Category: Taco Shops

Tacotarian (North Park)

Latin American Cuisine, Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops, Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants

After having an enjoyable visit to Mesa Agricola, I decided to try another of these “new style – concept based” taco shops. I had enjoyed the Hongos Al Ajillo at Mesa Agricola; so the possibility of Vegan/Vegetarian tacos had me a bit intrigued. I had passed the San Diego location of Tacotarian (their other locations are in Las Vegas) many times while driving down 30th Street. So, I decided it was time to check them out.

I found parking on ECB and walked on over.

It was just after 11 and the place was already starting to get somewhat busy. It’s one of those order and pay at the counter, then take your number and have a seat kinda places.

Tacos here run at $4.47 and up, I ordered three.

The gentleman running the counter was very friendly and asked me what kind of salsa I wanted….he asked me if I like “spicy” and recommended the habanero salsa….which is what I got.

Number in hand, I had a seat in the very airy dining room.

And soon enough my tacos arrived. Top to bottom, Barbacoa, Al Pastor, and Carne Asada….all priced at $4.47 and with “” marks, cause you know, right?

And some habanero salsa; which had some really acidic heat. This was no joke.

So, I first went with the Carne Asada, which is made with Satan seitan. I have usually enjoyed item made with Seitan at Kindred so this was an easy choice.

The tortillas were decent; they held up well, but was very mild in terms of maizey tones. The queso fresco had a weird mouthfeel and seemed a bit on the sour side. The Pico de Gallo was by the book and the avocado creamy with a hint of sweetness.

One of the good things about seitan is that the flavor is mild and the texture has a sort of almost fishcake like meatiness, so it’s a good meat replacement. The flavor was nice and savory, with a bit of smokiness and I could make out garlic and some pungency. This was by far my favorite item of the day.

Next up, the Al Pastor, also made with Seitan.

This was way too sweet for my taste, missing the complex smokey savoriness of the real thing. This may sound strange; but I do enjoy my al pastor having a “pass thru the oil”, this was lacking the richness of that.

My least favorite was the Barbacoa….the portion of shredded jackfruit was quite small.

Though it really looked like shredded meat; the texture was on the mushy side and the seasoning was too puckery and sour for my taste, even though this was mostly tortilla.

I was glad to have visited and tried some of the tacos here. I see that it’s a great option for Vegans and Vegetarians. But unlike Kindred, I’m not quite taken by the food. So, unless someone has a great go-to item here; this is probably one and done.

Tacotarian
4332 30th St.
San Diego, CA 92104
Current Hours:
Daily 11am – 9pm

Bello’s Tacos and Burritos (Bay Park)

Food Trucks/Carts, Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

While driving up Clairemont Drive a few weeks ago, I noticed a new Taco Trailer in the parking lot of V Outlet. This is where the La Chorreada Truck used to reside, before moving a bit further up the block.

I thought this was interesting since is there really a need for two taco trucks in less than a block? Plus, there’s the Roberto’s and California’s Taco Shop all within a block? Then I noticed the $1.69 Fish Tacos. Well now, there’s always room for a decent fish taco and a good price, right?

So, when I had a bit of time, I walked on up to the trailer……I had major positive vibes since the last taco trailer I visited was Tacos Minali which I thought was pretty good.

There’s a small makeshift dining area alongside the trailer.

As I walked up to the window to order I took a look at the menu and “holy sticker shock Batman”!

Yes, the fish tacos were $1.69……but Carne Asada and Al Pastor $3.99? Tripas and Cabeza $4.99…burritos like $14 and up? I mean really……I was pretty sure this wasn’t Mesa Agricola, right?

Well, I decided to trying that Fish Taco ($1.69), and since La Chorreada’s Adobada has been disappointing, I ordered the Taco Al Pastor ($3.99), and finally went with some Tripas ($4.99). On a good note, I was asked if I wanted my Tripas crispy or soft….well, it was crispy of course!

I was handed two little food trays with my order and I headed on home. The one table was filled by the time my order was ready.

When asked which type of salsa I desired, I asked for a recommendation. The nice gentleman working said, I liked picante, to get the Habanero Salsa….which is what I got. Nice heat and tangy finish.

The Fish Taco was as I expected. A sliver of fish the thickness of my ring finger. Can you even see it in this photo?

I had gotten soggy by the time I’d walked home…a simple ten minute trip. It had a mushy texture and muddy finish, so I’m thinking it’s swai or tilipia….not my favorite and something I’d never recommend. Pass….

The Al Pastor had a mushy texture.

While quite savory, it lacked that mild sweet-smoky flavor. The tortilla was really thick and more than up to the job of keeping form, but lacked a good maiziness. For some reason, it reminded me more of chorizo than adobaba/al pastor.

And then there was the five dollar “teensy” tripas……which was nice and crisp.

Loved the texture, but found this to be really mild with regards to the typical earthy-funky tones I enjoy in tripas.

That squeeze of lime helped, but the habanero salsa overwhelmed things. Not sure I’d have this again, but if I did, I’d probably go with a salsa verde….

Actually, with the prices and what not, I had decided not to return…..and actually to not even do a post. Until……one of the really nice folks who work at BHT, Diego and I had a short chat about Bello’s and he also went “no bueno” on the fish tacos and al pastor. But he did mention that the Quesabirria was worth the price. Soooo…….I decided to return and order the Quesabirria which was $13.99. The really nice guy working handed me chips while I waited, very nice!

I was handed my tray and headed home….and realized that something was missing. According to the menu, the quesabirria came with consomme…..but I guess they didn’t have any on this day? Oh well, I guess the chips made up for that, right? It did feel quite heavy and it was indeed quite large. This seemed like good ten inch tortillas were used for this!

Nicely griddled, the slight crispness had held out on the short walk home.

In terms of the birria…well, it was beefy, a bit on the drier-chewier-stringy side, milder in flavor than I prefer. Totally lacking in spice, the salsa roja came in handy….I could have even used a second container of it.

The cheese was mainly a textural thing…..stretchy.

Overall, based on portion size, this might be worth it…though some consomme for dipping would be really good.

As for now…..unless someone has a good rec for this trailer….I need to head back to La Chorreada. I’m wondering what the prices there are like now?

Bello’s Tacos and Burritos
3020 Clairemont Dr.(In the Parking Lot of V-Outlet)
San Diego, CA 92117

Mesa Agricola (Escondido)

Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

In the comments section of my post on White Elephant Asian Kitchen, “FOY” RedDevil mentioned enjoying Mesa Agricola, a farm to table taco shop specializing in guisados that opened in Escondido in August of 2025. I had read about the place and had it on my list. Recently, I decided to take that 25 mile drive to check the place out. The tiny shop resides on South Escondido Boulevard which parallels the I-15. I don’t recall being around these parts before?

I found parking and walked over. It was just 15 minutes past eleven and there were folks eating already!

There were a couple of tables on the sidewalk and three small tables inside the tiny shop.

There was a woman hard at work making tortillas on the griddle. I understand that the menu constantly changes based on what is available. The owners also have their own farm as well!

Tacos run at $5….so it’s definitely not your typical taco shop fare that’s for sure. I decided on three tacos; the Cochinita Pibil, Mushrooms al Ajillo, and Chorizo con Nopales.

After a short wait, my food was ready. I had taken a seat at one of the small two tops.

Nice looking tacos. The tortillas were tender, yet up to the task of holding the food. It almost seemed fluffy! The maize flavor was on the milder side.

The Cochinita Pibil was first.

It had been garnished with the very hipster pickled onions which kind of made me laugh. I really enjoyed the earthy black bean which were perfectly cooked. For some reason, it made me think of Tacos Hola in CDMX which specializes in Tacos Guisados. Man, that chicken was so moist and tender…perfect texture for guisados. I did find the flavor to be a bit mild for my taste. I prefer a stronger sour-citrus acidity in my cochinta along with more aromatics. In terms of texture and size this was quite good. I even enjoyed the rice in the tacos as well.

The one taco that really interested me was the Hongos Al Ajillo…the mushroom al ajillo.

While I would like more of a garlicky “hit”, the mushrooms were so earthy and not mushy, but almost rich and meat like in texture. There was a mild smokiness to the mushrooms and the black beans and pepitas really added interesting textures and flavors. The milder flavor of the tortillas did well with the hongos. This taco would be perfectly at home served in a guisados tacos shop in trendy Roma Norte or Condesa in CDMX.

I loved the “neba-neba” texture of the nopales in the Chorizo con Nopales. But was expecting a bit more sharpness and spice from the house made chorizo.

There was an abundance of the gooey nopales and the black beans actually seemed to have more flavor than the chorizo. I thought the salsa rojo provided came to it’s best use in this taco as it added smokey heat to things.

Overall, this was a fun meal. No, this isn’t your local taco shop or taco truck fare….it’s quite trendy and a bit hipster. So no, don’t expect $3 tacos here. If Mesa Agricola was a bit closer in distance I’d take the Missus there; I think She’d enjoy it. I do intend to return…maybe on a weekday when things aren’t so hectic and busy. And when gas prices come down a bit.

Mesa Agricola
707 South Escondido Blvd.
Escondido, CA 92025
Current Hours:
Wed – Sun 11am – 6pm
Closed Monday and Tuesday

Thanks again for the recommendation RD!

Xolotacos Food Truck (Chula Vista)

Food Trucks/Carts, Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

For some reason, I’ve been wanting some Birria recently…..some decent birria. I actually had my heart set on finally heading back down to Ed Fernandez Restaurant….yes, I was actually willing to drive down to Nestor. But then, I had started hearing about a truck located off Main Street in Chula Vista that had some buzz surrounding it….I believe that the original location is in TJ and an acquaintance told me that the folks who took Anthony Bourdain around TJ on No Reservations back in 2012 have been recommending it on Social Media as well.

The name of the truck is Xolotacos and is located on Taco Truck Main Street in Chula Vista. So, I drove on down and found the truck in the parking lot of Bobar Liqour along with another truck. It was still fairly early, but the Xolotacos Truck was quite busy.

What was strange was that the carnitas truck across from it, did not have a single customer during my entire time there. All the customers eating and ordering were speaking Spanish…..for some reason, I found that comforting.

The truck has their salsas and agua frescas on a cart under the tent with the tables.

I quickly made my decision…..

And you know I wasn’t going to be having Mariscos, right?

Wanting to see how the birria itself was, I ordered a Taco de Birria ($3.75) and of course some Consome ($2). I was excited to see Taco de Birria con Nervio (tendon – $3.99)…something that I really enjoyed at Fernandez. All together about $10.50 before tip. Soon enough, my name was called and I went to pick up my order.

Man, these tacos were pretty huge!

They also come with beans, I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. But the beans did add another layer of earthy-nutty flavor which I kind of enjoyed. I tasted the birria…slightly beefy-savory, very buttery in texture. Not as good as Fernandez in my opinion, but the best I’ve had in a while.

I added some of the salsa to this taco and whoa….it’s pretty spicy! The were fine held up, even after some dunks in the consome.

Which I really enjoyed.

It was richer, spicier, and more flavorful than others I’ve had. Perhaps not as beefy….but really full of onion-cilantro and spices. Great with a squeeze of lime.

But my favorite item of the day was the Taco de Birria con Nervio. Oh my goodness, so much buttery, almost creamy and soft tendon in this!

The textures were so wonderful! For some reason, the beefiness seemed to come thru a bit more with this taco. Though I still think that the beefy flavor is a bit mild here.

I was stuffed after this. I was tempted to order the Taco de Birria con Tuetano, but am glad I didn’t! It gives me a reason to return, right?

Xolotacos
3189 Main St. (In the parking lot of Bobar Liqour Store)
Chula Vista, CA 91911
Current Hours:
Daily 7am – 5pm

Revisiting JV’s Mexican Food in the Memory of Jesse Verduzco (JV)

Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

As “FOY” Junichi mentioned in the comments of my revisit of Izakaya Sakura post, on May 29th Jesse Verduzco, owner of JV’s Mexican Food passed on after a tragic accident on the I-5 freeway on May 29th. Junichi, had some amazing timing, because I had read about the tragic accident and felt I needed to go there and had just revisited JV’s that day before!

I really had only done two posts on JV’s during the last 21 years. As I noted in my first post back in 2007, JV’s was kind of a regular stop when we lived off Friars Road back in the early “aughts”. The area was quite different back then; this was before the Arrive at Mission Valley apartments were built, for us the regular stops were Mr Peabody’s, Tio Leo’s, Rose Donuts, Nico’s, and JV’s. My appetite was also quite different back then, as I could put away quite a bit more than today. Over time, I drifted away from those burritos and such, I’m more of a taco kinda person these days……

As for JV’s, well, even though I’ve only done two posts on JV’s, I’ve been there quite a few times in the last 21 years. Though, as far as I could tell, I hadn’t been back there since maybe 2024? After reading about JV’s passing, in addition to contributing a bit to the Go Fund Me (you can Google it), I decided it was time for me to head back to JV’s.

This parking lot can get quite busy and I can only imagine what seems like the eternal road work that has been going on the last couple of years on Morena (one of the other reasons I haven’t been back to here and places like Bird Rock Coffee in a while) I can imagine what effect it might have had on business. I headed over at around 1030 to beat the lunch rush and easily found parking.

I always get a kick with regards to the “menus” at JV’s….it basically covers one whole wall and then the counter and of course the menu behind the counter! All kinds of options….if you think Vietnamese Restaurants have crazy menus…well, you might want to check this out!

And the wall of the dining area is full of USD, Bay Park, and Clairemont customer and team photos. You can tell that JV’s really supports the community.

I’ve stuck to one item on my last 2 visits. In the comments of my original post on JV back in 2007 “FOY” Denny (haven’t heard from you in a while and hope you are well) who also went to USD, recommended the Roast Pork Burrito. Well, back in 2023, I finally ordered it and thought that maybe it was my favorite item on the menu. I ordered it again on my last visit. So, of course I got it again. It’s now priced at $11.80, but it’s huuuge. Of course, I have a thing about displaying relative size of objects….like I did with that “mini” croissant. I was tempted to use one of my shoes…but I didn’t want to spoil anyone’s appetite! So, I grabbed a bottle of cold brew I had just gotten the Missus from TJ’s.

For some reason, it just seems even larger than before.

And to think I only got one container of salsa for this? What was I thinking?

There’s enough carbs in this to keep you for at least a day. The roasted pork is fairly tender and quite moist. On my last visit it was kind of salty, but it was good on this day. Nice oinky porkiness. The menu says it’s cooked in green sauce, but the overall effect of the chile verde is mild. Though it’s probably due to the fact that it’s so porky. And yes, enough rice for the sumotori in you!

It’s easy to see how JV’s has endeared themselves to several generations of USD students. It’s a neighborhood staple.

To quote Junichi: “Whenever I eat as JV’s it brings me joy. Been going since high school. With todays prices I don’t go as often as before. But when I heard about the owners tragic passing a few weeks ago by a wrong way driver on the 5 I had to do a visit. The burritos were still big and full of flavor. Just as I remembered. Will miss seeing Jesse’s smile behind the counter.”

I really wasn’t sure if I was going to do a post on this visit; but after Junichi’s wonderful comment…well, I felt I just needed to.

Thank you Jesse for all the wonderful smiles, food, and full bellies you provided all these years! You will be missed. Rest in peace!

JV’s Mexican Food
1112 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110
Current Hours:
Mon – Tues 9am – 10pm
Wed – Sun 9am – 11pm

Thanks for the recommendation all those years ago Denny! And thanks for the inspiration Junichi!

Fish Guts

Seafood, Taco Shops

So here’s one that I’d been trying to get to for…like maybe over two years? Perhaps, I hadn’t been trying very hard? But Fish Guts had one very strong advocate; Tommy Gomes…..it’s like whenever I’d head on over to Tunaville (which I should be visiting more often), he’s ask me if I’d been to Fish Guts yet. So, I did try a couple of times. The place is a tiny shop on the corner of Logan and Sampson. Fish Guts is basically open Wednesdays thru Sundays from noon. The first two times I couldn’t find parking within like four blocks and I really wasn’t into parking near Mercado del Barrio or Chicano Park and walking. The third time I found parking, but man was the line waiting to get in super long. Fish Guts seems quite hipster-trendy. So, okay….I waited like over a year to finally see if the hype had worn down. And I did find parking and walked over to the tiny shop.

Because of my circling around looking for parking I’d arrived at about 1215……and the place was packed, but the line wasn’t very long to get in. Plus, I was dining alone so I could perhaps snag a seat at the bar. Things moved quickly and it was only a half hour wait for a seat at the bar.

Not to many photos of the interior as it’s tight quarters and I didn’t want to perhaps bother other folks while they were eating. So, the best you can get out of me is some of the decor.

Man, the young man doing front of house and the young lady behind the bar were really nice and super busy….I mean, they were busy….but seemed so organized, and most of all, very nice. I was handed a menu; even though I kinda knew what I was going to order.

Yep, at $12 for two tacos…it ain’t cheap, but the chef here sources all the seafood locally. The gal behind the bar saw I was ready to order and came on over. I got the Smoked Fish Dip ($13) and the Estilo Baja ($12)….basically Baja style fish tacos.

First up was the Smoked Fish Dip. I love that it was served with Ritz crackers….just like Mom would do, right?

Man, this was so ono! Nice balanced smokiness, great, but not overpowering savory tones….that is to say, it wasn’t fishy. Enjoyed the touch of heat in this. Not overly salty, it went well with the Ritz crackers, which also added a textural contrast. The fish, the Pico de Gallo added a hint of acidity as well as what I think is some lime. Not overly dressed, this was super good. I asked what type of fish this was and the friendly bartender told me it was Yellowtail. Don’t know if I can ever have the smoked fish stack at Bay Park Fish anymore….even though it’s in my ‘hood!

As for the Baja Estilo.

The tortillas were good, they held up well, and were on the thicker side. But for some reason I thought the maize-y flavor was on the milder side. No complaints about the fish, nicely crisp, though it went soggy fairly quickly, very moist and tender, almost melt-in-your mouth. I would have preferred less slaw on this. While it was nice and spicy, there was just too much and it interfered with any flavor the fish could depart. Lots of crispness on this though. I read that Modelo is used for the batter, but again, all of that slaw…..

I did take the time to actually taste the fish by itself, which was quite mild with no off flavors. I’d have preferred a light squirt of the typical white; mayo based sauce, less shredded cabbage…just enough to appreciate the texture and some sharp and acidic pico de gallo as I thought that slaw was a bit over-the-top. Though based on the crowds, I’m guessing folks are all over this!

I took this photo as I was leaving….the line outside had reformed and was going down the street!

I will return, especially for that Smoked Fish Dip, hopefully during a slower period.

And now I can go back to Tunaville…since the last time there Tommy told me “hey, don’t come back until you go to Fish Guts”. I know he was kidding…..I think!

Fish Guts
2222 Logan Ave.
San Diego, CA 92113
Current Hours:
Wed – Fri 12pm – 9pm (or until they run out of food)
Sat – Sun 12pm – 6pm (or until they run out of food)
Closed Mon – Tues

Tacos Minali

Dog Friendly, Food Trucks/Carts, Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

I’ve often mentioned my “list” in posts. Places that I’ve listed to visit or revisit….it’s actually a Google Map that keeps getting more and more “crowded” on a daily basis it seems. Well, I only got one stomach so…..

Anyway, sometimes I take too long to visit and places will close before I have a chance to check them out. Case in point Voqozo. And sometimes I’m in for a surprise. Last year an acquaintance recommended a taco stand that opened off of Park named Tacos el Flaco. So, I put it on my map and read that since it’s a trailer set-up with outdoor seating; well, JJ could hang with me.

Recently, I took JJ to Old Trolley Barn Park for a little change of pace. And when things started getting a bit on the warmer side I thought it would be nice to grab some lunch. I initially thought of heading to BFD, since I hadn’t been there since they moved. But, in the end, I thought I’d try Tacos el Flaco. I lucked out and found parking on Park, then went looking for the taco trailer.

Finding this “clue” along the way.

Even though the address listed is for Park Avenue; the place is located on Lincoln Avenue. And even more to my surprise, it’s not Tacos el Flaco, but Tacos Minali!

Hmmm……well now I wasn’t too sure, but then I spied the trompo! Sorry about the terrible photo!

So, I knew I had to try this place out. Next, the prices gave me pause…….the Tripa Tacos were $4.85. The birria and adobado $4.25! Ouch!

Anyway, I ordered and JJ and I had a seat.

And soon enough my tacos were ready. They looked quite good.

I started with the Adobada, which turned out to be the best of the three.

I did find that mashed avocado to be a bit odd, but quickly got past that. I enjoyed the nice crisp and charred edges; really good caramelization. Savory-smoky, a touch of spiciness, I did miss the hint of acidic sweetness….if I ever have this again, I’ll do what the guy who came by as I was finishing up did and make sure to get some pineapple on the taco.

That salsa had some good heat and the tortilla was nice and maizey and held together well.

The tripas was my second favorite.

I loved the crisp and charred pieces, such good texture. The flavor was earthy-savory, not overwhelmingly “offalish”. The onions, cilantro, and other toppings went well with this.

I was not impressed with the birria. I did appreciate the fact that the double tortillas were crisped up; almost like vampiros, thus it held up well.

The beef was a bit too fatty, the seasoning on the milder side, and for some reason, it was a bit weak in the beefiness department.

Overall, two out of three ain’t bad. And JJ enjoyed himself.

Kind of pricey for tacos; especially from a trailer, but I’m glad to have tried it. The 9am opening time might also get me back here…though I’m sticking to Birrieria Enriquez in area for birria.

Tacos Minali
4005 Park Blvd. (actually on Lincoln)
San Diego, CA 92103
Current Hours:
Daily 9am – 11pm

Roast Duck from Noble Chef and Tacos from the Tacos La Chorreada Truck

Chinese BBQ, Chinese Restaurants, Food Trucks/Carts, Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

I’m still kinda “feeling it” from all the recent driving so just a quick post on some recent takeout revisits.

Roast Duck from Noble Chef:

I was in Balboa Crest Shopping Center checking on something, when I decided to pop into Noble Chef to see what roast duck prices were like. It had been a while since we’d been to Noble Chef. The prices and our visits to Eastern Dynasty have basically kept us away. The last time I’d had roast duck from Noble Chef it was a whopping $28 for a half duck! What the “duck” is going on? I was curious so I popped my head in…..

And to my surprise; on this day the half roast duck was $20.95. Like the same price as Eastern Dynasty. Hmmm……I’m wondering if there’s some competitive pricing going on now?

So, here’s what it looked like.

The skin was nice and firm and most of the fat had been rendered off nicely.

The meat was toothsome and moist-juicy. It did seem a bit short in flavor, really lacking in the five-spice/anise tones, sweetness, though it was nice and savory. Also, the duck seemed a bit leaner then on previous visits.

Still, perhaps our favorite roast duck in San Diego……I guess I’ll keep popping in and doing price checks for duck. The other dishes here just seem over-priced still.

The Noble Chef
6159 Balboa Avenue
San Diego, CA 92111

I’m always up to try some roast duck if anyone has a current favorite!

The Tacos La Chorreada Truck:

On a recent hot afternoon; the Missus just wanted a light dinner and figured three tacos from the La Chorreada Truck would fit the bill. I actually had not visited since the truck moved two lots over back in November. So, JJ and I walked on over. I ordered my tacos “para lleva” and JJ and I went to have a cerveza at BHT. We then returned for my tacos.

They actually have a pretty nice sitting area set-up now.

Anyway, here’s our taco threesome…..

From left to right. Lengua…nice and waxy, fatty-beefiness. The cabeza…the best of the bunch on this day, very beefy, great with the salsa verde. And the smoky-savory-lightly spicy chorizo and the “neba-neba” of the nopales.

This was a nice and light dinner for us. It fit the bill since we weren’t hungry in the least on this day.

The Tacos La Chorreada Truck
3040 Clairemont Dr
San Diego, CA 92117

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Tijuanero By Tijuanazo (Little Italy)

Dog Friendly, Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

Every Saturday, as I’m walking to the Little Italy Farmers Market, I’d past the little shop in progress at the corner of India and West Hawthorne. The one that used to be Swagyu. It seems that Tijuanero, which was to be the second taco shop opened in San Diego by the folks running Tijuanazo in Hillcrest was taking forever to open. It’s such a tiny space, that I was wondering if it would even open this year? Then the Hillcrest shop closed…and suddenly there seemed to be some activity on this corner, which by that time I saw was going to be named Tijuanero. In fact, JJ and I walked past on a Saturday several weeks ago and I saw a gentleman working on getting tables set-up, so I stopped and said hello. I asked a few questions and he nicely responded. The shop was going to be open at 11am, I was kinda bummed because I knew that Tijuanazo opened at 8am and I was hoping to stop by on the way back to the car from the Farmers Market. But whatever, I was looking forward to some decent Adobada. I’m glad I mentioned that to the gentleman as he told me that Adobada was only served on weekends!

Well, I decided to see if we could find parking in the area on a Sunday morning and we were in luck as I found a spot on Ivy Street where I usually park on Saturday mornings. It was just past 11 when we walked over. Unfortunately, they weren’t open yet and I was told to come back at 1145. Sigh…..

So JJ got to stroll thru Little Italy and down to Santa Fe Depot and back. And the place was indeed open when we returned.

We walked over and were asked if we were doing takeout or dining in. After saying we’d be eating there we had a seat at one of the tables.

I’m used to tacos in the four dollar range these days, plus, this was Little Italy, so prices didn’t surprise me. I placed my order…and then was told that they weren’t serving adobada on this day…..but it was a weekend, right? Ohh-kay. I decided on a taco de asada and chorizo ($4.15 each), and a birria vampiros ($3.95). I asked if they had water; tap or bottled, cause you know, I’d share it with JJ and they had neither…..

Some lime and cucumber was provided.

And after a short wait, my tacos were delivered.

You could tell the tortillas were made inhouse, though they did not hold up real well. Nice maizeyness though. Loved the generous amount of guacamole as well.

I enjoyed the chorizo more than the asada. The chorizo was slightly spicy, nice smokiness, nicely seasoned.

The carne asada was really tough and chewy. It was also too sour.

It really needed more seasoning, that wasn’t puckery-sour!

The Vampiros was interesting.

Loved the crisp vampiro; think of it as a nice crispy mini-quesadilla of sorts. The birria was quite chewy and like the asada lacked seasoning….not a good thing for birria! The one thing that got my attention was the salsa roja….my goodness…Muy (with a capital “M”) caliente! In fact, it completely nullified whatever flavor the birria had! I did need more napkins to wipe my brow than to wipe my hands!

I’m thinking that the chorizo would probably stand up nicely to that salsa.

As for if I return? Well, with telling me to come on a weekend for the adobada and not having any on a weekend! Then telling me you open at 11, but when I arrive, you didn’t open until 1145….and then not having agua? Yes, this place has recently opened and I expect there to be hiccups, but man this was like chronic singultus! And they also operated in Hillcrest for over a year as well so you would think they’d have their systems down. Perhaps if they did open at an earlier hour or actually served adobada when they claimed to…… Kind of sad since the Tijuanazo brand has a bunch of taquerias in TJ. As things stand; I’m in no rush to return.

Tijuanero By Tijuanazo
2102 India St.
San Diego, CA 92101
Current Hours (Supposedly):
Sun – Thurs 11am – 10pm
Fri – Sat 11am – 11pm

Also, please note that the parking around the shop is actually a pay lot, Tijuanero does not validate parking.

Crack Taco Shop

Taco Shops

Recently, I had to take my car in for servicing and decided to wait. I was a bit hungry and wanted a bit more than the usual coffee shop fare I’ve usually gotten in the area. I headed on out and this time walked in the opposite direction of my usual path to the corner of Fairmount and Camino del Rio North. And I then recalled a taco shop that Cathy had posted on in that strip mall. Having noted that other than Stabucks, it was the only place open at 8 in the morning in the mall.

Named Crack Taco Shop.

Cathy had noted that this shop had been opened by the owners of Seaside Market in Cardiff, which was noted for their tri-tip. So, I headed on over.

The place was empty during my entire visit….but the lovely smoke and fragrance of meat permeated the place. You could see the smoke floating above the tables…..I’m surprised the smoke alarms weren’t triggered!

The woman working was very friendly and sweet.

And I decided to try the Al Pastor (of course) and the Tri-tip (double of course) tacos, $4.95 each.

I took a seat at one of the tables; hoping I wouldn’t walk back to pick up my car smelling like I’d just eaten at a Korean BBQ……

And soon enough, the woman came by with my tacos and some fairly picante salsa roja.

The tacos were quite hefty; though I’m not sold on paying over four bucks a piece for these.

The tortillas were interesting, on the fluffy side, though decently maizey, and held up well.

The guacamole was creamy and nicely flavored, and almost refreshing. Sadly, that’s where all the positive vibes ended.

The Al Pastor had obviously been reheated on the flat top and was very tough.

More like a gringo adobada, quite bland in flavor, missing the smokiness and sweet-tangy touches….this was just plain bland.

As for the so called Tri-tip…man this was also on the tougher side, though more tender than the Al Pastor.

The tri-tip, other than being salty, was so bland. Really lacking in beefiness, smokiness, or other basic flavoring. It was nice and greasy though.

I think this place might have gone downhill since Cathy ate here a bit over three years ago and during Soo’s visit over four years ago.. Personally, I think your friendly neighborhood taco shop might do better than this!

Bummer….

Crack Taco Shop
4242 Camino Del Rio North
San Diego, CA 92108
Current Hours:
Daily 7am – Midnight

Well, I need to find places to grab a morning bite round these parts……..