The Taco Stand in Encinitas and La Jolla

Tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tamales, and enchiladas — these are just a short list of Mexican comfort foods that have become favorites for many Californians such as myself. Even more so, everyone from California knows that some of the best Mexican foods are found in the more southern parts. Chipotle? Taco Bell? El Monterey’s frozen foods? Forget about those. You can definitely find more authentic Mexican food at taco trucks cruising around. However, the rave nowadays down here in the south has been The Taco Stand. For those of you who are not aware, there are currently four locations available in San Diego: La Jolla, Encinitas, Downtown, and most recently at North Park. I have personally been to The Taco Stand myself once at the Encinitas location and my experience has been an easy 5/5. My friend and I ordered two California burritos for us each and then some Carne Asada fries to share with a large coke. Suffice to say as a steak connoisseur, they were absolutely delicious. For $8.49 for the mega fries and $7.89 for the California burritos, we thought the portions were filling and the meat quality was top notch. Though neither of us ended up finishing our meal, we had plenty of leftovers to munch on later.

Upon entering this place you will be surrounded by a very white and red color scheme with a utilitarian feel to it all around— giving it quite an overall cozy, laid back, authentic, yet hipster like vibe. It was similar to Chipotle in that the ordering and cooking area was covered in metal plates, except painted. For a taco stand, the size of this establishment is on the bigger side and it was expectantly pretty packed the last time I was there during lunch hours. There weren’t a whole lot of seats available so my friend and I had to wait a few minutes before we got to sit down and eat. With the menu being very extensive and including a ton of options for tacos, breakfast, burritos, quesadillas, side orders, and drinks, it was hard to decide what we wanted off the bat. The prices are typical of other authentic Mexican cuisine, affordable but not entirely cheap. Despite the usual influx of hungry customers, the workers there are seemed quite friendly, speedy, and efficient to make their patrons’ dining experiences a satisfying one. Homemade, everything from the tortillas to pico de gallo tasted fresh and the meals were prepped on the spot— leaving us anticipating for more the next time around. 

When asking several other friends and acquaintances from the area who have tried out The Taco Stand, they seem to concur that the selection of burritos and tacos were some of their favorites. Family and dog friendly with free Wi-Fi and parking, The Taco Stand is the perfect place to dine for a casual meal or even snack under a relaxing ambience. With a nearly five star rating and plenty of raves and positive customer feedback on Yelp, it is no surprise that they plan on further expanding their location in Miami and Orange County. I say my verdict is yes, the hype is real and it is one of my preferred choices of Mexican restaurants. Open at least eleven hours every day from depending on the location and the day of the week (opening at either 9 a.m. or 10 a.m.), the "Tijuana inspired", underrated taqueria has truly grown its popularity since 2013 in a short span of time. For further pictures, reviews, and details go ahead and check out their site at www.letstaco.com and Instagram page: letstaco.