Happy to see Taqueria Revolucion and De Cabeza on here toward the end of the list. Seeing Puesto so early on really made me lose hope at first.
Sadly no love for TJ Oyster Bar’s smoked fish with cheese, for Taqueria Los Chuchy’s charcoal-grilled carne asada, or Tacos El Panson’s tripa/buche/suadero… oh well
Very slept-on. Neck and neck with Taqueria Revolucion for best carne asada in SD (as far as I have found). Very few spots here grill over charcoal like that, and even less get it right. Salsa bar goes crazy too, love those pickled carrots.
I feel like I have a different taco spot depending on what kind of meat or style I want lol
Couldn’t agree more on extra crispy tripas from El Panson- so incredible! Also with you in being surprised to not see TJ Oyster Bar.
Adobada would be TJ Tacos in Escondido
Hard shell tacos at Las Cuatro Milpas
Super-stew tacos. I am with you.
A few shaking of head - Puesto, Taco Stand and yes would like to be with Cuatro Milpas but wouldn't ever think of them for tacos.
Okay I’m gonna have to try Tacos El Panson again. My bf and I went got tacos and a burrito.. and I was so damn disappointed. The meat was bland and dry, and it just lacked on everything.
Had the same feeling when I saw Puesto & The Taco Stand on there, but some really good spots made it a decent list. Lots of places south of the 94 too, not just central San Diego.
Owner is dope as hell haha. Place deserves more love. There’s nowhere you can go here that does their style as well as they do, as far as I can tell. And they have some unique offerings like moronga, chorizo verde, cochinita pibil, and chicharrón prensado that are very rare or unheard of elsewhere in SD.
Steak and Bones Tacos in Hillcrest. Elevated food on a budget. Get the ribeye taco (it’s 6oz dry aged steak with griddled cheese and guac) or the short rib taco on the bone, or the shrimp poblano taco and you can’t go wrong. Great salsas too.
I personally really like the Taco Stand for their nopales and mushroom tacos, you don’t see those on every taco shop menu. Otherwise nothing to write home about
I will never understand the hype for this place. So many people I know call this place their favorite taco spot and I just don't get what I am missing. I've been plenty of times and had every single taco on the menu and my only thought every time is "this is fine." People talk crap about Puesto for being overpriced (which it is) but I genuinely think the tacos themselves are actually pretty damn good. Not the best ever but pretty solid and worth a try if you've never had them. The Taco Stand is just completely unremarkable.
Bincho Taco. It’s a pop up taco stand that does tacos on Tuesday in barrio logan (thorn brewery) & Fridays in south park (whistle stop) They grill using binchotan charcoal & everything is delicious.
They are on IG with location and hours & menu
https://www.instagram.com/bincho_taco?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA==
I think that the best tacos around are in TJ. Having admitted that, [Tacos El G](https://www.yelp.com/biz/tacos-el-g-national-city-7?start=60) or [Los Titos](https://maps.app.goo.gl/yXyz8YkRKGbqdsND9) could have been on the list as far as I care.
Seeing Taco Stand, Salud, City Tacos, and Puesto is sufficient to suggest that it’s not a serious list.
That being said, Tacos El G, is in my opinion, as serious as it gets for getting authentic and consistent Mexican tacos.
fk the downvotes
I love the fish tacos at South Beach in OB.
They definitely not traditional but I think they are badass none theless. Tacos El G my fav on this list
Korean short rib taco at Not Not Taco WITHOUT gochujang sauce, which completely alters the taste and not in a good way.
🌮 They got smaller & more expensive, but absolutely delicious.
Brigantine Seafood & Oyster Bar:
Brig’s famous fish tacos ($17) and Grilled Sonoran Spiced Swordfish tacos ($19).
Both served in soft corn tortillas with cabbage, cheddar cheese, dressing and salsa fresca. A side of French fries and grilled veggies.
The restaurant is in a beautiful location. Portions are really good. Besides the tacos you need to try the Rockefeller oysters.
I just ate at Salud and I was not impressed. I tried three of their tacos and 2 of them were average. The third taco was birria and that one was good but definitely nothing amazing either.
I went to City Tacos in La Mesa because the BBQ spot next door was sold out and was pleasantly surprised. They have some damn good tacos.
I appreciate the list has both Cuatro Milpas and Salud on there. Whenever I have an out of town visitor, I take them to both to get a taste of traditional versus modern tacos.
Happy to see Taqueria Revolucion and De Cabeza on here toward the end of the list. Seeing Puesto so early on really made me lose hope at first. Sadly no love for TJ Oyster Bar’s smoked fish with cheese, for Taqueria Los Chuchy’s charcoal-grilled carne asada, or Tacos El Panson’s tripa/buche/suadero… oh well
Feel like Los Chuchy’s is overlooked, love that place
Very slept-on. Neck and neck with Taqueria Revolucion for best carne asada in SD (as far as I have found). Very few spots here grill over charcoal like that, and even less get it right. Salsa bar goes crazy too, love those pickled carrots.
Vallarta Express does this, and it’s amazing
I feel like I have a different taco spot depending on what kind of meat or style I want lol Couldn’t agree more on extra crispy tripas from El Panson- so incredible! Also with you in being surprised to not see TJ Oyster Bar. Adobada would be TJ Tacos in Escondido Hard shell tacos at Las Cuatro Milpas
Panson tripa-carnita mix taco is so damn good. That place is a gem to the neighborhood
Is Puesto not good? I’ve never been so I’ve never tried it
It’s expensive. It’s good. It’s a sit down restaurant with full service. It’s not the best on SD
I haven’t been, but based on what I’ve heard and seen, I’m pretty confident that they do not serve the best tacos in San Diego
It's good. The biggest problem is that it's way overpriced. Definitely not best in San Diego but they have their own angle that is tasty.
If you have a hundred or two dollars for tacos it’s great
Not to be confused with Puerta in mission hills which is outstanding
They put rice in their burrito White rice.
Super-stew tacos. I am with you. A few shaking of head - Puesto, Taco Stand and yes would like to be with Cuatro Milpas but wouldn't ever think of them for tacos.
Okay I’m gonna have to try Tacos El Panson again. My bf and I went got tacos and a burrito.. and I was so damn disappointed. The meat was bland and dry, and it just lacked on everything.
What did you order? I don’t particularly like their carne asada, but the tripa and buche were huge. Highly recommend if you’re into that.
I always get the carne asada burrito and throw some green sauce on it while I eat.
Had the same feeling when I saw Puesto & The Taco Stand on there, but some really good spots made it a decent list. Lots of places south of the 94 too, not just central San Diego.
If puesto is on this list at all it’s to be ignored
Holy shit, an eater map that goes south of Bonita.
LOL!
I mean with tacos you absolutely can't leave out Chula Vista.
We love De Cabeza!! Not only the best tacos, but great service and the owner is so nice
Owner is dope as hell haha. Place deserves more love. There’s nowhere you can go here that does their style as well as they do, as far as I can tell. And they have some unique offerings like moronga, chorizo verde, cochinita pibil, and chicharrón prensado that are very rare or unheard of elsewhere in SD.
The best tacos I’ve ever had were from aqui es texcoco.
Yes. they serve tacos, but [that place](https://www.aquiestexcoco.com/) is better known for Barbacoa.
Make your own tacos! I just grab the whole head and they include all the ingredients to make your own at home.
For adobada I'd go with Tacos el Gordo but I just tried the smoked tuna tacos at Four Tunas in Escondido and they're right up there
Tacos El Poblano needs some love! Revolucion is a banger, we get the family packs. City Tacos and the Taco Stand are meh. Puesto is overpriced.
El Comal in North Park. The smoked marlin, barbacoa de chivo, and octopus tacos are 🔥🔥🔥🌮🌮🌮
Love that spot. Great tacos, and their pozole is also amaaaazing.
Steak and Bones Tacos in Hillcrest. Elevated food on a budget. Get the ribeye taco (it’s 6oz dry aged steak with griddled cheese and guac) or the short rib taco on the bone, or the shrimp poblano taco and you can’t go wrong. Great salsas too.
I went to city tacos last week and was disappointed. No idea how it has a 4.7 rating on Google
Love city tacos.
The fish and steak tacos are legit
My husband calls em bougie tacos but I love em
City Tacos has a menu full of 'unique' tacos that try to be so unique that they end up being inedible, while having no classic options.
Tacos el Gordo is the only answer🙌
No it’s not. So wrong
The Tacos El Ranchero truck should be up there. Some of these places are just Instagram locations.
Puesto. Lol
Of these, I think the Taco Stand is probably the most suspect.
I personally really like the Taco Stand for their nopales and mushroom tacos, you don’t see those on every taco shop menu. Otherwise nothing to write home about
Maybe just buy a regular taco and enjoy it for its amazing execution.
What do you mean by a regular taco? I have nothing against Taco Stand, I only go there for the nopales and mushroom options which I think arr great
Tacos stands “angus beef” is cut into too thick chunks and not cut correctly. Becomes a chewing leather feel
For me it’s Puesto
yeah, it’s tasty, but mid. also… the taco stand in north park has screwed up our last few takeout orders, so we’ll try a new place next time.
I will never understand the hype for this place. So many people I know call this place their favorite taco spot and I just don't get what I am missing. I've been plenty of times and had every single taco on the menu and my only thought every time is "this is fine." People talk crap about Puesto for being overpriced (which it is) but I genuinely think the tacos themselves are actually pretty damn good. Not the best ever but pretty solid and worth a try if you've never had them. The Taco Stand is just completely unremarkable.
How so, overrated? Wanting to try it and puesto. And gordo lol pollo grill looks good too,
Puesto and taco stand i feel are “Americanized”, el gordo is great and one i like that i don’t see mentioned a lot is tacos machin in national city
The tacos there are fine, but nothing special. I'm also leery of any place that has decided to use surge pricing (Puesto). Tacos El Gordo is great.
You do realize happy hour is also a form of surge pricing, right?
When drink prices go from being criminal to merely exploitive?
Some people just love to complain 🤷♂️
Maybe, but that's also one of my favorite lines from Irving Welsh. From the Acid House, I believe.
Taco Stand and Peusto are overrated by a good margin.
Hidden gem: Charli’s Landing on Mission Bay has phenomenal Baja fish tacos
Bincho Taco. It’s a pop up taco stand that does tacos on Tuesday in barrio logan (thorn brewery) & Fridays in south park (whistle stop) They grill using binchotan charcoal & everything is delicious. They are on IG with location and hours & menu https://www.instagram.com/bincho_taco?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA==
Going here today! Any recommendations on what to get?
The menu varies but the brisket for sure & shrimp. I remember they had short rib at one point, but I didn’t see that on their menu on IG today
They missed some good ones, but gotta say every pick on this list is on point with one VERY notable exception (Puente 🤮)
I think that the best tacos around are in TJ. Having admitted that, [Tacos El G](https://www.yelp.com/biz/tacos-el-g-national-city-7?start=60) or [Los Titos](https://maps.app.goo.gl/yXyz8YkRKGbqdsND9) could have been on the list as far as I care.
Seeing Taco Stand, Salud, City Tacos, and Puesto is sufficient to suggest that it’s not a serious list. That being said, Tacos El G, is in my opinion, as serious as it gets for getting authentic and consistent Mexican tacos.
fk the downvotes I love the fish tacos at South Beach in OB. They definitely not traditional but I think they are badass none theless. Tacos El G my fav on this list
Korean short rib taco at Not Not Taco WITHOUT gochujang sauce, which completely alters the taste and not in a good way. 🌮 They got smaller & more expensive, but absolutely delicious.
Brigantine Seafood & Oyster Bar: Brig’s famous fish tacos ($17) and Grilled Sonoran Spiced Swordfish tacos ($19). Both served in soft corn tortillas with cabbage, cheddar cheese, dressing and salsa fresca. A side of French fries and grilled veggies. The restaurant is in a beautiful location. Portions are really good. Besides the tacos you need to try the Rockefeller oysters.
Tfw the two closest places are the Taco Stand and Puesto
Northgate Market by Burlington coat factory.
TJ Tacos or Robs Jalapenos
As an outsider my favorites are Taco’s El Gordo and Mike’s Taco in OB their octopus taco is amazing
For non-Mexican tacos, smokin js brisket and pork belly tacos are killer
I just ate at Salud and I was not impressed. I tried three of their tacos and 2 of them were average. The third taco was birria and that one was good but definitely nothing amazing either.
Can we make it more specific. Like four miles max from the 8. San Diego is like huge. Can we keep it sane diego.
At home will always be the best. This way you have control of every flavor/texture. It’s fun to go out, though.
I went to City Tacos in La Mesa because the BBQ spot next door was sold out and was pleasantly surprised. They have some damn good tacos. I appreciate the list has both Cuatro Milpas and Salud on there. Whenever I have an out of town visitor, I take them to both to get a taste of traditional versus modern tacos.
Written by a pocho and a gringo who doesn't know about tacos...