Double Deuce

I visited twice in 24 hours, and the tacos are the best!! Highly recommend the lingua and abodaba. They are many variations you can request, such as adding pineapple or veggies.

Best place to get tacos in SD. Providing a variety of proteins, some you can’t find in other taco places. We come here every time we visit SD and it never disappoints.

Chris Davies

The enormous queue was the best review of this place. A long line snaked it's way around the corner. I had to wait about 25 mins just to place my order. I ordered 2 pork and two beef tacos. Wow - very much worth the wait. Everything you expect and need from a great taco. Also a great experience - I loved the well drilled chaos. 4 tacos and a can of coke cam to $22. Bargain.

Amy Phorth

Anytime we visit San Diego, Tacos El Gordo is a must, whether it's going in person or ordering on doordash. This was my first time to this location. It is super cramp and busy, but remember, there's separate lines for different meats. We always get adobada tacos and mulas. The cheese on the mulas is soooo good. The flavor of the meat is delicious and moist. For this particular location, there's seating inside and limited outdoor seating. There's more seats upstairs but the ventilation is terrible. It gets really hot up there so you'll just want to eat your tacos quickly and get out. Regardless, it is so nice to have a location right in downtown SD. It'll be our first stop every time we fly into SD!

Chen Dow

Famous taco shop extremely popular with locals and tourists. Large selection of Tijuana style tacos are sold in a setup designed to handle the large crowd it attracts every day. You join different lines to get different tacos and go to the cashier to pay once you get all you need. Their adobada is crispy on the outside but not as salty as those sold elsewhere. The cabeza was really tender. Seating is outside and very limited, so prepare to eat it standing up.

TTK Daily

We were waiting for the line longer than a half an hour. At that time, I had no idea what people were line up for. There were two lines long and short ones. My husband said just go for the long line, it should be the better option. The food was so good. The wait time was worth it.

Beullah Escalante

I lived in the neighborhood and always wondered why the line was so long. I took guest here and dined for the first time and totally understood the hype. We got the adobada and asada tacos and it was fire. I'm sure they have other great things so we'll be back to try them out.

Channing Blue

The food was amazing. We got the asada tacos and the asada quesadillas with everything on it. It looks just as good as it tasted! The place is small but it’s packed for a reason! The food was worth the short wait! Not bad on pricing too considering we are from Texas! Loved the food here. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area

Ameya Bhakay

Beyond fantastic tacos! Carlos at the entrance has a simple question to ask: Pork or Beef - and so your journey begins! You stand in the line, say one word - "everything" - and see an absolutely bangin' taco served to you. Given the limited option, we had to try both. 1 taco hits the spot, and two of them fill you up. Perfect portions, brilliant taste, and very very reasonably priced. As you head to pay for your tacos, make sure to ask for the green and red sauces. They are really good, green one being the spicer one but filled with flavor!

Karoline L

When you walk in, there are three separate lines to order different tacos. I know it may sound gross but definitely try the lengua (beef tongue). Carne Asada was a tasty #2. We also had the classic Chorizo, which was pretty decent. We came here after a hike, so maybe our hunger made the tacos taste extra tasty, but I would come here again. It's located downtown, they have seats inside and outdoors, and a great spot for a quick lunch. They are also open late.

Ellen

Great asada and spicy pork tacos. They serve other parts of the meat like tongue, cabeza, etc. Service is quick, and there are a couple of seats outdoors. Recommend visiting.

Daniel Dahlhausen

This has to be the most confusing and difficult ordering situation I’ve ever seen in a 1st world country. However this is a cool place… one of a kind, I would say. This eatery is eaily worth visiting and will definitely be one of the main things you remember about your Glasslamp Quarter visit.

Nayoung Lee

Definitely worth the wait!! So much better than other taco places near the convention center. I could eat these every day :) Very limited seating and not suited for parties of 5+ people…

This is a hectic, fast paced taco stop but a must visit any time you’re passing by! The food is unbelievably fresh, flavourful and cooked in front of you. It’s quite a melting pot if you’re there at night but all the better for a local experience. Absolutely delicious, mouthwatering choices and generous portions of beautifully seasoned meat (tacos).

We stopped by the Gaslamp District location of Tacos El Gordo after hearing all the hype — and it definitely lived up to its reputation for flavor. The line was long and the space was packed, but once you get inside, you can immediately smell the grill and hear the sizzling from the open kitchen. We ordered a mix of tacos — carne asada, cabeza, lengua, and a couple of mulas. Every bite was fresh, hot off the grill, and full of that classic, smoky street taco flavor. The meats were perfectly seasoned, and the tortillas were warm and just the right texture. That said, the ambiance isn’t great — it’s crowded, loud, and the limited seating makes it more of a grab-and-go spot than a place to relax. The service, however, was quick and efficient despite the chaos. Food: 4/5 – Authentic, flavorful, and satisfying. Ambiance: 2/5 – Crowded and noisy with minimal seating. Service: 3.5/5 – Fast and organized. If you’re looking for top-tier tacos and don’t mind waiting in line or standing while you eat, this is absolutely worth a stop when you’re in downtown San Diego.

Some tips on ordering and seating! As people can glean from some of the other reviews, it’s a little confusing how to order and/or where to seat. Seating is a bit problematic, but there is a room upstairs that a lot of folks did not seem to know about! So try to make your way up there! For ordering, there is somebody who comes through the line and funnels you toward different lines based on what you are ordering.So, I was really hoping this would be a five star review. And it was very very very good, maybe a 4.5. But it certainly wasn’t a five star review. Here is why. I wanted to order Cabeza, and so I was sent to a quicker line, and then nobody really waited on me. It was very confusing. I was trying to ask them for two tacos to go, and they were waiting on the people that were behind me. So, my husband (who ordered in the longer line) had his tacos finished much before I did. I think they followed me to a spot that they thought I had already ordered? It was really unclear. And then they gave me the tacos and they were not “to go.” And I did say it in Spanish and in English. Now, keep in mind it was super chaotic, line was out the door, and loud, so I completely understand that maybe they did not understand my order needed to be “to go.” And the tacos were excellent! But people were saying there were some of the best they’ve ever had, and I used to live in San Francisco, and I had tacos like this in the mission district on a regular basis. So I don’t know what I was expecting, but all of the reviews made it sound like this was just a “wow” moment, and it was not. It was very very good. It was a very solid excellent taco with lots of good toppings, but was it the best taco I ever had? No. We also travel to other countries, including dipping into Mexico and Argentina and so perhaps that was also affecting my expectation? All that said, it was a solid taco with good flavoring, but I especially heard the Cabeza was excellent, and maybe it was because I got it “to go”, and so it dried out a little bit, but it just wasn’t the excellence that I had hoped and heard.

The Al pastor tacos were incredible. There was a really long line but they manage it really well with a system. Gets busy with convention goers so there was limited to no seating. Found somewhere upstairs ate quickly then left since people were waiting for the table. I got an horchata to drink and it was good but it was from a fountain. Same with the other aguas frescas. Overall would definitely come here again especially if I found a time that was after the lunch rush.

Tacos El Gordo on F Street is an absolute staple for authentic Tijuana-style street food in San Diego. The carne asada is a standout, featuring a perfect smoky char and a generous topping of fresh guacamole. For those who appreciate traditional cuts, the lengua is exceptional—slow-cooked to a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that is easily some of the best in the city. The atmosphere is high-energy and fast-paced, centered around a unique system where you join a specific line for each type of meat. While the setup is no-frills, the quality of the handmade tortillas and seasoned meats makes it well worth the wait.

Decent tacos and a no frills atmosphere. Prepare to just walk up to the various stations to order and then pay at the end. Adobada was the best compared to the nopales and asada options.

Tikitty Boo (Tikittyboo)

This is a hectic, fast paced taco stop but a must visit any time you’re passing by! The food is unbelievably fresh, flavourful and cooked in front of you. It’s quite a melting pot if you’re there at night but all the better for a local experience. Absolutely delicious, mouthwatering choices and generous portions of beautifully seasoned meat (tacos).

Lockie Hunter

Some tips on ordering and seating! As people can glean from some of the other reviews, it’s a little confusing how to order and/or where to seat. Seating is a bit problematic, but there is a room upstairs that a lot of folks did not seem to know about! So try to make your way up there! For ordering, there is somebody who comes through the line and funnels you toward different lines based on what you are ordering.So, I was really hoping this would be a five star review. And it was very very very good, maybe a 4.5. But it certainly wasn’t a five star review. Here is why. I wanted to order Cabeza, and so I was sent to a quicker line, and then nobody really waited on me. It was very confusing. I was trying to ask them for two tacos to go, and they were waiting on the people that were behind me. So, my husband (who ordered in the longer line) had his tacos finished much before I did. I think they followed me to a spot that they thought I had already ordered? It was really unclear. And then they gave me the tacos and they were not “to go.” And I did say it in Spanish and in English. Now, keep in mind it was super chaotic, line was out the door, and loud, so I completely understand that maybe they did not understand my order needed to be “to go.” And the tacos were excellent! But people were saying there were some of the best they’ve ever had, and I used to live in San Francisco, and I had tacos like this in the mission district on a regular basis. So I don’t know what I was expecting, but all of the reviews made it sound like this was just a “wow” moment, and it was not. It was very very good. It was a very solid excellent taco with lots of good toppings, but was it the best taco I ever had? No. We also travel to other countries, including dipping into Mexico and Argentina and so perhaps that was also affecting my expectation? All that said, it was a solid taco with good flavoring, but I especially heard the Cabeza was excellent, and maybe it was because I got it “to go”, and so it dried out a little bit, but it just wasn’t the excellence that I had hoped and heard.

Nick Su

We stopped by the Gaslamp District location of Tacos El Gordo after hearing all the hype — and it definitely lived up to its reputation for flavor. The line was long and the space was packed, but once you get inside, you can immediately smell the grill and hear the sizzling from the open kitchen. We ordered a mix of tacos — carne asada, cabeza, lengua, and a couple of mulas. Every bite was fresh, hot off the grill, and full of that classic, smoky street taco flavor. The meats were perfectly seasoned, and the tortillas were warm and just the right texture. That said, the ambiance isn’t great — it’s crowded, loud, and the limited seating makes it more of a grab-and-go spot than a place to relax. The service, however, was quick and efficient despite the chaos. Food: 4/5 – Authentic, flavorful, and satisfying. Ambiance: 2/5 – Crowded and noisy with minimal seating. Service: 3.5/5 – Fast and organized. If you’re looking for top-tier tacos and don’t mind waiting in line or standing while you eat, this is absolutely worth a stop when you’re in downtown San Diego.

Lauren & Santiago Castillo

Decent tacos and a no frills atmosphere. Prepare to just walk up to the various stations to order and then pay at the end. Adobada was the best compared to the nopales and asada options.

Vlad Satchouk

The Al pastor tacos were incredible. There was a really long line but they manage it really well with a system. Gets busy with convention goers so there was limited to no seating. Found somewhere upstairs ate quickly then left since people were waiting for the table. I got an horchata to drink and it was good but it was from a fountain. Same with the other aguas frescas. Overall would definitely come here again especially if I found a time that was after the lunch rush.

yuri rangel

Huge line when I show up around 12:00, but it moved fast. They 3 lines, one for pork, beef and the rest ( tongue, cheeks ), I got the carne asada since they put guacamole on top, but the meat tasted like propane gas and it tasted awful. Maybe when In town will try to avoid the rush hours and will head to La fachada. Prices when up too, so take that into consideration. To get a seat is hard too, I will start trying new places.

The separation the line by meat order was efficient, but the people making your order weren’t really putting in much effort. Besides the lack of acknowledgement and response, the tacos are slopped on to the plate. But the above wasn’t the entire reason for my rating. The adobada was just ok, it was really dry and didn’t have much punch to it. Overall it was ok, so landing right in the middle.

Ala HR

Tried the steak taco and honestly, it was not worth the hype for me. The steak itself was tasty and well cooked, but the avocado lacked flavor and the overall taco felt pretty average. Nothing was bad, but nothing really stood out either. It was fine for a quick bite, just not something I’d go out of my way for.

I used to LOVE getting Tacos El Gordo anytime I was in San Diego, but on my latest visit, I unfortunately found myself quite let down and disappointed... As a popular destination, you can often expect for Tacos El Gordo to have a wait - especially during late night hours. So that wasn't surprising...what did surprise, however, was the lack of quality or flavor in any of the ingredients for both the Tacos and Mulas that we ordered. The asada taco meat was dry, overcooked, and quite flavorless. They seemed to have attempted to make up for that by just utterly drowning the thing in salsa and guacamole - the problem is that (aside from being WAY too much) these also tasted very bland and flavorless. There were definitely not-so-fresh ingredients comprising them. The tortillas were also all very dry, crumbly, and will fall apart while you try to eat the Tacos or Mulas. Another thing I noticed - the tacos are now almost FIVE DOLLARS. This was supposed to be a great spot for grabbing some solid & cheap tacos.....now the tacos aren't even cheap OR of decent quality! One more thing to keep in mind is that there is limited seating inside, and the environment isn't necessarily conducive to a relaxing space to eat within. This is best as pick-up/take-out! But regardless of where you plan on eating your tacos, I can no longer say I necessarily recommend Tacos El Gordo...for pretty much ANY situation. They were never easy to order with the chaos of the environment and the long lines, but now you're waiting all that time for overpriced tacos with low-quality preparation and ingredients.

Parker Green

I used to LOVE getting Tacos El Gordo anytime I was in San Diego, but on my latest visit, I unfortunately found myself quite let down and disappointed... As a popular destination, you can often expect for Tacos El Gordo to have a wait - especially during late night hours. So that wasn't surprising...what did surprise, however, was the lack of quality or flavor in any of the ingredients for both the Tacos and Mulas that we ordered. The asada taco meat was dry, overcooked, and quite flavorless. They seemed to have attempted to make up for that by just utterly drowning the thing in salsa and guacamole - the problem is that (aside from being WAY too much) these also tasted very bland and flavorless. There were definitely not-so-fresh ingredients comprising them. The tortillas were also all very dry, crumbly, and will fall apart while you try to eat the Tacos or Mulas. Another thing I noticed - the tacos are now almost FIVE DOLLARS. This was supposed to be a great spot for grabbing some solid & cheap tacos.....now the tacos aren't even cheap OR of decent quality! One more thing to keep in mind is that there is limited seating inside, and the environment isn't necessarily conducive to a relaxing space to eat within. This is best as pick-up/take-out! But regardless of where you plan on eating your tacos, I can no longer say I necessarily recommend Tacos El Gordo...for pretty much ANY situation. They were never easy to order with the chaos of the environment and the long lines, but now you're waiting all that time for overpriced tacos with low-quality preparation and ingredients.

brittney trackstarr

Omg! I was so excited to try this place based on the reviews, but I was highly disappointed. Let me start with the quesadilla—it tasted like it was made with vegan cheese, and the shell was disgusting. We didn’t even finish it. The asada tacos were under-seasoned and left a distasteful flavor in my mouth. I ordered two but only ate one. I honestly don’t understand how this place has 4.5 stars—this is pure cap. The line is long for no reason. The food is not good, and I will never eat here again. In fact, I’m still hungry, so I came over to El Chingon to check out their food. Wish me luck.