While the craftsmanship is remarkable the set up is ridiculous. The adobada meat is layered with detail. The tortilla are being made fresh. But ….the lines are inept. Different lines for different tacos so we had the asada ones first. They were dirt cold and awful by the time we ate them. The fries cold and congealed. We were waiting for the pork ones. While tasty the meat was all fatty. The communication is nonexistent so you don’t know why you see people with grilled vegetables or salsa. The area is filthy. I would steer people away as there has to be better taco places.
Pearly D.
We are staying at nearby hotel and was shocked to see a long line as we turned on this street. At first I thought all those cars on the street were getting gas, wondering if gas was cheaper here. Shortly I realized it was a line to get into this taco place. After dinner we rested in hotel waiting for taco place line to die down but even at midnight this place was crazy, sending higher expectations for me but when we finally went, I felt kind of disappointed only because the wait was an hour long.
Nia J.
Bomb. Any time you're near a tacos el Gordo run to it!!!! Fresh tortillas FTW. Get your side of grilled onions and peppers as a pro tip.
Irene I.
My husband and I went a few weeks ago. Heard about it on tik tok and had to try it. The tripas where the best. We come from Los Angeles And we always take long rides just to go eat. But we are in San Diego at least 2 times a month.
K A.
This was $22.63. I ordered 6 adobada tacos with everything (cilantro, guac sayce and chopping onions), but "no tortillas". I'm on keto diet and didn't want them to waste 12 corn tortillas (minimize food waste). What they gave me was a TINY plate of meat. At least they gave me the onions/chiles I asked for on the side, but it's not the same without the sauce and cilantro. I thought they would at least use a to-go container, not this sad foil-wrapped tiny plate.
Marivic R.
Came here for the first time on a Friday night! Omg there were a ton of people inside the restaurant and outside! The drive thru line was long, there was a lady taking orders at the start of the line who doesn't speak English!!! Seriously are Spanish speaking people the only one who can order food here?!? We haven't even seen the menu yet and we're being asked to give our order. I ended up ordering adobada tacos and carne asada fries. The fillings in the tacos were almost non existent! Thank goodness for the smoky carne asada and crispy fries, it made the trip worth it!!!
E L
This is hands-down my favorite taco shop. Period. Nothing beats their authentic variety and flavor. It’s the reason a long line might greet you before you get to the counter to order. Parking is challenging if you want to try and get into the lot, but it’s all worth it even if you park at the public transit lot and walk over.
Timothy S.
Besides the 45 min wait I had to endure, the food was amazing!!! Parking is horrible however. I had to park in the neighborhood and walk over. Drive through line looked insane as well. The carne asada tacos and Al pastor tacos are always my favorite. I saw other things that people got that weren't on the menu but I guess that's a disadvantage to not speaking Spanish and not eating Mexican food often. The carne asada quesadilla was very tiny and was not what I expected but it was still really good. Most authentic tacos I've had!
Shirley S.
I love, love, love Tacos El Gordo. I ordered a Carne Asada taco and Adobada Quesadilla, both on flour tortillas. It's my "go- to" order. They're always fabulous, so there's no need to stray to other menu items (but I'm probably doing myself a disservice). Don't worry about a long line. Unlike some TEG locations, (like the one around the corner and about a one minute drive) here you'll be served quickly. Run, don't walk. The TEG hype is real!
Sandy Yang-Chanh
The food here is AMAZING & DELICIOUS! Was referred by a local friend/family to try this place out and we say it’s worth the drive! The meat is quality and the amount they give you is FULL! Definitely recommend 10/10 and would come back again! Try it out if you haven’t! It’s the closest tacos you’ll get to Tijuana or may even be better!
First time there. Had chorizo and asada tacos Will go back for the rest of the items on the menu haha. 5 stars for el gordo !
David C.
We were lucky with parking and found a spot right in front of the establishment on the street. Ordering is pretty straightforward after reading the signs where you form a line depending on the type of taco or food you want to order. The service was fast and kind. The adobada had a delicious charred and smoky taste which paired well with the creamy green sauce. The carne asada was tender and juicy --unlike other carne asada tacos that are usually dry. The cabeza was so tender and reminded me of Korean marinated short ribs (galbijim). The tacos were delicious and surprisingly filling.
Pramiti Bhargava
Tijuana style tacos they say. And they are fresh, the tortillas dough is rolled right in front. We tried the pork/abodaba and cactus since we have a limited pallette. The abodaba mulas and tostadas are delish. The service and warmth of the staff in unique.
Ron R.
Well, sitting down watching Guy's Grocery Games inspired me to write a quick review in under three minutes on another Tacos El Gordo location! It's gonna take more than three minutes but I would say some of the reviews on this smaller than the Broadway St shop is nicely located next to the trolley station and the entrance to The Five (terrific location indeed!) unfortunately tend toward the negative. Now the times I have visited here, since I stop by in the mornings, generally is not busy - easy to order and gives time to chat with the workers and provides more time to choose what you want. I do realize from the photos it can also get very busy inside and on the drive-thru. I'd never wait 30-45 minutes in a drive-thru! As said previously, this shop is smaller than the TEG on Broadway but offers most of the same things (maybe everything!) But I wrote this review today because I decided to try something new for me! I went for one of the mulas de adobada, along with two pastor tacos as a backstop in case I didn't like the mula. Oh my goodness it was awesome!! Sandwiched between two corn tortillas is an superb amount of fillings similar to the pastor tacos but the clincher is the cheese inside. It gives this a nice rich flavor that makes it a step above the already terrific pastor tacos! I admit the asada in any form at TEG is unique and superior to any I've ever eaten in a restaurant. But the pork offerings at these locations stands above as well. It's not difficult to see why TEG is legend in this area. I was glad I stumbled on this location a few weeks ago. One thing I do recommend that is if you don't want to get slammed by the often long waits at a TEG location, just like highway traffic, try to visit at the times its known not to be so busy. Though I have a hard time seeing how anyone get write a one or two star review on TEG, like every other shop, they aren't perfect, but reviewers aren't either! I think it's safe to say you'll have a stellar experience at this TEG. Just try to breathe slowly and accept the pain of the occasional wait! Recommend: HIGH
Julia S.
I wasn't going to get a taco, but then I saw they make them in house and had to try it. YUM! The lengua taco was super juicy and tasty, especially with the lime and some radishes on the side from the little extras stand they have. I also ordered a small adobada fries. Yummy with the sauce and bigger than I expected. I'd definitely recommend this place!
While the craftsmanship is remarkable the set up is ridiculous. The adobada meat is layered with detail. The tortilla are being made fresh. But ….the lines are inept. Different lines for different tacos so we had the asada ones first. They were dirt cold and awful by the time we ate them. The fries cold and congealed. We were waiting for the pork ones. While tasty the meat was all fatty. The communication is nonexistent so you don’t know why you see people with grilled vegetables or salsa. The area is filthy. I would steer people away as there has to be better taco places.
We are staying at nearby hotel and was shocked to see a long line as we turned on this street. At first I thought all those cars on the street were getting gas, wondering if gas was cheaper here. Shortly I realized it was a line to get into this taco place. After dinner we rested in hotel waiting for taco place line to die down but even at midnight this place was crazy, sending higher expectations for me but when we finally went, I felt kind of disappointed only because the wait was an hour long.
Bomb. Any time you're near a tacos el Gordo run to it!!!! Fresh tortillas FTW. Get your side of grilled onions and peppers as a pro tip.
My husband and I went a few weeks ago. Heard about it on tik tok and had to try it. The tripas where the best. We come from Los Angeles And we always take long rides just to go eat. But we are in San Diego at least 2 times a month.
This was $22.63. I ordered 6 adobada tacos with everything (cilantro, guac sayce and chopping onions), but "no tortillas". I'm on keto diet and didn't want them to waste 12 corn tortillas (minimize food waste). What they gave me was a TINY plate of meat. At least they gave me the onions/chiles I asked for on the side, but it's not the same without the sauce and cilantro. I thought they would at least use a to-go container, not this sad foil-wrapped tiny plate.
Came here for the first time on a Friday night! Omg there were a ton of people inside the restaurant and outside! The drive thru line was long, there was a lady taking orders at the start of the line who doesn't speak English!!! Seriously are Spanish speaking people the only one who can order food here?!? We haven't even seen the menu yet and we're being asked to give our order. I ended up ordering adobada tacos and carne asada fries. The fillings in the tacos were almost non existent! Thank goodness for the smoky carne asada and crispy fries, it made the trip worth it!!!
This is hands-down my favorite taco shop. Period. Nothing beats their authentic variety and flavor. It’s the reason a long line might greet you before you get to the counter to order. Parking is challenging if you want to try and get into the lot, but it’s all worth it even if you park at the public transit lot and walk over.
Besides the 45 min wait I had to endure, the food was amazing!!! Parking is horrible however. I had to park in the neighborhood and walk over. Drive through line looked insane as well. The carne asada tacos and Al pastor tacos are always my favorite. I saw other things that people got that weren't on the menu but I guess that's a disadvantage to not speaking Spanish and not eating Mexican food often. The carne asada quesadilla was very tiny and was not what I expected but it was still really good. Most authentic tacos I've had!
I love, love, love Tacos El Gordo. I ordered a Carne Asada taco and Adobada Quesadilla, both on flour tortillas. It's my "go- to" order. They're always fabulous, so there's no need to stray to other menu items (but I'm probably doing myself a disservice). Don't worry about a long line. Unlike some TEG locations, (like the one around the corner and about a one minute drive) here you'll be served quickly. Run, don't walk. The TEG hype is real!
The food here is AMAZING & DELICIOUS! Was referred by a local friend/family to try this place out and we say it’s worth the drive! The meat is quality and the amount they give you is FULL! Definitely recommend 10/10 and would come back again! Try it out if you haven’t! It’s the closest tacos you’ll get to Tijuana or may even be better!
Restaurantji Recommends
First time there. Had chorizo and asada tacos Will go back for the rest of the items on the menu haha. 5 stars for el gordo !
We were lucky with parking and found a spot right in front of the establishment on the street. Ordering is pretty straightforward after reading the signs where you form a line depending on the type of taco or food you want to order. The service was fast and kind. The adobada had a delicious charred and smoky taste which paired well with the creamy green sauce. The carne asada was tender and juicy --unlike other carne asada tacos that are usually dry. The cabeza was so tender and reminded me of Korean marinated short ribs (galbijim). The tacos were delicious and surprisingly filling.
Tijuana style tacos they say. And they are fresh, the tortillas dough is rolled right in front. We tried the pork/abodaba and cactus since we have a limited pallette. The abodaba mulas and tostadas are delish. The service and warmth of the staff in unique.
Well, sitting down watching Guy's Grocery Games inspired me to write a quick review in under three minutes on another Tacos El Gordo location! It's gonna take more than three minutes but I would say some of the reviews on this smaller than the Broadway St shop is nicely located next to the trolley station and the entrance to The Five (terrific location indeed!) unfortunately tend toward the negative. Now the times I have visited here, since I stop by in the mornings, generally is not busy - easy to order and gives time to chat with the workers and provides more time to choose what you want. I do realize from the photos it can also get very busy inside and on the drive-thru. I'd never wait 30-45 minutes in a drive-thru! As said previously, this shop is smaller than the TEG on Broadway but offers most of the same things (maybe everything!) But I wrote this review today because I decided to try something new for me! I went for one of the mulas de adobada, along with two pastor tacos as a backstop in case I didn't like the mula. Oh my goodness it was awesome!! Sandwiched between two corn tortillas is an superb amount of fillings similar to the pastor tacos but the clincher is the cheese inside. It gives this a nice rich flavor that makes it a step above the already terrific pastor tacos! I admit the asada in any form at TEG is unique and superior to any I've ever eaten in a restaurant. But the pork offerings at these locations stands above as well. It's not difficult to see why TEG is legend in this area. I was glad I stumbled on this location a few weeks ago. One thing I do recommend that is if you don't want to get slammed by the often long waits at a TEG location, just like highway traffic, try to visit at the times its known not to be so busy. Though I have a hard time seeing how anyone get write a one or two star review on TEG, like every other shop, they aren't perfect, but reviewers aren't either! I think it's safe to say you'll have a stellar experience at this TEG. Just try to breathe slowly and accept the pain of the occasional wait! Recommend: HIGH
I wasn't going to get a taco, but then I saw they make them in house and had to try it. YUM! The lengua taco was super juicy and tasty, especially with the lime and some radishes on the side from the little extras stand they have. I also ordered a small adobada fries. Yummy with the sauce and bigger than I expected. I'd definitely recommend this place!