Every time I return to SoCal I have to get my fill of taco shop food. I tried a couple of new places in La Jolla and PB but wasn't satisfied until I returned to Alberto's for a real carne asada burrito! The real thing in my book that's hard to get anywhere else in this country. I also have to shout out to the service since they jump started my borrowed car between other customers. Much appreciated!

Carne Asada Fries...some of the best ones in town. Cheese enchiladas as well! Beef tacos combo plate, the fried crunchy ones. This has been a staple of Escondido for years an years. You'll see once you stop and try this place out. Good food, quick service, and 24 hours.

One of my favorite Mexican fast food restaurants . 👍 Great red hot sauce, rice and beans. That means all their other food is great. You can tell a lot about a Mexican restaurant, by its sauce, beans and rice!

This is the only place that was open during Thanksgiving day. We tried going to Little Caesers, Subway, McDonald’s,Taco Bell, Wienerschizel but they were all close even though some of them still said “open” on google maps. So this Taco shop came through and we appreciate them for it. The California burrito was good (just a lot of cheese stuck together and not spread out evenly) and Tamarindo water was awesome it tasted like the natural Tamarindo fruit.

Brought my daughter here two nights in a row, and I came by for lunch. I enjoyed a pollo asado plate, my wife loves the beef tacos and my daughter got a pollo asado burrito and some rolled tacos. It's all good.

My favorite Taco shop. Not only is the food fantastic but unlike most other places, the prices have come down since covid. I stopped visiting a lot of taco shops when they started charging 12 and $15 for burritos. The amount of gouging these days is unacceptable. This place still has good quality and its neighborhood and wallet-friendly.

Delicious breakfast burritos, tacos and more burritos! Everything taste good here! The green sauce is so good and the red hot sauce is extra tasty! Great customer service each time I go! Thanks for the sticker 😀

I've been going to this place for 20+ asked it beats out most Mexican food places in Escondido.

Always BUSY, Drive Thru! I Always manage a Front Spot! Park & Walk to Window! SAME Guy's There Runing BOTH Windows!! He Always has a SMILE, Polite & Professional! Also Down to Earth Never Raises His Voice As Ppl are Screaming thru Speaker! Rude Obnoxious He Never Snaps Back Still CALM & N CONTROL!! Never had to Wait He takes 2 Orders at Once!! 5 Min In My Hand Hot Fresh Another Thank You & Smile!! Always Great Food Never been Disapointed!! Stay a LEVEL Above the Rest❤️‍🔥🙏‼️TY

Great mexican food, definitely a go to if you're in the area. It's a great change from jilibertos which have a monopoly type set up in valley center. Plus the burritos are at a great price! $10!

I thought there was something wrong with the meat too. I thought at first if was just me, but it tasted like canned dogfood. I had to throw it away, it was that repulsive. Might leave it out for the coyotes, 🐾🐾 The strawberry churros were goog though.

As usual, the food prepared by the Alberto's late night crew was on point. These guys have it down. Fast, fresh and delicious. The cashier kid was super friendly and seemed genuinely happy to serve my girlfriend and me. I gave the atmosphere 3 stars only because of the location. Other than the drive through, the only dining area is outdoor bench seating. I don't mind it but I would completely understand if someone not familiar with the area might be a bit hesitant, or even outright afraid to sit and eat there after midnight. There are a lot of very "unique" characters that fluent the Downtown Esco area during those hours. Most are harmless and keep to themselves, but occasionally you might get one who wants to talk about whatever randomness they have on their mind, or ask for money, or even blatantly do drugs in front of the whole world. So yeah, I give 3 stars on the atmosphere, even though I personally wouldn't change a thing about it. In short, this Alberto's is a great place for authentic Mexican food, great place to come at any hour with a huge variety of made to order meals, snacks and more. Also a good place to hang out and watch the local daily circus of Esco's most unique characters. I love this place and just about everyone who has ever been there would agree that it is definitely worth trying out!

A cherished heirloom in San Diego! Love like Alberto’s

I recently tried the carne asada fries from here, and I was absolutely blown away by the taste and generosity. The dish was piled high with crispy fries, melted cheese, guacamole, and sour cream. But the star of the show was the perfectly cooked carne asada, which was flavorful. The serving was so generous that I couldn't finish it all in one sitting! As a bonus, the employees were the best.

I live in Temecula but every time I head south to San Diego I stop here in Escondido the food's good and they haven't raised the prices. So outrageously high like most places you can get a bean and cheese burrito and a quesadilla for about 10 bucks and that's plenty of food

Got a Carne asada burrito, and it was good. Definitely worth the money, prices is not bad either. Only thing better than the food was the customer service. Salsa got my nose running so you know it's good. 5 stars easy

Open 24 hours and good food! I think they make the best breakfast Burritos. It comes out perfect every time. I also tried their Carne asada burrito, and that is delicious. Rolled tacos are also good. Horchata here is really good too. We always use the drive thru it's just easy and convenient. You can park and walk up to order. Limited seating out front. Can't go wrong here.

Best Mexican food in the town and must try breakfast burritos

Love thier chicken tacos. One taco is a meal in itself. Under 5 bucks a nice price for a quick lunch on the go. Been going to this Albertos since I was a kid. Try thier carnasada nachos too are fabulous.

Had fish burrito and rolled tacos with guacamole. Portions are excellent and food tastes great. Super nice staff.

The young cashier was friendly, nice, and she got my order right even when asked to customize. Price was good compared to other places.

Most excellent customer service!!! The service is slow because freshly made!!! Cheese only quesadia, green sauce, carrots, and cherry coke.

Budd Lcke

T the cook and Juan the handsome young man atbthe windows was very kind and considerate great customer service. Love this place would.recommend it late night 24 hrs great polo asada.

Steve Austin Perez

Amazing food! Definitely a place to stop in Escondido if you're from out of town ❤️‍🩹

Mark Graham

We visit this place often when visiting San Diego area. The biggest tacos I've ever had. The fajita fries are my favorite.

Carlos Segoviacanales

It's a great place to grab a great Mexican meal any time day or night it's great must try the food

Lelana Sagale

Carne asada fries w/sour cream and cheese only were really good. Service was quick n easy and we had no problems with the staff. Enjoy 👍🏽

Joshua Smith

Some good stuff, just delicious, so much food, this place is a must everytime we visit Cali.

Dale Ramirez

Always love the food: Authentic, flavorful, fresh…spicy and made with SoCal / SD love. Growing up in SD, I now live in Florida and their food is NOT the same as San Diego. Excellent food and great service. Staff Member (Angel) is SO kind, friendly and a great ambassador for your restaurant! Gracias, Angel! 🌯 🙏🏽 🌮

SirEsco Styles

I go here all the time, their foods great, the cashiers are awesome and whether you are a local craving some mexican food or a tourist, this place can be a go to or a highly recommended location to get a taste of socals reputation for mexican food! Their salsa games on point! I don't skip a meal without adding their red and green to it

Whitney CM

First time trying this place and even though I didn't love my burrito I would try it again. I asked for a chile relleno burrito but I didn't know it would have guacamole in it and to be honest, I love guacamole with all my heart but it doesn't go well with chile relleno! It should be tortilla, chile and lots of cheese, that's it. My bf got a breakfast burrito, I believe it had bacon, egg and maybe potatoes and he loved it. Burritos are huge, by the way. Totally recommend just request no guac on your chile relleno burrito haha.

Greg Collins

Best carne asada burritos and rolled tacos with cheese and quacamole. I moved to the Bay Area 18 years ago and have missed Albertos so much. I remember many late nights eating at the outside tables or in my car after going through tge drive thru.

Happy M

I come here for this dish. I use to live down the street, and now live in East SD. It has been my favorite for 32 years!!! Chips n Guacamole is amazing

I zuni

One of my favorites when passing thru Escondido. Just a hole in the wall, but consistent I always get 5rolled Taco's with guacamole Been rolling thru over 30 yrs now

The food here has always been good for me (i have gotten cold cheese a couple times however). Carne asada nachos/fries are fire and the California burritos are legit. The crackheads that hang out at night sometimes can be a bummer.

Great prices that can't be beat. Wide selection of Mexican fast food. Open 24/7

Its always great to go there...no flash, no pomp, just food. Its kinda unique, now a days, to find an all night place to go and just eat. No pretty pictures on the walls...again, just food. When I to to grub, at 2 in the morning, I just want food. And the food is also with no fanfare. It's good, not great...it fits the bill...simple.

Love this Mexican spot open 24hours in Escondido. Lately however a little confused.Always order same stuff when there. Two trips past midnight two different costs. Confused 😕 food great only 80cent difference

The rolled tacos with cheese and guacamole were delicious. I have been coming to this Alberto's for years. The only downside is that they no longer make the guacamole like they used to. Before, it had onions and tomatoes. Now it's just smashed up avacados. Too bad.

Solid Mexican food but this place constantly is screwing up your order. You need to check it before you leave the parking lot. 5 times in the last 2 years. They've screwed up my ordered. I ordered Carna asada burrito. I received a California burrito, 3 times I've ordered sour cream and paid extra monly to find no sour cream on my burrito, the communication. Between the chef and the cashier is poor. I like the food, but they are incompetent if you order is long or special.

Its Alberto's. They're such a known quantity at this point that a review is practically meaningless. Its the wonderful place to go when its incredibly late and your options are limited. Is it the best Mexican place to go? No. There are definitely better options at the same price points in town, but not past 10pm. Consistently good experience though. Its a place I can always go and pretty much never be surprised when I order a favorite from the menu because it'll be the same each time.

The food was good. My husband likes the carne asada and California burritos. I usually get the carne asada quesadilla. They usually get our order correct, and the food is made fresh. Generous portion sizes with the items we ordered.

Food? Bomb! But I will say its getting old paying almost $20 for two burritos and a large horchata for the convenience of not having to buy and make the food ourselves. Either way, the drive through option is another convenience if you keep your windows up. You have to circle around the back of the building by the bathrooms and its a stong bathroom smell. They are pretty good at getting any picky way you want your order correct. Think once might of forgotten the horchata we ordered but then so did we. Callifornia burrito is good, rolled tacos and street taco is yum. Hits the spot

Just like I remember and brag about California Mexican Food can't be beat

Sean Miller

Good drive thru taco shop. Food always comes out fresh and they prepare everything pretty fast.

Maybe it was bad timing but my California burrito was not very good. The meat was over cooked and missing flavor. Granted I did go in at 2AM for lunch. I work nights so I'm use to less than par food, but I still expect better.

Been around for years & more years to come. This is the kind of place you go to when you're so hungry you don't care if it's "the best i've ever had" or not. The Cali burritos don't come with sour cream or guacamole so make sure you add it on there.

Ive gotten food a few times here namely the bacon breakfast burrito and lately like the last 2-3 times ive gotten it its tasted bad or funny and this most recent time it even smelled bad and tasted just as bad maube the oil.or.fumes from the burners got to the meat but something is definitlu wrong hope you read thank you

I order 3 carne asada burrito one with Pico and all of them with crema, guac, beans and cheese. Simple right? The dude repeated back to me 2 California burritos and one asada with no pico... 😑 so I repeated it again and he said it back to me... 3 asada burritos one with Pico and all of them with guac, cheese and beans.... Andddddd add crema too.. oh ok. So I know I should've check in the parking lot but they all had pico and one of them had rice🤔. It could've been the midnight rush, but still if you gonna be taking orders please be competent.

5 rolled tacos for $5.50 is pretty good. The guac does brown easily though and sometimes the tacos are overcooked.

Open 24hrs great service. TORTA WITH fries for 10 bucks .

Is my new favorite Taco shop. Open 24 hours and the service is outstanding. The food is wonderful and one added surprise is that their prices have not gone outrageous like other taco shops. You can still get enchiladas for $6 and burritos are in the $9.99 range. It's crazy how some of these shops are charging upwards of 12 and $15 for a burrito. They asked for the community to support local businesses but they don't seem to be supporting us very much. Alberto's is an exception. A great neighborhood community place and I will support them always.

Ash

Ordered two burritos and rolled tacos. Ended up with one burrito, and the rolled tacos. They charged us for one burrito, so we can't go back to fix the order if we wanted to get the other burrito without spending more. Service is basic, ask for food, they take your order, and you have to get your food if you didn't do drive through. There is no indoor seating, tables are dirty and sticky, and there is no atmosphere unless you manage to hear the music they're playing in the kitchen. The only reason I still show up is because they have great food.

The adobada taco was terrible. If you had grease running off of it like a leaky facet. The meat tasted like cooking oil and had no flavor whatsoever. However the portion size was really good.

First of all drive-thru is TERRIBLE. Other than a sedan, vehicles will not fit through. As soon as you pull in the location (DRIVE WITH CAUTION) POTHOLES. Now as far as menu goes it was ok. The gentleman forgot my drink. Not realizing, I drove off.

This used to be my favorite place to pull in and get a fish taco. Sadly, yesterday, I got food poisoning from the taco! (Only thing I ate all day!) Spent the afternoon and evening throwing up🤢🤮and every thing else that goes with food poisoning!

Erm the carne asada fries here are bomb and I recently got some today in the drive-thru, as well as a California burrito that is pretty dry btw. Anyways, I take a bite of my burrito just to find a pretty little oxidized penny in my mouth, how cute ^-^

Thankfully I only stopped here due to work and it was the only thing open. I'm not from the area. The breakfast burrito was not good, it was huge but it had no flavor whatsoever, like it didn't really taste like ham or cheese or anything, very bland (also my husband's burrito wasn't even really wrapped tight so it got messy real quick). The egg was also odd looking, it was black? I think it's from the flat grill not being clean perhaps or dirty oil? Definitely wasn't pepper. The salsa is basically water and tomatoes, also no flavor and our salsas containers we're covered in salsa? So it was messy from the start. I'm very annoyed as I feel I just wasted calories eating something that tasted so awful. Service was ok. Definitely won't be coming back. Save your $ and go to taco Bell next door, at least there you know what you are getting into.

Ordered a California burrito and found a piece of plastic in it. Would give 1 star but the food is decent besides the piece of pvc pipe I chomped down on. No bueno señores.

I've visited many Alberto's taco shops, but unfortunately, this location was disappointing. The rolled tacos and the California burrito tasted off, with the meat having an old, liver-like flavor, which was quite unpleasant. Typically, the meat at Alberto's is fresh and tender, but that wasn't the case here. Additionally, the red salsa seemed stale and tasted like tap water, lacking the usual quality. I recommend that they refresh the salsas daily and ensure the meat is fresh. Based on this experience, I would rate this location one star. Improvements are definitely needed for both the meat and salsa."

I order a breakfast burrito and a agua de tamarindo which was pretty good till i opend up the water and there was a fat mosquito just chillin on the ice he looks like hewas suckin on someone in the taco shop ... kinda killed it for me

So I went there last night and asked for carna asada fries on 22 October 2023. I paid for my food and got home and realize it was adobo meat and the fries were undercooked. I called and talked very polite cause I understand mistakes happen while trying to rectify the situation and repeating my order to the night manger who answered the phone he cut me off while I was trying to explain the order was wrong. He told me verbatim “ aye aye aye I’m busy!!!” I had to waist gas, drive back to the store. And as I got in the drive thru and tried to explain again he told me why guacamole was on my food. (Which is not why I was there in the first place). I had to tell him through the intercom that I still had the food with me and would show him. I got to the drive through window and he realized the cook put the wrong meat on the plate. Once I finally got the right order here said “here!!!” I asked him why did he talk to me like that on the phone. And his reply was “I was busy” he never apologized!!! 100% unprofessional trash service and trash night manger.

Went on the drive through My experience...😥 I ordered a bean and cheese burrito. The burrito was packed with cold cheese. Hence, the cheese didn't melt, the bean got cold and by the time they gave it to me it was cooling down fast. But wait that's not it. Now get this hope your sitting down for this one. By the time I got to my destination 3 blocks away my burrito was cold. Now a cold burrito isn't ad good as a hot burrito. Not in a hurry to go back.

I ordered a Pollo asado burrito in the drive-through. Initially, when I received the bag, I was impressed with the size of the burrito, but after eating a few bites, I was very disappointed. No flavor, no guacamole no tomatoes. It was basically dry white chicken meat with lettuce and not much else. By far. The worst Pollo Asada burrito I’ve ever had in my life and I’ve lived in Southern California my whole life avoid this place at all cost yuck. A waste of $13.

The food is horrible here very bland the rice was very hard and the rolled tacos had no meat was all tortilla wish I could get my money back I would have rather went to Taco Bell

The cashier was one of the rudest people I have ever met in my life, completely messed up my order and when I called them to try and fix it. They said they could do nothing about it. I do not reccomend this place at all. I'd give it 0 stars but that's an option on here.

Jumped on the service charge bandwagon. If you're coming here make sure you account for the 3% (current percentage as of the writing of this review). Seriously, just increase the prices properly.

Nothing special I found here. Very average What I wrote above was from my first review, but I wish to add to that. I returned to this Alberto's and bought two plates and a drink. The man who took my order was confused as to the drink and what size I had ordered. I had a feeling that he charged my card twice by how he kept messing with register . When I got home I checked my account and sure enough he had charged me twice. Once for the two plates and then again for the two plates and the drink and the receipt he gave me didn't match either of the charges on my card. I went back and confronted him and he basically dismissed me and tried to give me just 5 dollars. I then asked for his name which he refused to give me. I told him I would calling in the morning to speak with his boss and left. This man was completely incompetent and rude and more so, WRONG, not only for what he charged me, but also for how he treated me. I will update my review with the outcome as soon as I can. But I give this Alberto's a 1 and a zero if I could.

Ordered Carne Asada fries, fries were nasty brown and most of the meat wasn’t cooked alone with some still a little raw. I just threw them away…

We can taste all the corners you cut. Green puree counts as guacamole? Be for real. 🤮

Has a reliable drive thru 24hrs. However, huge warning the rolled tacos were rancid. I couldn't even get through one taco, it was so bad. I thought it was a one off experience but after telling my mom she told me she had a similar experience at the Oceanside location TWICE. A lot of people are saying they reuse the cooking oil. Also, I asked twice to put the Pico de Gallo on the side only to get to the window and asking again and them telling me "oh its too late, they already put it on the tacos". I'd recommend Filibertos-- they are fresh and their horchata never disappoints!

Food poisoning - 5 rolled tacos cheese & guacamole

Got the California burrito thought it would come with sour cream and guacamole most places do. It was extremely dry and flavorless no moisture to the meat and it was cold and the cheese wasn’t melted at all very disappointed.

Came here for a midnight bite and ordered 2 chicken enchiladas,the chicken had NO flavor,enchiladas was COLD and the sauce was very salty. That's what I get for trying something other than the carne assada fries. Just over all disappointed.

My debit card was charged 3 times for a burrito. Told the gentlemen immediately And showed him my account balance and charged back to back. Refused to fix and I did not get any food. No refund, RIP OFF place.

Absolutely the worst burrito I have had in my life. I should have just went next door to Taco Bell it was that bad. Ordered a carne asada burrito and it literally only had carne asada(no cheese, no sour cream or whatever else usually comes on them. The meat tasted awful like canned tuna 🤢. On top of that the guy that took my order wasn’t really rude but just seemed like he could care less about what I wanted and was content with slapping a scoop of dry meat on a tortilla and serving it. I rarely ever do reviews but if you want quality food I would highly suggest finding somewhere else.

I got overcharged for 2 chicken tacos we never ordered and never got them.went back and she wouldn't refund us. She's a crook. I won't go there again. We spent almost 50 dollars. On top of that the time before they gave me a cheese enchilada when I ordered a beef enchilada. I will go somewhere else from now on to get Mexican food.

DISGUSTING & OVERPRICED. do not come here! I REPEAT YOU WILL REGRET IT. me and my boyfriend came here because we were craving carnitas tacos. we come here and we get about 8 carnitas tacos thinking they were gonna be amazing especially since we paid like $40!!!!!! WE GOT HOME AND SAW THE HORRIBLE DISGUSTING DRY MEAT ON THE TACOS. THE MEAT LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN STORED FOREVER AND THEY THREW IT ON THERE. DIDNT EVEN LOOK LIKE ACTUAL CARNITAS THEY WERENT EVEN CHEWABLE. I PROMISE U IM NOT EXAGGERATING IT WAS HORRIBLE & not to mention they didn’t even put any condiments like cilantro & onions on them they were completely dry & bland & just horrific. I will never go back again and would not recommend this place to anybody. if they don’t know how to make real good mexican food they should just close down. seriously disappointed.

Ordered 2 cheese quesadillas extra grilled; got home and the quesadillas were pail and they both had sour cream inside...wth! Called to complain and lady said bring back will correct it...just requested $$$ back and was given a refund. I told her drove long way as they have the best cheese quesadilla in my opinion. She said sometimes it hard to hear people on speaker...I thought to myself well fix it or get a better system...just a thought. All and all will still visit this location.

I called and asked if I could walk to the window and order some food because it was late and they are a 24 hour restaurant. The man I talked to said in perfect English that I needed a car. I was hungry so I paid for a Lyft ride to get through the drive thru and when I got to the window someone else was ordering from the window I asked about 10 Ms prior; in a wheelchair. When I asked him why he said I needed to drive a car, he acted like he didn't know English. The first time I went there I only had a dollar so I asked how much for hot carrots. .90. the next day I had some more money so I ordered more hot carrots, they weren't that good, but the nearest restaurant wanted 2.99 for a bag. He told me the following day that it was 1 dollar. I didn't have much money the next day and I only wanted a side of rice and a side of beans because I wanted to go to the taco Bell next door and get a 5 layer burrito; he thought I said I wanted a rice and bean burrito. I don't know what the issue is but I suggest you just go to the Taco Bell next door.

Service sucks. Food sucks. They cant get orders right. Ordered a california burrito, got all the way home, realized it was cold, not just like it cooled off on the drive home but like they had made it earlier and attempted to reheat it or something. The meat itself inside the burrito was cold. Decided to eat it anyway and got a few bites in and realized it wasnt even what I had ordered. Wont ever go here again and if I were you I'd find one of the other hundred mexican food restaurants in escondido to spend your money at.

Nachos with carne azada were horrible Fake guacamole was bad, already a brown color, beans bad Overall the worst I’ve had Plus lady taking drive thru orders was to busy to reply to a good afternoon greeting twice Only given 1 star to write this

Yikes i got absolutely bamboolzed on the carbe asada fries if thats what they were i got a ocean of gauc on a bed of soggy fries and with a cut jallepenos instead of whole like i ordered i then got offered side fries as a makeup with my already soggy droppy fries and my weird cubed shape carne asade 9-10 peices idk if this is how they are making them now but if so what a loss

My Girlfriend got sick and threw up multiple times after eating the carne asada fries from here. The food isn’t made the same anymore. Everything sucks, not to mention the fact that there is always homeless around that place.

Nazir Farhan

There hot sauce is so bland I don't think this place is prob owned by the most whitewashed Mexican , 20 dollars for mediocre food with bland sauces and stingy in the meat .

Philine Emmrich

Gave me food poisoning. I had to throw up for a week straight. I’m not the type to post a bad review, but I can’t hold back and they disrespected my culture. The Guac tasted like puke and I mean that in an honest way. No offer to give me money back. I will not be back.

Jordy Velazquez

I occasionally go to Alberto’s to buy food for my lunch break. After I ordered my carne asada fries, I pulled up to the window, and the lady asked what salsa I wanted. I told her “green,” and she asked, “Red?” And I repeated myself, saying “green.” She then said Green as she heard me clearly. After getting my food, I checked, and all I got was only red salsa. Like, come on. I said GREEN!

T

I dont know what that meat is in the carne asada burritos but its not carne asada I haven't been here in years. I was back in the area, so I was craving one.. the meat is chunky and dry no flavor i also got a bag of carrots which were starting to go bad they were kind of slimy

Eric Torres

Cali burrito was sooooooo dry .. Tortilla little burnt n crunchy. , carne asada And fries over cooked Definitely not coming back here Especially not for what they charge And how small portions are

Bre Marie

I’ve been to other Alberto’s locations and the food is pretty good this location. The food is disgusting. I got a chili relleno burrito and I can’t even begin to explain what was inside of it because I don’t know. but I had a red pepper instead of green and the cheese inside of it was a piece of string cheese never again.