inside. I got the shrimp burrito ($14) and my fiancé got the California burrito ($15). Shrimp burrito was packed with rice beans and shrimp, wasn't the best shrimp I've had but very generous, the red sauce is bomb. My finances burrito was stuffed with steak and fries, with plenty of guacamole. Overall solid Mexican eatery with dank Fud. Wish there was one in OC read more

Vallarta Express - Shrimp burrito - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

The food was pretty good. The folks that worked there are friendly. The restaurant was clean and well lit. I came here to bitch. So it's not against the food or the management, or the employees. It's about life. I went to HS in Carlsbad in the early 90s. This place was Alberto's. Then I came back and visited. It was Roberto's. Now I'm back and it's Vallarta express. Look at my pictures. When I was in HS in 1993, a carne asada burrito was $2.75. A bean and cheese burrito was $1.75 (when we were broke we would buy that and split it between three HS football players, it weighed 2.5lbs, we called it a "wet sock") These prices are insane. A carne asada burrito is now $13.90. A SINGLE TACO IS $7.00! It's the same fast food drive through! Compared to today: $2.75 in 1993 has the same buying power as approximately $6.17 today (late 2025) I realize that I moved to the free state of Florida. But dang. The cost differential for everything here is totally lopsided. read more

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I was starving, very hangry. Chicken and beef taco and the beef taco was so damn good. I couldn't even believe it. Definitely recommend and I will definitely be back next week. The lady at the counter was super sweet and I thanked the cooks before I left. Super clean inside too read more

Good food but make sure to ask for the price before paying because 1 taco cost about $8

Vallarta express is a regular stop on the way home from fishing trips out of San Diego. My go to is the carnitas burrito, but everything there that I've ordered is good. The orange hot sauce is habanero based, great taste but can be pretty hot. Use it sparingly until you have a sense of the heat. Order at the counter and pay the cashier. Your number is called when your food is ready. Tables out front when the weather is nice. read more

Vallarta Express has multiple locations across the San Diego area and like the other ones, this location in Carlsbad is also open 24/7. This location has both indoor and outdoor seating with a small parking lot and drive-through. Since I don't come here as much now, when I do I always get the same thing: christian fries ($18.25). Christian fries are basically carne asada fries with bacon and fried eggs on top. It has all the toppings: carne asada, cheese, guacamole, pico, sour cream, bacon, and eggs. On top of that, I'm obsessed with their red sauce and drench it on every bite. Their red sauce is slightly sweeter than red sauces at other places but it's seriously addicting. Prices have gone up over the years but that doesn't stop me from coming back again and again. Other people have their opinions on what their favorite carne asada fries spot is and this one is mine. read more

Vallarta Express - Christian fries ($18.25) - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Second time here. Went to Lego land and on the way home the kids requested we stop here again. We switched it up a little this time. Food was great! Big portions , definitely left us full and happy! Great drive thru service , casual ambiance. You can take it to go, or eat in. read more

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The food here is always amazing! The burritos are huge and absolutely delicious. On top of that, the service is quick and the restaurant is always clean. We will definitely be back! read more

Unfortunately, this place has really gone downhill. I used to love coming here, but today on the very first bite I found a hard, sharp object in my breakfast burrito. Luckily I didn't chip a tooth, let alone eat whatever that was, because I threw the rest out. After seeing other recent reviews mentioning plastic and foreign objects in their food, that seals the deal for me; won't be going here again. Hopefully this safety issue is addressed, because at these prices, there are much better options elsewhere. Super disappointing. read more

Vallarta Express - Not sure what this was in my breakfast burrito... very sharp and hard, bone like, though could have been a piece of plastic too. - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I've had my last Vallarta before midnight. Will only be coming here when it's the only place open. Vallarta has been a go to for many years, but the price matching is out of control. They are not good enough to raise their prices 5 times in 4 years. I get it, everyone needs to keep up today, but when a Vallarta burrito costs the same as a higher quality restaurant.... I'm out. It's been real, I'll see you at two am. read more

Great food great service. Perfect spot for after beach activities. Thank you for the experience!

I'm not trying to be mean here but Vallarta is not what a Taco shop in San Diego should taste like. We were recommended Vallarta by my nephew's fiancé and he is no longer allowed to marry her. The carne asada was bland and in desperate need of seasoning. The tacos dorado were in Taco Bell shells, and the quesataco is only offered in asada and the queso wasn't crispy. The prices are outrageously high. Now I will say that they are open 24 hours so if you're drunk at 3 in the morning it might hit right. read more

Price is affordable, but Personally this place is not for me!! Carne asada was too dry and after made my stomach hurt.

We had take-out from here with friends, which was my first time trying a Vallarta. Overall assessment was "will not return". I had a Carnitas Burrito that was dry...dry...dry. Ordering was easy, and getting the order was pretty quick. read more

The most authentic Mexican food in Carlsbad period. Yes, it's pricey cost more than casual fast food, but it's authentic flavor of Mexico. I read a comment suggesting Grubby's was better, do not fall for it, not even in the same league, that place is bleached washed garbage. read more

There has been way too many instances of getting drive thru only to find parts of my burrito aren't cooked when I get home, usually the cheese. I know it gets busy but you actually need to cook the food for all customers consistently. I'm done. read more

Great customer service & phenomenal looking plate very very great tasting Carnitas plate read more

Vallarta Express - Carnitas Plate - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

We stopped by the drive-thru on our way back to LA and I ordered one fish taco since I wasn't too hungry. The taco was a good size, perfect for a light meal. The line was busy but moved quickly. Great experience overall! read more

Vallarta Express - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

All day every day staple. Cant beat the value at this 24 hour spot. The best around, probably not. Convenient and consistent, absolutely.

I used to love this place. Used to be a go to for our easy to grab Mexican food, especially a on-the-go breakfast burrito. My issue is the quality seems to have gone down, more than is worth putting up with. But last week I gave them a last shot on a breakfast burrito. Pulled up and noticed their prices went up or at least on this item (12 bucks for a breakfast burrito & it's not like it's huge) however, I don't get meat in mine, & I used to get a buck or two knocked off the price, since it's less for them to make since there's no meat. But this time around, they refused, but didn't tell me u til I was already paying, not even a dollar cheaper. (So if you order it that way ask it for the meat in the side even if you just trash it.. they're charging you for it anyway). Anyway, unfortunately due to both the lower quality, and higher prices, that will be the last time I go. Which is a bummer it used to be a great easy grab and go. read more

They are over priced but they are in the Village of Carlsbad so what can you expect. They are our go to drive thru fast mexican food place. There are much better places around but not a drive thru........ read more

Ok, that's it. This was my favorite fast mexican food place for the past couple years, but I am done. Never again. I gave you chances multiple times and no more. The last time I grabbed a bean and cheese burrito and ended up finding some plastic and fibers in the burrito. I wonder how many pieces I consumed without even knowing because I just happened to spot these pieces when I randomly looked at my burrito after eating half of it. I have to search for the picture I took at that time. I forgave them after that. Today I waited 20 minutes in the drive thru. They were busy but that's too long. Then i ate 3 of my rolled tacos before finding hair at the bottom of one of my rolled tacos, mixed in with the guac and sour cream. Tired of it. This place sucks. read more

Vallarta Express - Hair in food - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

We've been here often. Never had this experience: used the drive thru to pick up up 3 orders of refried beans. Used a ccard, and later discovered they hand wrote $5 tip to the total. Sorry, enjoy your good fortune, never to see us again, cabrones read more

I would say this is seriously a required stop for me every time I go down to San Diego. Just their hours, their consistency, and their portions. The parking lot is relatively small, but it shouldn't be a problem since most people do drive-thru. It's right by the 5 so it's a perfect pit stop to or from SD. Ordering is a fast process, and they crank out the food pretty quickly. I ordered the usual - a Cali burrito and fries on the side. The fries are awesome, but best when you eat them right away, since they can get soggy in the box. They give a large portion, the same as they would with angel fries. They're super good with the salsas. I would say the burrito is always the star of the show. The size and filling is just amazing, with the right amount of carne asada and a good helping of fries. I always leave super happy and full. read more

Vallarta Express - Interior - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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This was the only late night spot in CB that you could grab a quick cheap bite at that was super fresh. As I'm writing this review a day afterwards to ensure there wasn't any issues involving the porcelain Gaaawd. Y'all know what I mean. All clear! Fresh mex food late night. Friendly service from the employee at the drive thru window. I had a tostada and rolled tacos the salsa was good as well. read more

If you're craving a California Burrito theirs is what you're thinking of. All of the contents you'd want are included when you order and they are all evenly distributed. read more

Carne asada burrito: Get This is a meaty boy and you'd have to be pretty hungry to finish it. It's not as saucy or cheesy (does it even have cheese?) as I would have liked but you can always fix that with salsa. For 12 dollars I'm not complaining. Fish burrito: Get! At 10 dollars it's so worth. It's a little less filling than the carne asada but only because meat is a little more hearty. Other than that it's the same thing and some could argue that their battered fish is even better. Fish taco: Also get! So juicy and saucy I loved it. I was wondering how a taco could be over 5 bucks but it's huge for a taco. Two would probably do the job and fill you up. Would definitely get it again Food: 7/10 Value: 7/10 read more

Vallarta Express - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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We came here on Sunday morning to get a quick bite before hitting the road back to LA and this place truly exceeded my expectations! My friends got breakfast burritos and carne asada fries- the fries are huge! I really enjoyed the California burrito with fries inside and the value you get here is real! I do wish the salsa could have been a bit more spicy though. I was only able to eat half. Everything tasted pretty authentic and it was super cheap too. They also have a drive thru. If you're looking to get a quick bite, I highly recommend this place! read more

Vallarta Express - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Good 'ol Vallarta Express . . . usually doesn't disappoint. lol My son loves their Christian Fries - man, that's a lot of food! Worth every penny ... I usually end up sharing it with him. Yummy! The burritos are huge, good enough for 2, so we're always full after. That's a plus with boys in the house! It's pretty quick as far as the drive-thru is concerned. But we always laugh at how many salsas/sauces they give (handfuls!) - even if we ask for only 1 or 2. Everyone's got their favorite Mexican dive, this isn't my ultimate favorite but a close 2nd or 3rd. read more

Food quality is low, prices are high. I stopped by on my way traveling home and I wasn't impressed at all.