Don Carlos Taco Shop
737 Pearl St,Ste 113, La Jolla, CA, 92037
Don Carlos Taco Shop Menu
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Salads
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Tortas
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Crispy Tacos
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Meat Burritos
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Vegetarian Burritos
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Side Orders
Diabetics at McDonald's
Most burgers served at McDonald's are low in sugar but there are several burgers which are high in sodium. You must choose burger options which are low in sugar and moderate in sodium content. You can also avoid extra dressings or cheese over your burger to control diabetes at McDonald's.
Foods to Avoid for Diabetics at McDonald's
Diabetics will find many tempting food items at McDonald's but most of these food items are also high in sugar or sodium. Diabetics must skip desserts and shakes at McDonald's to avoid sugar spike. You should also skip all McCafe drinks except a few containing low sugar and fat-free options. Besides the drinks and beverages, you should also avoid bacon-based and sausage-based burgers and sandwiches to limit your sodium intake. Diabetics should also skip the sausage-based salad options available at McDonald's.
Food Suggestions for Diabetics at McDonald's
Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad
Nutritional Facts: 350 calories, 12g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4.5g), 1070mg sodium, 27g carbs, 6g sugar, 6g fiber, 37g Protein
Egg McMuffin®
Nutritional Facts: 300 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 6g), 760mg sodium, 30g carbs, 3g sugar, 2g fiber, 17g Protein
4-piece Chicken McNuggets®
Nutritional Facts: 180 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 340mg sodium, 11g carbs, 0g sugar, 1g fiber, 17g Protein
Kiddie Cone
Nutritional Facts: 45 calories, 1g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0.5g), 20mg sodium, 8g carbs, 6g sugar, 0g fiber, 1g Protein
4-piece Chicken McNuggets® Happy Meal
Nutritional Facts: 180 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 340mg sodium, 11g carbs, 0g sugar, 1g fiber, 10g Protein
Iced Latte
Nutritional Facts: 90 calories, 4.5g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 65mg sodium, 7g carbs, 7g sugar, 0g fiber, 4g Protein
World Famous Fries®
Nutritional Facts: 230 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 1.5g), 160mg sodium, 29g carbs, 0g sugar, 3g fiber, 3g Protein
Healthy Meal suggestions for Don Carlos Taco Shop
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Salads
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Tortas
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Crispy Tacos
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Meat Burritos
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Vegetarian Burritos
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Side Orders
High Blood Pressure at McDonald's
Most burgers at fast food joints contain a high amount of sodium. You must keep your sodium intake in check if you are suffering from high blood pressure. McDonald's offers a wide range of burgers based on your diet preferences. Choose the right burger and avoid French fries at all cost while dining at McDonald's.
Foods to Avoid at McDonald's for High Blood Pressure
Avoid Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit Burger and Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddles at McDonald's as both these burgers are high in sodium. Skip extra cheese and avoid French fries if possible as they are too greasy and can add to your sodium intake. Also, avoid all types of sausage-based burgers or sandwiches at McDonald's to limit your sodium levels.
Food Suggestions for High Blood Pressure at McDonald's
Side Salad
Nutritional Facts: 15 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 15mg sodium, 3g carbs, 1g sugar, 1g fiber, 10g Protein
Filet-O-Fish®
Nutritional Facts: 390 calories, 19g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4g), 560mg sodium, 38g carbs, 5g sugar, 2g fiber, 17g Protein
Baked Apple Pie
Nutritional Facts: 240 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 6g), 95mg sodium, 35g carbs, 16g sugar, 4g fiber, 2g Protein
Vanilla Cone
Nutritional Facts: 200 calories, 5g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 3.5g), 95mg sodium, 32g carbs, 16g sugar, 4g fiber, 2g Protein
Americano
Nutritional Facts: 0 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 10mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Coffee
Nutritional Facts: 0 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 20mg sodium, 1g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 2g Protein
Apple Slices
Nutritional Facts: 15 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0 g), 0mg sodium, 4g carbs, 3g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Visit below restaurant in La Jolla for healthy meals suggestion.
High Cholesterol at MCDONALD'S
Cholesterol is the biggest concern for people visiting McDonald's, especially people suffering from high cholesterol. You can order chicken or egg burgers instead of ham or cheeseburgers to maintain your cholesterol levels at McDonald's. In addition, you can also try the salads and opt for drinks that low in sugar.
Foods to Avoid at MCDONALD'S for High Cholesterol
Bacon-based items are often too greasy and high in bad cholesterol. If you are concerned about high cholesterol, then you must avoid all bacon-based burgers and salads. Also, skip the Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Tenders to keep your cholesterol levels in check. You must also keep sausage-based items at bay when dining at McDonald's.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at MCDONALD'S
Side Salad
Nutritional Facts: 15 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 15mg sodium, 3g carbs, 1g sugar, 1g fiber, 1g Protein
Egg White Delight McMuffin®
Nutritional Facts: 260 calories, 8g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4.5g), 780mg sodium, 29g carbs, 3g sugar, 2g fiber, 16g Protein
McChicken®
Nutritional Facts: 410 calories, 22g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4g), 590mg sodium, 39g carbs, 5g sugar, 2g fiber, 15g Protein
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
Nutritional Facts: 140 calories, 5g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 125mg sodium, 22g carbs, 12g sugar, 1g fiber, 2g Protein
Hamburger Happy Meal
Nutritional Facts: 480 calories, 16g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 5g), 680mg sodium, 62g carbs, 21g sugar, 3g fiber, 22g Protein
Cappuccino
Nutritional Facts: 120 calories, 6g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 3.5g), 80mg sodium, 9g carbs, 9g sugar, 0g fiber, 6g Protein
Yoplait® GO-GURT® Low Fat Strawberry Yogurt
Nutritional Facts: 45 calories, 0.5g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 30mg sodium, 9g carbs, 5g sugar, 0g fiber, 2g Protein
Visit below restaurant in La Jolla for healthy meals suggestion.
Q & A for McDonald's
When McDonald's first opened?
McDonald's began its operations by converting food and drinks stand called "The Airdrome" into first McDonald's restaurant.
When does McDonald's open?
McDonald's opens daily at 5:30 AM and stays open until 11:00 PM.
Which McDonald's is open 24 hours?
Unfortunately, there are not a single McDonald's which operates 24/7.
Where's McDonald's near me?
There are over 13,905 McDonald's outlets in the United States itself. You can find a McDonald's nearby with the help of our Restaurant Listings directory.
When McDonald's start and stop serving breakfast?
McDonald's starts serving breakfast at 5:30 AM daily until 10:30 AM.
When McDonald's start and stop serving lunch?
McDonald's starts serving lunch at 10:30 AM from Monday to Friday and 11:00 AM on Saturdays and Sundays. Happy Meals are also served during lunch hours.
Will McDonald's bring back the McRib?
McRib is back at McDonald's since October 2018.
Will McDonald's bring back spicy McChicken?
McDonald's in the United States has no plans currently to bring back the Spicy McChicken.
Will McDonald's bring back the Grand Mac?
McDonald's doesn't serve Grand Mac currently and there are no plans to bring it back anytime sooner. You can always try the Big Mac if you have a large appetite for burgers.
Are McDonald's milkshakes gluten free?
Yes, all flavors of McDonald's milkshakes are gluten-free. Nearly all beverages served at McDonald's are gluten-free.
Are McDonald's burgers gluten-free?
Unfortunately, McDonald's does not serve gluten-free burgers. All the buns and other ingredients such as fried chicken patties, grilled chicken patties, beef patties, sauces, condiments, etc. contain gluten.
Are McDonald's Apple Pies vegan?
Generally, Apple Pies are prepared using shortcrust pastry which contains eggs. However, McDonald's Apple Pie pocket is vegan-friendly as it is both dairy and egg free.
Are McDonald's Veggie Burgers vegan?
Veggie Burgers served at McDonald's are purely vegan. Just remember to skip the sauce as the sandwich sauce contains egg.
Are McDonald's Milkshakes vegetarian?
Yes, McDonald's milkshakes are 100% vegetarian and don't contain any meat product.
When did McDonald's introduce McCafe?
McDonald's McCafe was introduced by McDonald's as a separate coffee chain in 1993. The café also served great bakery and pastry besides offering a great variety of coffee beverages.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
About McDonald's
McDonald's is the largest American fast food company with over 37,855 outlets spread across 100 countries. Primarily known for hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and French fries, McDonald's menu also serves chicken dishes, breakfast products, soft drinks, wraps, milkshakes, and desserts today. The restaurant chain introduced smoothies, salads, fish, and fruits on the menu to offer healthy food options at McDonald's.
The restaurant began its operations in 1940 in San Bernardino, California, United States. The name of the restaurant comes from its founders Richard and Maurice McDonald. The siblings started the food business as a hamburger stand which was later converted into a restaurant franchise in 1953. The first Golden Arches logo was also introduced in the same year.
Healthy Food Options at McDonald's
McDonald's was highly criticized for its unhealthy food options. Being a renowned brand and a popular fast food chain, McDonald's decided to revamp its image and decided to serve healthy food options. Most of these healthy food choices were salads, smoothies, fruits, and fish items.
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Address :
737 Pearl St,Ste 113
La Jolla, CA, 92037 - Phone (858) 456-0462
- Website https://eataburrito.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :9:00 am - 8:00pm
- Mon : 9:00 am - 8:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Soups C.
The best taco you can buy anywhere. Period. I have been everywhere in Mexico, I grew up eating real Mexican food in San Diego, not the fake stuff served all over the rest of the US. Short of a few taco trucks I frequent and some remote villages in mainland Mexico this place is the bomb for a taco shop. They do this thing with spiced and mashed up potatoes that is combined with any other taco filling that is soooooo good. I used to live in Wind n Sea about 15 years ago and when I went back a few weeks ago, I purposely singled this place out as the focal point of my trip. One hint - order the potato shrimp taco, oh and order more than one cuz you will like it so much you are just gonna have to stand in line again to get another.
(5)Rob D.
just when you think there isn't a single good place to eat around UCSD... the food here is pretty great and they're vegan friendly. i had potato enchiladas and my precious ladyfriend had a tofu burrito of some kind. luckily, the burrito was large and too much for her so i acted a gentleman and ate the last half of it for her. a grade A burrito - i was really into the tortilla and there was some kind of celery taste that was working for me as well. the enchiladas were excellent. we also got a side of freedom fries, which i was okay with. the aforementioned ladyfriend was not down with the fact that they appeared to be frozen crinkle cuts, with which i can't argue. i think i was just really hungry and the fries filled a void before i actually got into the entrees, but i do think that they should've been made fresh. summary is that this place is definitely recommended and i will certainly be going back. (btw congratulations to these guys for getting the eataburrito.com domain)
(5)Ravi S.
This place is damn good and cheap too. You can get the Don Carlos special for $5.25 which includes 5 rolled tacos with guacamole, beans, rice, and spicy carrots. Oh yeah a drink too. It probably isn't the absolute best mexican food I've ever had, but for the price it can't be beaten. Oh yeah, the horchata/jamaica/tamarindo is too sweet.
(5)Jay T.
back in the old days about 7 years ago, I used to come here all the time at lunch for a $3 california burrito, now it seems everytime I go there the prices go up.. food still tastes great though.
(3)Janani C.
4 Stars because its close to home and has decent Vegetarian options unlike the other 101 Mexican places. We ordered the corn tamales - the tamales of the day. It was sweet and tasty. I guess they have the Corn tamales on most of the days?? This review is only for the Vegetarian food there.. We ordered the Rolled Tacos (Potato w/ Guacamole) and Vegi Chimichanga (Rice, Beans, Potato). Both were OK, but we felt the seasoning was very mild and it was a little bland. They provide their orders with spicy sauce so overall taste was good.
(4)Holly H.
A descent low cost food option in La Jolla. Probably not the best place for the high maintenance eater.
(4)Brent B.
Ordered a fish taco and a bean/cheese burrito. I got it quickly and it was delicious. No complaints, I will be back to try something else.
(4)Ivan M.
Just the absolute best when it comes to good tacos and burritos. Me and my best friend come here immediately when we come home from college. I get the shredded beef tacos, and he goes for shrimp. We've been coming here for 4 years now, and every single time we eat in absolute silence. The food is that bomb. I usually get a burrito to go as well because they're just too good to pass up. On top of all of that, the salsas are out of this world delicious (I recommend eating with your taco/burrito in your left hand, and a bottle of red salsa in your right hand).
(5)Hillary G.
One of my favorite places to eat in San Diego, with some of the best people around running it! A few years ago, I had heard Don Carlos Taco Shop had vegetarian and even vegan offerings, and I just had to see for myself. Being vegan, it is hard to find really good Mexican food, but we found it! And we were pleased to find many options to choose from. They are also VERY accommodating and if you let them know you are veggie/vegan, you'll even get some great tips on how to customize your meal. They won me over that very first day and we've been going back ever since! LOVE DCTS!
(5)Zach S.
Quality food, quality service.
(5)Stephanie S.
Parking is typical downtown La Jolla - mainly street parking. However, I came here with a couple of friends late one night, so parking was not that much of a hassle. It's really small. If you aren't on the look-out for it, you may miss it. There were maybe about 3/4 tables inside, but there are a couple more outside. However, that's only a small issue when you look at the menu. I was so shocked at their prices and the variety of items offered on their menu! Prices are GREAT, so, naturally, I took forever thinking about what I wanted.. I found the menu online for anyone who's curious, and let me say, I'm drooling as I'm looking at it. eataburrito.com/menus/Dc… They have SO many options, and different combos. I really liked how they had vegetarian options. Even though I love my meat, I was seriously considering getting a vegetarian burrito, because they sounded so delicious! But, meat won out this time. I got the California burrito, and added beans to it for ~50 cents, I think. Also - I got two potato rolled tacos. The burrito was pretty big, and it was yummy! Since I ate it then and there, the fries were still crunchy. They use crinklecut fries, so it took me off guard, but I like it, because it adds a bit more crunch. The beans made it more yummy, so be sure to add that in! Their rolled tacos, however, I didn't like so much. It was piping hot and made fresh, but I feel like the potato didn't have any flavor - it tasted like boiled potatoes that were just mashed and stuck in there. Other than the rolled tacos, and kind of difficulty in finding seats, I really enjoyed this place. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying all the other items. :)
(4)Peter G.
Love the la Jolla, California with chicken green Sause is the best. If your looking for a great small Mexican spot this is it
(5)Nick B.
My wife and I used to go to Don Carlos but they closed for renovations for about a week or so. We tried other taco shops particularly the new Taco Stand down the street which we liked. Good fresh food but a limited menu if you are vegetarian. Yesterday for a change we again tried Don Carlos . The food was terrific! The portions were large and the food tasted like genuine Mexican food. More importantly, their menu had great variety for all type of eaters. We are glad we returned and will continue to go to Don Carlos for authentic Mexican
(5)David L.
It's ok. Tried a carnitas burrito. Meat was good, but it was too much tortilla. Same thing with the tacos. Tried a chorizo taco, they put cheese on it which makes it salty. I'm sure their vegetarian stuff is ok, but this was a one time stop so i won't be exploring their menu. If I had a chance to come back, I probably wouldn't.
(3)Jenna C.
What just made my mid-morning surf session even better? A set of these tasty fish tacos!
(4)James R.
I love this place! As a vegetarian I'm usually limited to one or two burrito variations but Don Carlos has 10! letting me mix it up a bit and I love it! By far the best taco shop in La Jolla!
(5)Une F.
We had been coming here now and then since we live close by, and the food is ok. The last time we came here, the white 30-ish chubby dude (the owner?) was surly and rude, and we have not been back since. We had wanted to get an order of 20 potato rolled tacos and he said he only had 20 to sell and we could not buy all of them, we would have to do a pre-order. The point of having them made is so that customers would buy them, whether 1 party of customers all at once or 4 customers by the end of the day. Wtf. What an idiot. It would be best for him to let his friendly Mexican staff handle his front register, since he's a complete buffoon.
(1)Will M.
Recently ranked 5th best taco shop in all of San Diego however, this place is number one in my book for numerous reasons. Service is amazing, Jefe is always greeting everyone, hooking them up! Making suggestions, just an all around great place to be, and eat!
(5)Soo H.
This is a great place to get something to go and watch the sunset at the beach! I usually get the beef taco with potato. It has a delicious crunchy shell. The flavors from the mix of shredded beef and potato is awesome. This is one of my fav tacos in town. I've met the owner who is very nice. I also tried the carnitas taco. I found it to be dry and not having much flavor.
(4)Michael R.
Hand down, flat out the best Mexican place in the world -- you can't beat a California burrito with spicy red sauce and the humor and friendship of Ryan every time you come back from college for break.
(5)Brogue S.
Great food and all the people making the food are very nice. Only exception is the guy up front who works the cash register. Can be hot or cold, rude, foul mouthed and really is a negative to the place.
(4)Kitty K.
Been going here since I was a kid. My fav is the rolled tacos but everything is yummy here!
(5)Matt B.
Got a last minute tip to stop at this place and I'm so glad we did. Putting french fries in a carne asada burrito may not seem like a great idea...but it is. It really, really is.
(4)Lauren T.
Someone from SD told me that the tacos in LA aren't truly authentic Mexican. I went here and felt the same way about tacos in SD. LOL, given I went to La Jolla and got tacos. I've definitely experienced better.
(2)Giovanni M.
The food was average, just another typical San Diego Mexican fast food restaurant. I wouldn't go out of my way for this.
(3)Globe T.
Ugly, gaudy and looks like mexico. But it has amazing La Niña burrito. A little salsa with every bit and you would crave this for years to come. Owner is super friendly and knows a lot about you no matter where you are from. He even played Bollywood songs for us. Have some good food while you share some interesting stories of your trip.
(4)Priya G.
One of my favorite burritos in California!! I'm from San Francisco, and my favorite burrito up here is from Papalote, which I think is extra tasty because of the orange sauce that they serve their burritos with. What I like about Don Carlos is that it feels VERY authentic. When you go there, it's a quaint, typical taqueria and the menu is very large but it's really easy to choose what you want. I knew I wanted a chicken burrito, and I decided to go with the pollo asado. My other friends got the veggie burrito and the soyriso burrito. You can ask for black beans and and it comes tightly wrapped in a flour tortilla. We asked these to go and we went back to the rooftop of my friend's house in La Jolla and enjoyed our burrito and soaked in the view of the beach. When I took my first bite of the burrito, I think I almost died and became a new person - it was sooooo yummy and flavorful and it was one of the best burritos I'd ever had. Keep in mind that these burritos are huge - we each only ate half of ours in the first sitting, and we finished the rest later that day for dinner. We also got Mexican cokes and asked for tons of extra salsa for the chips. I loved the green salsa more - make sure you get tons of these to go with your burrito, it adds a lot! Out of the 4 types of burritos we got, I liked mine (pollo asado) and the soyriso one too - the soyriso has a lot of flavor and is actually a little spicy. If you're vegetarian, I would get that instead of the normal veggie one. I believe they have vegan options here too, but not sure. I can't wait to got back to SD just to go to Don Carlos Taco Shop again!!!! SO YUMMY! A great $7 investment...
(5)eve c.
we miss it and had to do a U-turn. Yummy Tacos! :) Will come back.
(4)Afshawn C.
It's almost a year and a half later and I still love Don Carlos! My friends and I have now ventured into their breakfast burritos, which are just as heavenly as the other burritos. My favorite is the Hang Over, which has carne asada AND bacon. If you get a breakfast burrito from Don Carlos, don't expect to move for a few hours... A few other updates since my last review: -Don Carlos does not do substitutions, only additions. If you're like me and demand guacamole or avocados in all of your Mexican food, this will require you to get strategic with the menu. For example, it's cheaper for me to order a Carne Asada burrito (which comes with guac) and add fries than it is for me to order a California burrito and add guac. That way, I also don't get the sour cream in the California burrito (which I'm not a huge fan of). -My roommate has ordered the Soyrizo burrito multiple times and swears its delicious, so if you're a vegetarian you can still enjoy Don Carlos! -There is always parking on Eads, right by Dick's Liquor. Just note that the first 2 parking spots are 15 minute spots, not 2 hour spots. -As we live in UTC, it can take a bit of time for us to venture into downtown La Jolla. We've started calling in our order as soon as we get in the car so that way the food is ready by the time we arrive. -They do close early if it's slow, so call ahead! I've turned a few friends onto Don Carlos and they all agree - it's some of the best Mexican food in San Diego! Definitely check it out - and be prepared to skip the rest of your meals that day!
(5)Stephanie F.
Excellent fish taco!! Went here for lunch with my parents and they loved the fish taco as well! Close to the beach if you want to grab a few to go for a picnic.
(4)Ali Y.
Best Mexican food ever! I always get the vegetarian tofu burrito with grilled peppers and onions. We eat here at least once a week and drive nearly twenty-two miles to do so- it's that good! They have a lot of vegetarian and vegan selections on their menu but if you are a vegan don't be a turd and assume that they are going to know off of your aura or whatever.
(5)John F.
i asked if the black beans were refried and this lunch box working there was a total dick to me, im not even gonna mention what he said, but he kind of flew off the handle about the beans, like this dude who serves giant burritos to tourist and rich white people is some sort of authority on authentic mexican food, do your self a favor go to el zarape or alberts
(1)Angela E.
This place is so delicious! It's a tiny little hole in the wall quick service restaurant. There definitely isn't a lot of room to sit, so it might be a good idea to take your food to go. When we ate there, the whole process took almost 20 minutes to get our food, so it's definitely not fast. Then we had to wait 10 minutes for someone to get up so we could sit down. The food was worth the wait, but it was still annoying.
(3)Deb B.
Wow. Awesome breakfast burritos! We ate here on a hookie day and we're very satisfied. We sat out on the patio with our beers and burritos with smiles. There hot sauces are also very good. Hot sauce can make everything better ;d
(5)Bob T.
We were excited to try this place based on the reviews, but didn't live up to expectations. The chips, salsa and guac were great. The carne asada burrito was huge and inexpensive, but was extremely hot from a temp perspective, couldn't eat it for 10+ mins (and that's a long time for me to stare at food, haha). But the burrito itself wasn't amazing, it was a 3 star. The pollo asada was a 1 to 2 star. No flavor whatsoever. Averaged this place to a three since it was priced reasonably and it was just average overall
(3)Jamie T.
I really liked the shrimp enchilada here. The fish taco was good too but I think the enchilada is what got me
(4)Catherine S.
I love love love Don Carlos. All the staff are extremely friendly. Even if I didn't live just blocks away I would make a point to come here. I can't wait to be able to have them cater an event.
(5)Teja C.
If you are vegetarian and want the best Mexican food in San Diego, Don Carlos is it. If you are not vegetarian and want the best Mexcan food in San Diego, Don Carlos will probably be in your Top 3. While I can't speak for carnivores, (just look at their positive reviews of this place to get their opinions), I can tell you that Ryan, the owner, has done a great job building a business that's old school in its relationships with regular customers and new school in their creative approach to food. Whether you are vegetarian or not, you have to try the Scripps Burrito with gucamole. It comes packed with soyrizo and other classic ingredients and is literally one of the best things I've ever tasted when combined with their red house salsa. Sure some of the snobby residents of downtown La Jolla may have described Don Carlos as ugly, gaudy, and reminiscent of Mexico--but when you're looking for great-tasting Mexican food, isn't that a compliment?
(5)Heather B.
I ate here today for lunch with a friend based on all of the reviews. We were both craving Mexican food. I am not a vegetarian, so I will write my review accordingly as a conosseuir of meats. :) I ordered the combo plate with a cheese enchilada, crunchy taco w/shredded beef, and an enchilada. It also came with rice and beans. Not bad for $7.95. I really wanted carne asada, as I'm not a fan of shredded beef, but they didn't have that option. The horchata was okay. It had lots of cinammon flavor, but it was thin and watery. The enchilada was pretty good. I like the red sauce - it was flavorful. The crunchy taco (mind you I failed to realize it would be crunchy or I wouldn't have ordered it) was greasy. The shredded beef was not my favorite. It lacked any flavor and was just a wad of beef at the bottom of the taco topped with shredded lettuce and some cheese. It later gave me a tummy ache. I absolutely LOVE Mexican food, but I've definitely had better. There are some GREAT Mexican food places throughout San Diego. I won't be revisiting this restaurant again, but I guess if you are a vegetarian or vegan this place would be a viable option.
(3)Shelby L.
Not really sure how to rate this based on stars, so I went in the middle. Will I return? Yes. Very good prices for some pretty good food. The inside reminded me of Chronic Tacos with all the stickers and such. I got a Pearl St. Burrito which consists of Potatoes, cheese, eggs, and bacon. Was a very large burrito for only 4.95. However I was slightly disappointed that 75% of it contained mashed potatoes. Still good, but I really like a evenly proportioned burrito. They season the potatoes so they weren't plain, just a ton of them in such a small area. Staff was friendly. Still on the look out for my go to spot though.
(3)Theotis M.
Don Carlos is the best Mexican food on the planet. I'm a Vageterian and I always get the chile relleno burrito. I even eat the the enchilada and potato tacos too but the chile relleno burrito is so good that you have to lay down to eat it.Its so good that I actually lick it before I gently devour it with my wanting tongue and hungry throat. I like to take my time eating it because it's so good. Allison L, go back to Taco Bell you freak. A carne asada burrito is suppose to be mostly carne asada, DUH...
(5)Kiki H.
This place made my day! My sister had read the reviews on yelp and we were looking for a quick bite to eat where we could avoid all the memorial day beach goers. We ended up at Don Carlos and it was the best decision I made all weekend. The first things I noticed were the huge menu, diet dr. pepper (any place with this stuff available is my new bff), and lack of salsa bar (but no worries, my faith was restored when our food was brought to us with a huge bottle of homemade red sauce). Then, I was overwhelmed by all the choices. Should I go with one of the breakfast burritos which are served all day? Should I branch out and try a chimichanga, or a combo plate, or a tamale?? I ultimately went with a fish burrito, since I judge all mexi places by the quality of their fish burrito. This one had cabbage, white sauce, salsa and of course fish. The DL: BEST fish burrito I have had to date and I have tried MANY fish burritos since moving to SD. I thought the size was great (it was huge), ingredients were fresh, white sauce was the most tasty I've had yet, and the fish was crispy and not soggy (I hate soggy fish in a fish burrito, it's the worst!) Price was comparable too. I ate this delicious burrito outside with my diet dr. pepper and gazed out at the nice ocean view, I thought it couldn't get better. BUT IT DID! Ryan (who took our order and may be the owner, not sure) came out to ask us how our food was. We got to chatting about yelp, our experience with Mexican food in so cal and in nor cal, and he told us a little about the place. I love when the people who work at restaurants are excited about their jobs and take the time to talk to the customers. After leaving my sister and I to enjoy our meal, he came out a few minutes later with a complimentary piping-hot apple cinnamon tamale! It was excellent. I haven't had many tamales in my life, and definitely not a dessert one, but this one was such a nice surprise and end to our meal! I definitely will be going back here soon since there are many things I still want to try....I think a breakfast burrito is my next order of business. Or maybe a nutella tamale...hmm... ...and to respond to some other yelp reviews, I actually was there when they got their fresh produce for the week....and I watched them carry in boxes of fresh tomatoes, avocados, etc. On another note, Ryan talked to my sister and I about "California Mexican" and its differences from "traditional Mexican" and "norcal Mexican." Sure, if you go to Mexico, are you going to find lots of burritos etc? NO, of course not! But this is "California Mexican," and you live in California don't you? If you really want a crap 2 cent taco Mexican style, then by all means go to TJ and enjoy your "traditional taco." There really isn't just one "Mexican" kind of food and the best part of being so close to Mexico is that we get a fusion of different flavors and ideas. I think this place is the real deal and I appreciate the owner's pride in their ingredients and mixture of tradition and calimex cuisine. See ya next week, Don Carlos, we have ourselves a breakfast burrito date!
(5)Adrian C.
Very good crispy fish and potato tacos. Pacificos, the large bottles, always a treat. Not very welcoming or accommodating to young kids, pretty decent overall, but not quite as good as yelp led us to believe.
(2)Adam T.
This place has had a lot of hype behind it as of late and my curiosity was peaking, so I finally checked it out yesterday. It isn't every day that I go out of my way to go to La Jolla but Don Carlos made it far worth the drive. DC's has an awesome vegetarian selection with some delicious and ginormous creations. I had a bean enchilada, a potato enchilada, and tried the hard shell bean taco and some rice and beans on the side. All of it was delicious. I like to test places out by their enchilada or mole sauces if they have it and the enchilada sauce is very good. The potato filling was super tasty. Sometimes places do the potato thing and leave it a bit bland. Not so with DC. The next time I go here I am going to get one the burritos with a star next to them which indicates that they are over a pound! The Scripps burrito is one of the vegetarian over-pounders and comes with fries, sour cream, cheese, salsa, and soyrizo, Damn! If it is meat you are craving, it smells delicious and I saw about 15lbs of carne asada being grilled up when I was in there in the afternoon. Good price, all kinds of daily deals, they have bottled beer, canned sodas, and horchata.
(5)Kailey S.
Never had anything bad from here. It is especially nice because it is friendly to vegetarians. they have potato options for tacos, burritos, taquitos, and enchiladas. The breakfast burrito is served all day (excellent option). It is a small place, limited seating. It doesn't have a designated closing time, it stays open as long as there are customers. The owner it super friendly and always has tons of stories. I go here often.
(5)Denise A.
It was good for Mexican fast food. Much better than the Filibertos/Rolibertos back home in Phoenix. Had a taste of the potato taco...yum! The carne asada burrito was good and big, so could only eat 1/3 of it. The menu is clearly visible on sheets of paper that cover the wall. This is a small little taco shop with only a few tables and the food is reasonably priced. My visit felt inviting and the service was friendly. Bottom line, its not my Tia's home cooked food, but hey it's fast food and good for what it is.
(4)Leslie G.
I have been waiting forever to go to Don Carlos. It's in La Jolla, and I never go to La Jolla, so I had to go out of my way to check it out. Worth it! I got a combo with a cheese/jalapeno tamale and a potato hard shell taco, with rice and beans, for $8.25. It was excellent. It isn't everyday a vegetarian can get a hard shell taco, so I take every opportunity I can get. The same goes for vegetarian tamales - not a lot of places offer them, so this puts Don Carlos above the rest. The red and green sauces were also excellent, and I would highly recommend adding a small bag of chips to your order - hot and fresh. I could have done with out the very loud, very nerdy (not in a fashionable way) UCSD students sitting right behind me (talking about how they were going to major in "wall street," like that's even a thing!), but the delicious food helped take my mind off how annoying they were. Seriously, when did college kids become so unbearable? I guess I'm officially old. The inside only has three tables, and we somehow got there with no line, but the rest of the time we were there (around 1pm on a Friday) there was a line out the door. Some smarties were picking up their phoned-in orders as well. I am now accepting suggestions on excuses to go to La Jolla so I can then visit Don Carlos Taco Shop.
(5)Hayley H.
I remember scouting yelp at the beginning of the year and finding Don Carlos. I was really surprised at how large the menu was and am so happy that I finally decided to try it this past weekend. Being Memorial Day weekend, my sister and I were looking for cheap, good Mexican as far from the beach as possible. While Don Carlos is pretty close to the beach (you can see the ocean from the terrace!) we decided to give it a go. I ordered a pollo asado taco, and a shrimp taco. What I was given was a pollo asado and a fish, but after trying the fish, I didn't mind at all! Both were equally delicious and I loved the corn tortillas and fresh salsa and guacamole that came with them. Some place (...Chipotle...) will charge an insane amount for guacamole. Not Don Carlos. That's the way Mexican should be. Some people complained that it was expensive....are we talking about the same restaurant?? My total order was under $6, and it plenty of food. yelp.com/biz_photos/TdL_… The guy working (Ryan--he may be the owner...) really made an effort to talk to my sister and I. That is the mark of a person who is truly passionate about their food and loves interaction with their customers. He probably won us over just by the conversations we had about NorCal vs SoCal vs TJ Mexican, and if that wasn't enough, he brought us out a FREE Apple Walnut Tamale! There were slices of apple and whole walnuts smack dab in the middle that were saturated in yummy spices. I've never been a big tamale fan, but just trying that makes me want to go back to get more. He said they have a nutella one...watch out Don Carlos! Your going to need to make an extra batch if I show up on that day! yelp.com/biz_photos/TdL_…
(5)Alex D.
While I enjoy quality Mexican cuisine, this place is seriously overrated even for a fast food establishment. Yes, I understand Don Carlos is mostly popular with cash-strapped college kids looking to make their hangover go away on the cheap after a night of partying and boozing. And sure, the breakfast burritos are very much edible and the ridiculously unhealthy fries can likewise be digested, I suppose. Everything you'll find on the menu appears to be dirt cheap, I'll even give you that. However, I can neither agree with those kinds of arguments when making food choices nor can I really respect a business that caters to the detrimental appetites of its customers.
(3)Eliza T.
Small taco place with great burritos! Fast and friendly service. Many different other options such as tacos, quesadillas, etc. Will come back for sure.
(5)Jessica G.
I would say this food was ok. Didnt think it had any flavor. Probably wouldn't go back there again. The salsa was good especially the red one and we liked the rolled tacos... Otherwise everything else was very plain. :-( Honestly I would have rather eaten at Chipotle down the road....
(2)Sydney C.
I've been going to Don Carlos since I was in high school, and they've never failed to disappoint anything I've ordered from them. My go-to burrito from them is always a La Jolla burrito without salsa, and they do it right every single time! My family is crazy about the bean and cheese burritos with sour cream, and occasionally my father throws some rice into the mix. I would try everything on the menu at least once if you're a local. If you're from out of town definitely go for the California Burrito. Better yet, ask the people in the shop what is good; the community knows what's up. The Don has AUTHENTIC Mexican food and always makes it how it is supposed to taste, no frills attached. It's hot, spicy, ugly, gaudy, and looks like Mexico.
(5)Lizzie P.
After going to Don Carlos for over a handful of times. Talking to everyone about how wonderful they are. And bringing friends to try them out. We traveled from East County in the pouring rain just for their food. We love it soo much. They are the best vegetarian and vegan option in San Diego. Not to mention best Mexican food in SD. They have a huge menu!! Their soyrizo is to die for. And their bean, rice and cheese burrito is close to my heart. Food is fresh and never sits heavy. Staff is soo friendly. Only drawback. They should bring back their awesome tshirts they have hanging on their walls...tempting me....
(5)michelle m.
Small,cozy,true taco shop. Actually have vegan options which was awesome for me! I got sorizo tacos and matt got a california burrito that was as big as his head and said it was delicious..in its meaty,cheesy french fry goodness. They also have tight beer koozies and foam "fuck you fingers" Also mad cheap.
(4)Brian A.
Very tasty food. Ordered more food than we could eat. Smaller dining area but great tasting food. Would recommend trying it out.
(4)Adam C.
You wouldn't know from the looks of the place, but Don Carlos Taco Shop makes some of the best Mexican food you will ever eat. Yelp reviews brought me to this place and I was not disappointed. Coming in from Chicago (where there surprisingly is not a lot to choose from when it comes to Mexican food), I was really trying to get my Mexican fix. I also wanted to show my 3 year old son what good Mexican food is supposed to taste like. Don Carlos hit the spot. The shredded beef tacos are absolutely amazing in every possible way. My son even ate a whole one by himself, asking me to put the "green ketchup" (salsa verde) on it for him. This dad was so proud! I am only here. For 2 more days, but I'm already looking forward to my next visit.
(5)Jimi K.
What a bummer. I live so close ive been a regular. Though I feel like this place always gives me, personal poor service. This incident lost my business for good though. For starters I call in my order. The lady there (shorter Mexican lady) puts me on hold for a two minutes or longer (I didn't bother waiting). So I decided to order in person. When I walked in there was a groupie of Hispanics in there 30s-40s and buddy-buddy with the lady up front. I waited behind them as they ordered and upon coming up to the counter the lady tells me they're closed. They were 15 min till closing mind you. I told her I called and she didn't pick up prior. She followed up with saying she came back after 2 minutes and I wasnt there (that's 4 min on the phone total of waiting). It's disappointing that she plays favorites to customers or her amigos but it is what it is. Food is good, but service could really use a revamp.
(1)Kailey F.
THIS is quality Mexican food. Some Mexican restaurants can be a little dodgy, but Don Carlos puts the yummiest and freshest ingredients in their food. My favorite is the Carne Asada burrito or the La Jolla burrito.
(5)Raymond A.
This place has the best tamales in la jolla. They are f'n good!!! I have had the chicken and red beef ones. I seriously can have about 10+ of them in one sitting, they are that good. Give them a god, you will be so happy you did.
(5)Crystal T.
This place is definitely authentic. Food was good, nice that they have vegetarian options. I ordered the soyrizo burrito, it was huge. Maybe 4 times what I "should" be eating in one sitting, with that said I had no problem polishing it off. If I'm in la jolla and needing a Mexican food fix this will be my go to.
(4)Bob F.
One of my all time favorite taco shops. I was born and raised in az and surrounded by Mexican food. Very clean and fresh ingredients. Wish I could eat this back home!
(5)Wendy H.
Costumer Service was horrible but I don't care there food is AMAZING! WOW! WOW!WOW! I am in heaven.
(4)Michael B.
Don Carlos is in my Holy Trinity of San Diego burrito institutions. It is one of the jewels of Mexican food around here. Prices are reasonable, selection is massive, the employees are friendly and Ryan, the owner, really cares about his food and his restaurant. First off, the menu is much more creative than any other mexican place I've ever been too. They mix it up here. You don't come here and get a California burrito (although they are excellent here), you try out one of the unique concoctions they've come up with, and then you leave satisfied. There's stuff on the menu I wouldn't ever imagine, and most of it is delicious. I'm a big fan of the La Jolla burrito, which is a California burrito with chicken substituted for the beef and generous helping of guacamole. It's not the most exciting thing on the menu, but it's reliable and delicious. Ryan is also playing with sauces and recipes almost every time I come in here. He always has something he wants me and my friends to try out. The guy is creative, and he obviously cares about food and his customers. I've seen some bad reviews on here that mention him in a negative way, and I want to add my voice to that debate. This guy has always been friendly and outgoing, and he's not running this place because he's trying to cook a profit-- he's doing it because he likes food, likes experimenting with food, and likes making customers happy. He's bought me six packs for my birthday from the liquor store next door when I was eating dinner and he was working the counter, he's given my friends t-shirts just because, and he's always been cool. I'm sure he has bad days, but he's just a dude who runs a restaurant and works way too much. Can you blame him for being tired sometimes? And in the interests of full disclosure, no, I have never gotten a free burrito here. And I have always been glad to pay. This is one of the best, most interesting Mex places in San Diego.
(4)Nico H.
This is a "hole in the wall" Mexican food joint. Their burritos are nothing short of amazing. I got the Chimichanga: it was a burrito filled with shrimp, salsa, and melted cheese, FRIED, and then smothered in guacamole and sour cream. What! The sauces are better at the Taco Stand down the street, a larger and better-funded production, but not much can match this chimichanga. My friend got the "rolled tacos" (they were taquitos) and they were kind of dry, nothing memorable. I would stick to the burritos!
(5)Manish G.
They are the best. If you come to San Diego and leave without visiting Don Carlos, do not ever come back to San Diego. I'm addicted to their burritos, I wish they were open 24/7 bcoz at times the most craving for their burrito hits me at 2am. Anyways, Love you guys. keep up the good work. Thanks!
(5)Jackie C.
Probably my favorite taco shop in la Jolla/PB I am a mex lovvvvver & I would eat here every day of the week! Def one of the bigger menus when it comes to taco shops The fish & carnitas taco are perfection (my mouth is watering & im typing this). The guac is on point & make sure you try the salsas they offer! Parking is hit or miss (street parking) & service is great.
(5)Jasmit N.
I got the breakfast burrito here. It was a good burrito. The only thing is that one side has just cheese while the other side was mixed. This was the burrito with carne asada meat I believe. I really liked their green hot sauce, it added to the burrito. The burrito is amazing and the prices are amazing. I would recommend checking out this place.
(4)David D.
The Burritos are HUGE here--So heavy, that you will need to "work out" your arms in the gym to hold one in one hand and eat it at the same time--not for the weak! It's a real local shop, real local, 3 tables inside, and a few outside. Bathroom is outside. We were the only patrons that did not have flip flops and they are ok with no-shoes too I saw. Mom and pop type with some hired help. Relatively inexpensive--large selection of meals all detailed on the wall when you come in. Nothing really more than $7.00. I had the Pasado Burrito which was Chicken, Beans, Rice and Salsa. They gave me TONS of chicken. I really don't know how they keep the lights on giving 3x the amount of chicken that Chipotle does in a 6.50 Burrito. The rice and beans (pinto--Black beans on request only), salsa, and cheese are excellent. Not enough salsa--it was a dry Burrito--I had to douse it with hot sauce to keep it going. Almost no Salsa--it could have used some more. The Chicken did not have the great taste I like--it left that bad aftertaste that I don't like. Not bad in an unhealthful way--just not the best taste. I may stop in again and try something else--they definitely deliver Value with a Capital V! I was just not happy with the chicken taste.
(3)Sally M.
I had a BOGO free burrito coupon, so my husband and I decided to check out Don Carlos for some breakfast burritos. I got the Sunrise burrito (photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/don-… ) and he got the chorizo burrito and they really don't lie, the burritos marked over a pound do really weigh over a pound! I really did weigh the burritos when I got home and my Sunrise was 1lb 3 1/8 oz and my husband's chorizo (w/o lettuce) was 1lb 1 oz. The burritos were really good and very filling. The Sunrise burrito had just the right portion of bacon, ham, cheese, sour cream and potato. The sour cream and cheese were pretty evenly distributed (I hate how some burritos just have a big glob of it at one end of the burrito!) and it was not greasy at all. The chorizo burrito also wasn't greasy and my husband loved it. Pricing was pretty reasonable, we got some Mexican cokes with our burritos and with tax and tip, we paid $14 with the BOGO free burrito coupon. Service was friendly and fast. We'll definitely be back to try their fries and other burritos! Note: Their menu is available on their website: eataburrito.com
(4)Sandi S.
I got the scripps burrito, and oh my god was this a cheat meal worth it! It's a giant burrito stuffed with soyrizo (soy chorizo) and fries (plus other stuff I don't remember)! They have a giant menu and SO many vegetarian options! I love the use of soyrizo, because it's a great way to get protein from not-beans. Their sauces are especially good! It's a little hole in the wall place, with maybe 2 booths inside and a couple bench seating outside. It wasn't crowded when I went on a Sunday after the farmer's market, so there was available seating. Definitely a great place for good Mexican food!
(5)Meghan M.
Every time I'm in the La Jolla area and hungry whether coming back from a dive or a day at the beach, I take whomever I'm with to Don Carlos and every time I do, I get the satisfaction of them inevitably loving whatever they get. Where else do you get an awesome variety of tamales and other menu items that cater to vegetarians and meat-eaters alike? They also use a variety of mushrooms and peppers in a lot of the menu items (El Nino, La Nina) that you just don't see in other hole-in-the-wall Mexican food restaurants in San Diego. It's pretty much everything you're looking for in San Diegan style Mexican food and then some.
(5)Alec H.
Don Carlos is perfect, unapologetic, San Diego-style Mexican food. The food is creative and somewhat non-traditional compared to your average ____berto's style taco shop. It has an awesome Vegetarian menu with Soy Chorizo burritos and taco options for example. And the hot sauce? It's probably unlike anything you've had at other shops--it's dark red and has complex roasted quality that just hits a pleasure-center somehow. If you're looking for TJ style tacos de adobada or something, this may not what you're looking for. But if you want something that is truly San Diegan, Don Carlos is the peak of the game.
(5)brev b.
This was my first time I visited this restaurant. When we arrived, the was a long line. Seating was scarce with only three tables inside their restaurant. ( a few tables outside as well ) So, I gave 4 stars specifically for the "Beef Rolled Tacos(taqueria)" they were spot on! With guacamole and cheese is a must. My dish also came with black beans, (just ok) and refried pinto beans. (Tasty) Others in my party had the crispy beef tacos. The too, were spot on. I think if definitely make this my personal crispy taco and rolled taco spot when I visit la Jolla. Thanks for the good eats.
(5)Lisa K.
Scripps burritos with that green salsa. Yum guys! We crave this particular burrito on those Sunday mornings when you need a kick start :) Also good without cheese & sour cream - vegan style!
(4)Joleen C.
If you are ever in need of some good, authentic tacos-just make a trip to San Diego and leave it to the numerous Mexican restaurants to satisfy your cravings. With all the help I get from Yelp, I've managed to never come across a bad taco place and Don Carlos Taco Shop is another taco place I have to add to one of the good Mexican eateries in San Diego to get your tacos and burritos. Don Carlos Taco Shop is located in downtown La Jolla and serves as the perfect pit stop after a long, relaxing day at the beach. You will have to look for street parking, but there are usually several available if you don't mind some extra walking. It's a small restaurant, but there is outdoor seating available. Read full post/photos here: bythesparklingsea.wordpr…
(4)Mai Linh N.
MEHHH. NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY My friends and I were at UCSD for an event, and we wanted to get some Mexican food close to campus. However, we didn't want to get Vallarta's again because we wanted to try somewhere new. Based on the reviews, we were expecting legit and authentic Mexican food. This place is SUPER tiny, but what else is new? At least parking isn't too bad because it's located near a neighborhood. I got the CALIFORNIA BURRITO - carne asada, fries, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. The total was about $8. 3/5. The burrito was big and wrapped with 2 tortillas, but the insides were very underwhelming. The carne asada was dry as the Gobi desert, even though they made it on the spot. The salsa was non-existent, and the cheese was hard and gunky. GROSS! The fries were so crumbly and fell all over the place when I bit into them. So disappointed. I would gladly go back to Vallarta's after this place. Sorry Don Carlos.
(3)Shaun S.
So good!! Me and the wife got carne asada fries, fish tacos, shrimp tacos and a shrimp burrito bowl. All amazing! Cool place, cool owner
(4)Tim F.
This place is amazing! If I were you, I'd get the carne asada fries... Not only are they inexpensive, but they load them up! All the works are in these fries and they are very fresh! I will be surprised if you finish them. Also the service here is great and they keep their store nice and clean!
(5)Michael C.
Good fish tacos. Great proximity to the beach for a carry-out dinner to watch a sunset. I'm not raving over the Super Nachos like some other reviewers, but they weren't bad. Carne asada was on the overcooked/tough side. Street parking only. Some of the decor may not be children appropriate, but good luck with that anywhere.
(3)Victoria S.
5 stars for their Scripps burrito. Best veggie alternative I've tasted so far! Even carnivores like my husband started ordering it. Very friendly staff, too.
(5)Steven W.
I have probably ordered a 1000 tacos from this place. My favorite taco place in la jolla. These are no street tacos - all their tacos are huge. And the prices are great. All you need to do is order two tacos at like 2.25 each and you are good to go. I order fish, steak, or chicken all the time and they are always great. Note that this is not really a sit down and eat place. It is common for people to be ordering there with no shoes and/or shirts. I highly recommend this place.
(5)Soannia T.
Pretty cool taco shop. We ordered a ton of food since there was so much to choose from. Carne asada fries, super nachos (no sour cream, soyrizo), a soyrizo taco, and a cheese tamale. The food was alright. I wouldn't mind going back to try it again, but with soooo many options in SoCal, I probably wont. It was more of a novelty that I could order the soyrizo items. My fiance however was severely disappointed with the carne asada fries. Perks: you definitely get your moneys worth, because the portions are HUGE! They also have soyrizo for the vegetarians/vegans of SoCal AND vegan tamales!! CONS: the food made me sick.
(3)Scott H.
Had a breakfast burrito on a Sunday morning at Don Carlos. It was about 10:30 and I was the only one in the place, but a couple of other guys came in while I was eating. The place is not large, 3 booths plus some counter seating outside. But, it didn't feel cramped to me. It's got a cool vibe, laid back and homey. I had the sunrise burrito: bacon, ham, egg, cheese, fries and sour cream. It, as advertised, is enormous. Crazy amount of food for only $5. The distribution of ingredients wasn't great, I had several bites that were just cheese and sour cream. The eggs were basically pushed to one side of the burrito. When I got a bite with everything, it was fantastic. Lots of fluffy eggs and a bunch of cheese. I didn't find much bacon, but there was a good amount of ham. It needs sauce, and I preferred the green over the red. The wife had the Pearl Street, which is a burrito with bacon, eggs, potato and cheese. I was expecting it to be smaller, since it's not marked on the menu as one of the larger burritos, but it felt basically the same size. The potatoes in this one were mushy, but peppery. I thought they were great. Again, apply sauce liberally. These are very solid burritos served by friendly people. We'll definitely be back.
(4)Caroline R.
Like others have said, basically a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in La Jolla, but SUCH good food. Burritos are HUGE!! Many vegetarian options as well. My husband loves the Soyrizo burrito, and my favorite is the mushroom burrito with potatoes. These aren't chunks of raw potato and other nearly raw veggies like I've gotten at other places... they're actually cooked and seasoned, SO good. Also LOVE their hot green and smoky red salsas! Prices seem to have gone up a little (think I threw away the receipt already), but it's worth it for food that you'll highly enjoy!
(5)Kyle K.
In a crowded market of quick Mexican food establishments in La Jolla, Don Carlos stands out with its convenient location, nice outdoor dining area (the perfect place to have dinner before catching the sunset!), and delicious take on burritos and tacos. We ordered the La Jolla Burrito (a chicken version of a California Burrito) and the fried fish/potato tacos, both of which had the freshest ingredients and ultimate level of flavor. If you're in the mood for some tasty Mexican food, follow the directions of this shop's website name and "eat a burrito"!
(4)Tiffany D.
Marvelous service from the cashier who hooked us up with extra jalepenos and hot sauces! When in La Jolla, you must get carne asada fries or nachos! I preferred nachos so I ordered that up, grande sized! Nachos were crisp and fresh. The salsas, provided, can be improved. Jalepenos were aye okay. They serve up homemade tamales to take home and pack for a meal. They offer up burritos and tacos as well. Simple dining here, so don't expect much on that. A guaranteed, favorite taqueria shop to stop by!
(4)Jeff D.
Fish tacos and carne asada tacos are the best. We also enjoyed the super nachos and chicken crispy tacos. Great little taco shop in beautiful La Jolla. Outdoor seating and friendly service
(4)Jeff R.
If you're looking for the best Mexican food in la Jolla, look no further. Don Carlos is an institution. Amazing burritos, potato rolled tacos and other Mexican fare. Every time I come home to visit I go out of my way to eat here multiple times and it never disappoints. You definitely don't get this quality of Mexican here in Colorado.. And I miss it daily.
(5)Aletha M.
I'm from New Mexico and am pretty picky about my chile. Their vegetarian chile relleno burrito was AMAZING! Not too hot to still enjoy the flavor and had a savory heat. I'll definitely be back. Update: They do not open until 10am on Saturdays. If you show up at 9am like I did, you'll be disappointed.
(5)Sathya R.
Possibly the greatest Mexican food spot in San Diego. Generous portion size, and has many vegetarian options. The Veggie Chimichanga is a must have!
(5)Jenna F.
Has great burritos that are huge (one pound I believe) and reasonably priced. It was recommended by a UCSD as the "go to" place for burritos. The chicken asado and carnitas burritos were delish! I'd definitely come back here the next time I'm in the area.
(4)Row Bear F.
Probably the best Mexican food in LJ -- and that is a big statement. Quality through and through. Ryan, the owner, is a zero BS guy and is delightfully extroverted if you get him talking.
(5)Yasmyn A.
One of the BEST breakfast burritos I've ever had. Local spot with outside seating and great salsa/sauces!
(5)Gregory M.
This place is easily my favorite taco shop in SD. I usually order the carne asada burrito, which is excellent. Many of the burritos are 1lb or more, and are filling. A ton of options, covering anything you could possibly want. The tamales are excellent too. Go for the green salsa, its amazing. The owner, Ryan, is a character, and clearly cares for his customers, and wants to ensure a great experience. A real class act.
(5)Aaron H.
Every time I hit a La Jolla Beach, I roll into Don Carlos. I've gone here for decades, and they're always my La Jolla Burrito go to joint. They've got tamales and soyrizo. They've got a great, well priced menu. I have Don Carlos salsa in my fridge. My Mom likes their meaty and potato rolled tacos. My brother digs their chimichangas. My lady saves her fish burritos for two meals. I'm all about eating anything on their menu.
(5)Yvonne M.
3.5 Stars The food itself was yummy and satisfying after an afternoon at the beach. I got a carne asada burrito bowl which comes with chips on the side to my surprise and pleasure. The bowl was literally a styrofoam bowl like the ones you get to-go soup in. It was hard to mix the items since it is more deep than it is wide. The carne asada was good though and it was covered with a ton of shredded cheese, none of that fake nacho cheese stuff. My friend's chicken tostada looked good. I would give them 4 stars but they messed up on my two other friends' orders. One of them ordered a potato and egg burrito and they gave her bacon and eggs and the other ordered a pollo asado burrito (no dairy) and they gave her the La Jolla burrito which has fries and a ladleful of sour cream. Good thing she checked first because she's lactose intolerant!
(4)Ava V.
I love this place! My husband I eat here almost every week now. I am a vegetarian and I am so glad that they have SO MANY options!! It is non greasy and very flavorful. We have brought friends and family here and they loved it too!!
(5)Julie G.
I literally just had a burrito here a few hours ago. Lemme tell you...1) I rarely, if not NEVER get burritos, and 2) the usual times my belly see's Mexican food is after a long night out with liquor and beer. Today, not quite. We had planned this Thursdate at the beach, my GF and I, and she goes "Let's take lunch and some drinks to the beach". Thinking about how much more awesome-r a cheat day sounds than the dinky salad, black beans, and detox tea I have sitting in my fridge, I of course didn't pass the opportunity. Mind you, I possess no ability hold back on any of my temptations; therefore, I will always and forever be a flubbery drunk. Amen. So she takes me here, conveniently located to our next stop, Dicks Liquor (BAHAHAHAHA... ew, grow up guys). I almost instantly fell in love; any Mexican shop that offers a vegetarian/vegan menu wins Julie's heart. I ended up getting the pseudo-Cali burrito called Scripps burrito and added mushrooms to it. SO bomb. The soyrizo is realllly yum noms and they put a crap load of mushrooms in it. I. Love. Crap loads. Of Mushrooms. We ordered our goods, went to Dickliqs (BAHAHAHAHHA... seriously guys, quit) for some micheladas, and by the time we got back our food was ready. Fabulous little shop! I will be back for the same routine! Good sht brudduh!
(4)Kevin C.
They cheated me on the amount of pico and potato in my poorly wrapped Hangover Burrito. Hopefully it will be better next time
(3)Zach G.
Fish taco was ok. I've had better. The Carne asada was amazing. Neither were greasy at all. Good food over all. Good price and a nice relaxing atmosphere.
(4)Nicki F.
This is the best taco shop in all of San DIego. And I grew up in Chula Vista so trust me when I say I know me some taco shops!! I'm a pescatarian which is basically a fancy term for annyoying person to eat with. But Don Carlos has all kinds of options for all the carne asada loving people to the seafood and vegetarian loving people like me. The owner is there a lot and hes really friendly and personable. The salsa are off the hook good and now I just feel like a fat kid for going into so much yelp detail about a taco shop. It really is that good tho! Definitely worth hitting up. Try the Mal Hall if youre a pescetarian like me or the Trevino burrito if you're not :)
(5)Aurora P.
The food was ok. I had better and less greasier. My husband didn't like this place. He's not a picky person. We will not come back here again. They did however have great hot sauce (red and green).
(2)Adrian N.
My favorite burrito hands down Bow down to the Don! Been eating these burros since 1999! California and La Jolla are the best!
(5)Jessica M.
If I could pick one spot to try ANY kind of real Mexican food, it would be here. They have HUGE portions and the flavor in every bite is mouthwatering. I got the Shredded Beef Chimichanga with cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and added pico de gallo. I ate 3/4's of it and am saving the rest for later! This place has such a good vibe. My boyfriend and I had such a great time talking with the owner! Everyone that came into the shop knew him as the man with the best Mexican food in town and it was great to see how all the locals knew each other. Will definitely be coming back here next time we venture to San Diego!
(5)Renata M.
I have to say, try the sweet tamales... I tried the mango, and the pinapple ... It's different ... It's From Heaven!! It's a dream! The best tamales ever. It's real Mexican food.
(5)Ariya T.
This place over everything. Their carne asada burrito is ON POINT and their salsas are essential. None of that unnecessary stuff. Just some damn good Mexican food. Shoutout to their down to earth owners and employees as well. I won't nurse a hangover anywhere but here (damn you Ryan for closing on New Years Day). Where would Jesus eat? Don Carlos, that's where.
(5)Hoots S.
Love love their burritos, especially their carnitas but they have many different choices. Their salsa verde is amazing, can't get enough of it. I'm not a tortilla person but their tortilla is the best I've ever had. They have outside seating which is nice, they bring your food to the window when it's ready. Takes about 5 minutes for the food to come out but it's always fresh and hot. Huge portions, come hungry and prepare for a food coma.
(5)Jose G.
Was on my way to a comedy show down the street and based on location and Yelp reviews, Don Carlos seemed like a good place to stop. My lady and I ordered the Don Carlos fries with grilled chicken, removed the sour cream and added guac for a total of about $8.... you can DEFINITELY share this entree with someone... I've never been one to turn away Mexican food... but I almost had to let it go because we were both soo stuffed. We really wanted Carne Asada, but settled for the chicken for the sake of our show that was going to start in 10 minutes. I would say the fries were about 8/10 with Chicken... but with Carne Asada, probably a 9 or 10/10 considering they also had really good guacamole. Place is a little tiny, and they do have bathroom which you need to ask them for a key. Oh, and parking is tough around here... thankfully, we found a spot on the left side of the block/building. Overall, I would definitely go back to if I was in the area... but given that the comedy show sucked, I'm not sure when I'll ever get back to this great little place.
(4)Emily K.
This place is great! I love to come here, grab a BreakFast burrito, head to the beach and nom! The location of the taco shop is the best! SO close to the water. There is a ton to choose from, so you have tons of options. The Breakfast burritos are clutch, and their green salsa is amazing! Please stop by if you are in the neighborhood!
(5)Yan W.
Great tacos and burritos at a cheap price. What else can you ask for? My personal favorite is the carne asada burrito bowl. I also love that they don't charge an exorbitant amount for guac like some other places.
(4)John M.
This is the best taco shop in San Diego. The food is excellent and they cater to everybody from vegan to beefy meat eaters. I have never taken anyone there that didn't love it.
(5)Chris C.
Talk about being one of the best hole-in-the-wall restaurants in La Jolla. This place serves some of the best burritos I've ever had. The el nino burrito is essentially a Philly cheesesteak in a tortilla which you can never go wrong with. The owner is also very friendly and very personable. The only downside to this place is that parking is almost impossible and they have very limited seating. However, the quality and freshness of the food makes up for that.
(4)Deema M.
Best taco shop EVER, potato tacos are incredible!
(5)T H.
Our absolute favorite restaurant in SD/la jolla. Yum yum yum! Literally we would drive two hours just go eat here if we could. The soyrizo Nacho fries are in my dreams. I love it so much. The service is so nice too. Really recommend!!
(5)Simon Y.
Time: N/A, 1PM Weekday. Atmosphere: Little hole in the wall place, nice tables, not very busy. My Order: I ordered the Supreme. An amazing Carnitas burrito, it had the meat game going. This meat had a seared caramelized texture it was hot, piping, steaming on every bite. It was flavor packed with a smoky essence. I can't rave about this enough. The size is about a fully packed authentic burrito/massive Chipotle burrito. Pricing was a bit higher than authentic joints but lower than Chipotle's. The sauces were pretty good too. Oh, I also got horchata, that too was splendid. It wasn't too cinnamony and didn't utilize old cinnamon either, well balanced is how I would describe this. Conclusion: Would recommend this absolutely, the burritos are simple and have a heavy focus on the meat. I would come here again and again if I could.
(5)Ashlyn C.
I chose this place because it seemed like a Mexican place that was typical of SoCal plus extensive vegetarian options. I ordered the chile relleno burrito with guacamole added and the boy got a soyrizo and a mushroom tofu tamales. The burrito was a huge portion (probably too much for one sitting) but it was superrr tasty. Also, you can tell that the tortilla was homemade. The tamales were average tasting but a little special because they had veg options that you usually do not see. You order at the counter, find a seat (inside or on the deck), and wait for your order to be called at the window. We sat outside which was nice - you can see the water from afar.
(4)Joseph Y.
Don Carlos Taco Shop is still great, the owner Ryan is an awesome dude and does his best to make sure his customers are happy with their meals.
(5)Hal J.
My father used to own Dicks Liquor (directly next door to Don Carlos) and I used to come here as a kid all the time. Over a decade later I still come here and love it just as much as the first time! My go-to is the hangover/hungover burrito, the sauce is equally amazing! Probably the best burrito place in LaJolla, Taco Stand is a close second.
(5)Jim G.
Decided to goto this place right before work. Ordered the California burrito because I was overwhelmed with the myriad selection of food. Very big and was yummy. Hot sauce was decent, although they did not have salsa verde. Noticed that they had a special for their tamales! Should have probably ordered that. I guess I'll have to go back to try those out!
(4)William K.
I came in just as the shop was closing down for the night, so I was ready for sub-par service. That said, what I got was surprising. The shop seemed quite popular, even at the time I arrived. I think it's popular among local high-school kids. Based on the number of people in/around the shop and upon the other yelp reviews, I decided to give the place a try. I ordered a fish taco. What I got appeared to be, for all intents and purposes, a fried fish stick, in sauce, with cabbage. Pretty lame.
(2)Rene P.
Another restaurant in La Jolla; another opportunity to make fun of La Jolla in a review... It's tough living in La Jolla. After a hard day of having one's mansion dusted by Mexicans, one's pool cleaned by Mexicans, and one's garden tended by Mexicans, one can relax and grab a quick bite here at Don Carlos. And then there's plenty of time to return home, complain about immigrants on Facebook, and vote Republican. Fortunately for them, Don Carlos is a quality, albeit tiny, shop with good burritos, tasty chips, and helpful, friendly staff. I would say it's on par with any of the other places north of the eight although the seating in the places along Miramar is vastly superior. But, like any restaurant in La Jolla, people watching the La Jollans is ultimately the best part. Summary: It's Mexican food in La Jolla.
(4)Nitya T.
I was shocked to find such a great taco shop in the middle of La Jolla! I was even more shocked to find SO many vegetarian and vegetarian-friendly items on their menu! Everything is made fresh and even the food that's taken to-go is wrapped up nicely and remains fresh (even after a 30 minute drive). I definitely recommend this place to anyone who loves food. :) Random trivia: the burritos are enormous!!
(5)Paul H.
Still the best taco shop in the county. The Clairemont Burrito is a slice of heaven. Keep up the great work Don!
(5)Jason C.
Great Vegan options with awesome hot sauce. The parking can be a bit tricky and Pearl can be a busy street but it is worth the wait. I had the mock Chorizo burrito and the tofu burrito. Both were good but the soyrizo burrito had more flavor (obviously). I would go to them again and have been recommending them to my vegan and vegetarian friends. I have not tried there meat options so I cannot comment on that.
(5)Joaquin L.
Don Carlos provides one of the better values in La Jolla. You get a large quantity of food that tastes pretty good for your money. For lunch, I ordered the Tamales Mas Grande meal and selected 2 meat tamales, one chicken and green chile and the other with pork and green chile. The tamales were fluffy, piping hot, and moist. The ratio of meat to masa (corn flour) was generous and these didn't have potatoes or pickled jalapenos or olives for filler as some traditional tamales are known to contain. The meal comes with sides of creamy refried beans topped with melted cheese, Mexican rice, and a 12oz can of soda for $6.55. It is a small shop with 3 tables on the inside as well as outside patio dining and does a lot of business ensuring that the food is always fresh.
(4)Jeff H.
Don Carlos is honestly hit or miss. Some days they're amazing and other days they can send you running to the bathroom. The food generally tastes good, I can't comment on how sanitary their food always is though. We have a saying at work, "When we're getting DC for lunch, better be prepared to wait in line for the bathrooms."
(3)Stephen S.
I grew up in Southern California but spend most of my burrito eating years in San Francisco. Up in SF we got lots of delicious burritos, but I had never come by anybody calling anything a "California burrito" so when I recently heard about this french fry filled concoctions I really wanted to try one for myself. Don Carlos ended up being the perfect place to do so. I don't eat meat but Don Carlos has my back by offering soyrizo. I got the Scripps (fries, soyrizo, salsa, sour cream, and cheese) with guacamole. The soyrizo really blended nicely with the fries. The composition of the burrito was a little uneven with a lot of the early bites being fries and soyrizo and the guacamole and sour cream coming in at the end. The guacamole probably should have been referred to as avocado as it was big and chunky but lacked any spiciness or seasoning. It was a good burrito, a really good burrito actually, one of the best I've had in Southern California. I'd still rank it below my San Francisco favorites but that's not a negative review.
(4)Jourdan J.
Sooo Im from Dallas, Texas right? Visiting my boyfriend for Spring Break at the Navy base, and the whole weekend Im like BREAKFAST TACOS IN LA JOLLA!! I've been here once and that was about 4 years ago for a family reunion.. It's STILL ridiculously delicious. Go. Just go. We're grubbin right now ;)
(5)Massoud M.
One of the best, if not the best taco shop in San Diego. My friends and I revere this place. The food is fresh, delicious and made with love. Everything on the menu is great. The owner Ryan is a cool guy and takes pride in his impeccable work. If you haven't gone here, go, and do not hesitate.
(5)Sean M.
Living in Los Angeles, basically my whole life, I thought I had tasted some great breakfast burritos before. I happened to find myself down in La Jolla for a show at The Comedy Store. I had heard of Don Carlos Taco Shop from being an avid listener of Good Times with Steve Simeone. I knew what had to be done. The morning after the comedy show, I woke up early and headed out to find The Don Carlos Taco Shop. Easy parking, great location. I ordered 2 burritos, not realizing the size that I was about to be presented with. When the burritos came out, I knew that I would be taking one of them on the road with me back to LA. I took the meal and sat at a table outside and enjoyed my time looking at the beauty that is La Jolla. What a beautiful city. Anyways, the burrito I ate was stellar and even the burrito I ate when I got back to LA was delicious. Ryan and the crew here, really know how to treat food and give you a great experience. I look forward to my next trip down to La Jolla, for the view, for the beautiful women, the fun comedy shows and these burritos, it really makes for a fun package deal. Highly recommended!
(5)Glenn M.
3.5 stars California Burrito - It's all I wanted on my S.D trip. And I love me a good california burrito. You must understand what makes a good Cali B. It's the harmony made by the different flavors and textures! And the unhealthy awesomeness of the burrito. The cheese and meat come together for some gooey goodness. The fries are hot and crisp on the outside, soft inside. Then it's cooled off by the guac and sour cream. Yeah, it's awesome. This burrito has all of that in a nice large portion. Why only 3.5? - It's called a Cali B, but it has NO guac and it has salsa. The #1 ingredient is guac, and I must add it in? not a Cali B. But once I customized this "California Burrito" it was great. A little nuance I noticed with my favorite spot is the wrapping. Tightly wrapped burritos make all the difference. The first bite bursts the burrito open and the fries poke out and the guac cools them and the meat and cheese is all there. When it's wrapped at par or sub par levels there isn't the same flavor pop in your mouth. This burrito was close on one side but the other side not so much. It's solid and I'll come back but I can't give it 5 stars, maybe four... maybe...
(3)K P.
Great location, excellent service, outstanding food! Real Mexican coke, yum!!! The food is fresh and not super expensive. The owner is the friendliest guy. The merchandise they have for their store is pretty cool too. Everything here tastes good!
(5)Derek J.
Burritos are insanely good. No need to review anything else about this spot. Most recently got the Clairemont burrito.
(5)Gabriel K.
Best authentic Mexican food you'll find in the States. Hands down the best carne asada taco I've ever had. This joint is a "must stop" whenever in the San Diego area.
(5)Amy G.
Call before you go. They don't stick to the hours that are posted. A shame because they have a great menu and food is good.
(1)Mike V.
The carne asada fries are horrible. The fries were like the zig zag ones you throw in the oven real quick. I guess this place would be okay for a last option.
(2)Steve H.
I love their potato tacos!!! Their other tacos are ok and I haven't tried anything else because I keep ordering the potato tacos! Seating is limited and it's kind of a pain to get there because you have to deal with the La Jolla Cove traffic. I usual go on weekdays before noon when I'm off.
(4)Logan B.
Had the California burrito. Huge, affordable, delicious. I could actually taste the individual flavors of the burrito right down to the seasoning used on the carne asada. I've only been in San Diego for a few months, but of the burritos I've tried at various places, this one was definitely the best.
(4)Wendy N.
Delicious, delicious, delicious. The only that gets me is the rising prices, but hey, support a local taco shop that makes dank food! I used to solely get the california burrito with guac but I recently decided to branch out and might I say, they have much better things than that burrito (part of me died saying that). The fish tacos are surprisingly good (and big!). My parents always enjoy the tamales, especially the mushroom tofu one (which is extremely surprising, considering my parents aren't huge vegan food fans). The mushroom tofu tamale I think was messed up one time when they put too much garlic in, but that was hands down one of the best tamales i have ever tasted. The beef rolled tacos always are a special, delicious, fried treat I have once in a while. Now lets get to the real part -- THE ALL-HOLY, GOD-SENT RED SALSA. It is nectar of the goods. I would drink it for sure, if that was a normal thing to do. I put it on everything!! It has a good kick and a smoky flavor that is hard to beat. No other salsa I have tried (and being a San Diego, mexican food lover, that's a lot of salsa).
(5)Archana B.
This two reviews in one. The first time we went and had the shrimp and fish tacos.. I thought they were phenomenal. You always have a long waiting time. The place isnt fancy. The food is what always mattered to me over everything. So after the first time and trying many different places.. I proclaimed this place was indeed the best for shrimp tacos. We popped into the place on Saturday around 7 o clock. Waited for half an hour for shrimp tacos and fish burrito. Were served last where as ppl coming after us took awaytheir orders. It was Luke at the counter who apologized for the slow delivery. But given my prior experience I thought again the food would make up for it. The first bite and we were aghast! The shrimp tacos this time were literally, boiled shrimps in salty water, shredded cabbage and same minuscule cream sauce. We tried salvaging with the hot salsa sauce! Nothing helped.. same went for the burrito.. fried fish, shredded cabbage.. absolutely zilch sauce! If they ran out of ingredients for the day, I wudve rather been told so to come another day. But the kind of food I was served.. was apt for taco-nightmare! I hope this doesnt repeat itself on my next visit.
(2)Elizabeth A.
I've been going to Don Carlos for nearly a decade. Over the years their quality and service has stayed the same! What makes this place great is you really can't go wrong with whatever you order. Special mentions include their vegan tamales at an affordable price. Yum! The only thing keeping Don Carlos from 5 stars is their ingredients aren't farm fresh quality. Farm fresh quality produce is so accessible here in San Diego it's difficult to be a 5 star place without it. Still, I'll be back, again and again and again.
(4)Jasmine H.
I've found my favorite mexican place in San Diego. I love the burritos with soyrizo. The fish tacos are also amazing. The prices aren't so bad either!
(5)Nathan P.
Wow, great mexican food here. The rolled tacos are always crispy and the burritos are bigger than the average taco shop. The La Jolla burrito is great (chicken california burrito) The Clairemont Burrito is awesome (pork california burrito) But by far their best burrito is on the secret menu. They name some burritos after comics that come over from the La Jolla Comedy store across the street. The best burrito I have had there is the Trevino burrito. It has everything, Chorizo, carne asada, pork, fry's, sour cream, ect.... It is literally the best of all worlds - $7 and worth it! Good fish tacos too The owner is a funny nice guy Ask for the discount card and get 12% off until December.
(5)Michael Z.
Best Mexican food in the world. If every city in every country has a Don Carlos, there would be more hugs, I love yous, and world peace. I wish Ryan would stop being so selfish and open up a shop in the Bay Area already but for now I can only enjoy don Carlos whenever I'm home for the holidays. Simply put, you have to try don Carlos if you are ever in the area.
(5)Kunal S.
The best burritos in San Diego hands down. Scene: Sun, Beach side Picture you, sitting in a small little shack in downtown La Jolla. The low buzz of the florescence lights, and small sitting area might turn you off from this place. You might think "hey this is just some run down crappy shack" , and you're right. The decor isn't why you're here. You turn to the right and see a huge menu of all your burrito options. Scripps burrito (vegetarians) will answer all your life problems, instantly. Everything about the burrito is great. You get a huge burrito for a good price. Flavorful, good texture, spicy. Don't spend your money on the expensive La Jolla places. Just go here, and after go to Karl Strauss Brewery
(5)Elizabeth Y.
I moved to La Jolla 6 months ago and for some reason never stopped here. I'm not sure why, either because it is 100% better than Rigoberto's. Don Carlos Taco Shop makes Rigo's look horrible. That place is gross. Anyway, I haven't updated my Yelp reviews in awhile but I'm doing it for Daniel since he always reads them. I have to say, I'm 105 lbs and have never, ever finished a whole burrito in one sitting! That changed last night. I had the El Nino burrito & I highly recommend it. The inspiration comes from Tony Lukes in Philly. It has carne asada with onions, peppers, jalepeno cheese & salsa. It tasted like a Philly cheesesteak! Ryan, the dude who runs it is really awesome. Very personable. He told me the history of the place and it makes me love it even more. I've also had the rolled tacos and tamales and those were 5 stars as well. Doesn't look like much from the outside but the food is amazing! I'm so glad I live a mile away from it! PS - Ryan closes whenever he wants. If it's slow, he'll leave. If it's busy, he'll stay open. So call ahead!
(5)Hailie Y.
I don't eat taco that much, but their taco is the one of the best foods I have ever eaten ! Must try!
(5)David A.
Extremely unimpressed. The place is run down, and after reading the reviews on here, decided to chance it. Big mistake, the tortillas for the tacos were completely factory tortillas, the carne asada filling was not tasty at all, no freshness, bland, awful texture. The fish was not edible. We also tried the carne asada quesadilla and although the wheat tortillas were a little better, the meat was the same. Go somewhere else if you like good Mexican food. The salsas were OK, but definitely did not save our meal.
(1)Jennifer C.
Delicious mexican food with an abundance of CHEAP options especially for those who are vegetarians. The food is artery clogging goodness at its best :P Fish taco Fridays ($4.99) 2 fish tacos + 12 oz soda on Fridays! I love fish tacos and unfortunately, the fish was of the flat microwavable fish stick variety. The creamy mustard sauce inside was made with perfection though.. Soyrizo Nachos ($6.75) A mountain of nachos with generous heap of fresh guacamole and Mexican salsa, this monstrosity is soo good. The soyrizo and carmelized onions give the nachos a great meaty flavor (without the meat, its made of soy! yay) leaving you perfectly full Chille Relleno Burrito (~$6) One of the best veggie burritos in San Diego, this burrito is sure to lure you back to Don Carlos again and again. Filled with numerous veggies and cheese, even the tortilla is made to perfection. YUMMY! tips: only 3 tables inside store, their red hot sauce, call ahead since they may close if business is slow!
(4)Marci S.
Highly recomended. You can sate the real mexican food at a real competitive price for la Jolla.
(4)Chelsea C.
I immediately noticed the man working the register was very off putting, he was very sarcastic and even rude to us while we were there. He took a little too long speaking with customers and the line got pretty long, yet he still wasn't cutting his conversations short. The food wasn't great either, I would not recommend to my friends.
(1)Nick H.
Tamales, Tamales, Tamales! Very nice guy running this place. Got my order wrong. The carnitas are good. They also sell grape drink. The highlight of the experience were the tamales. The pumpkin was outstanding. Overall, I am a fan and them some of the Tamales. If I lived closer, I probably would return and stick with the tamales. Parking, well I parked down the street, around the corner and up the street. Overall, AOK!
(3)Anna D.
I really enjoy eating here as it's right across from my place of work. Their menu has a variety of options for meat lovers and vegetarians. I always order the Don Carlos Special, which is, 5 rolled tacos with your choice of beef, chicken or potato, guacamole, cheese, beans and rice for $5.75 plus an included drink. The portions are a good size. There's both indoor and outdoor seating. If you're ever in La Jolla and are craving Mexican food, I would suggest stopping by here for a good dining experience.
(5)Lavender R.
The only thing I miss about living in San Diego County is Mexican Food and this is the best place there. You know what proves that is there was a customer there that moved to Ireland. he missed their burritos here so bad that they actually did him the courtesy of freeze drying them and shipping them abroad. Now THAT tells you something.. im thinking of doing the same thing and I live in Los Angeles! (hey if any of the employees remember Bijan.. im his daughter) They have an amazing array of flavored tamales! Raisin and fruit ones, very unique that you wont find anywhere else. The best vegetarian and vegan selections and im not even vegetarian so its something for everyone. I really miss their home made salsas and their service. I miss the clerk. It was a family run business and everyone there was so helpful and friendly and nice, courteous and it just was the best family run establishment I had ever been to in San Diego. SUPPORT LOCAL, AND COME HERE.. DON CARLOS TACO SHOP FOR LIFE! -Lilia
(5)Nethalyn B.
We found this place via yelp. OMG! They're food was the bomb! And most of all they have a very good Price! We also met a Lady and told us to tired the Don tacos best seller. We kinda bombed out cause we already ordered. But she said its my treat!she was nice and my Gosh the special thing was so good!it was a taquito covered with so much cheese and guacamole!
(5)Danita L.
This place is seriously the best taco shop around! I love the black bean and cheese burrito! It's my favorite! I have loved anything and everything I have ever ordered here. The staff is wonderful. Always happy, sweet, and efficient. The owner is amazing. He genuinely cares about the quality of the food, service, and the community. I highly recommend this place. The only problem is, once you have Don Carlos, no other taco shops compare.
(5)Christina H.
Definitely my go to place for burritos! I've tried many different burritos and you really can't go wrong with anything here. The portions here are generous as well. I can barely finish a burrito, but once I order it either chimichanga style or enchilada style, I can never finish. The burritos are definitely filing, and honestly, not that expensive.
(5)Alex H.
We were looking for fish tacos and came across this restaurant which had good reviews. I ordered two tacos which I asked to have cheese added to which never happened. The tacos were good until I noticed hair in my 2nd taco halfway through. All in all I won't be coming back here again.
(2)Gladys M.
I must say I was beyond impressed. I walked in and immediately wanted to get in my car and drive away. The loud music and not very friendly staff were off putting. But then I tried the food. And now I wish I can go back and marry the cook. Holy cow! The nachos are superb and the enchiladas are to die for.
(5)Alexander V.
In a nutshell: I have a physiologic dependence on their Clairemont burrito... carnitas with french fries. The way it comes together with just a little cheese and their amazing chipotle salsa from the bottle... incredible. I will also get the La Jolla burrito (grilled chicken and french fries) or the chile relleno burrito when I tell myself that I'm "eating healthy." Recommendations: (1) Clairemont burrito (2) La Jolla burrito (3) Chile relleno burrito (4) bottle salsas - I bristle at most bottle salsas, but these are really fantastic. If you are like me you will eat nearly half a bottle of the chipotle with your burrito then wonder why you are feeling feverish and strange the next 12 hours. (5) soyrizo - yeah it's alright and I give them big ups for having it, but if you are an omnivore in dilemma just get the real deal!
(4)Joe G.
I loved this place! It is one of those local, divey, but really tasty places. I love that they had a wide range of vegetarian/vegan options. For less than twenty dollars, my girlfriend and I both got an almost absurd amount of really good food. The folks running it were also some of the most genuinely friendly people I've seen in a restaurant. They were clearly very interested in making sure their food was the best you could get. As their own t-shirts say, it is "ugly, gaudy, and looks like Mexico." That is probably the best part of the place. They apparently got some complaints a few years ago about having a banner out front, and that was the complaint from a local resident. That's what gives the place its appearance. I will definitely be back next time I'm in the San Diego area.
(5)Anoop K.
I stumbled across this place after having a skinful the night before (yep Im a classy Brit), and was amazed by how good and massive the burritos are here. The big guy (sorry!) serving was really nice and explained the history of the place it helped being able to buy beers here too :) I had the Soyrizo scrips burrito (fake mince and fries plus normal mexican goodies) which was awesome! When Im back in SD, this is the first place I'll come to!
(5)Desiree Y.
legit breakfast burritos. Service was fairly quick. Enjoyed sitting outside watching the people. The salsa was not that great, Ive come to expect more from my nor-cal burritos though.
(3)Joshua G.
We're staying at the grand colonial and walked half a mile to this place eager to taste the food that looks so great in pictures. Unfortunately we arrived 25 minutes before it closed and the manager told us we would have to take our food to go. Upset with the act we couldn't dine in and that there were other patrons siting outside already we decided to leave and go somewhere else. I wanted to right this as my first yelp review because much of what I'll be writing about is service and doing the right thing. This establishment did not do right by the customer so I am not going to be an advocate for the restaurant.
(2)Brian W.
How to get a 5 star rating from me? Awesome service and great food. Well with that said this place deserves a 10!!!! I have been here numerous times and every time the food is amazing and always fresh. My favorite is the clairemont burrito and the shredded beef tacos. And the owner Ryan what else can I say than other business owners need to study him and treat customers as great as he does. He's a good guy and I highly recommend supporting his business! San Diego has a million and one taco shops but Don Carlos is my favorite! Give them a shot you won't regret it!
(5)bruna m.
Soyrizo tacos, and jalapeño cheese and sweet tamales are superb--not to mention the fabulous selection of irreverent T-shirts.
(5)Jeff G.
I am one who wants to try new places and the first place I turn to is Yelp. I pull up restaurants near where I am at the time and go from there. Today's lunchtime adventure pointed me in the direction of Don Carlos Taco Shop. The first thing I noticed was the east street parking. Close to the beach and right on the main strip. I don't know how he did it, but this place scored a great location. When you walk up, the first thing I noticed was the outside (and inside) eating area. Want to be part of what is happening outside? Grab a seat. Want to take it easy and sit inside? Grab a seat. The menu is on the wall to the right and everything is clearly spelled out for you so that you know exactly what you are getting when you order the "California Burrito." Since this was my first visit and we were all hungry, we ordered a little bit of everything. California burrito, carne asada taco, chili relleno, and a few potato tacos. For a small place, the food was amazing. You can see the cooks making everything fresh. Tortillas were soft, the meat seasoned just right, and everything came out hot. The owner guy had us all laughing with his quick wit humor. I will definitely be back for more.
(5)Gregory B.
When you are craving taco-shop food, Don Carlos is pretty much a gem. Laura, the head cook, pays attention to the details. She crisps the carne asada meat and fries before rolling them into the California burrito, stretching the wonderfully fresh, oversized tortilla to the edge of its elastic capacity. Their salsa is a bit of an acquired taste, but it is now the standard for my palate: plenty of heat, a bit salty, rich and roasty with no sweetness. They pack the burritos tightly so that they do not disassemble half-way through. The fish tacos are crisp, moist, with a full nose of corn, a nice sting of lime at the sides of the tongue, and a thick, flaky cod fillet without any fishy yuk. The carnitas are slow-cooked and moist with lots of crunchy edges and just enough fat to raise the flavor from very good to excellent. The pollo asado is a bit of a let down with bland seasonings and can be dry. This is simple, wonderful, Mexican-American food. Servings are large, not huge, and the price is right. Unfortunately, Laura is not there every night and when she is not the one doing the cooking the flavor, texture, and packaging are all a bit off (still good but not great). Seating is limited and unpleasant (inside), especially at night, so we often do take out. Hours are capricious and depend on how busy they are and the owner's whim. The current schedule finds Laura in the kitchen on Tuesdays, when you may find this street food to be a transcendent experience.
(4)Lauren W.
AMAZING! This place blows the Taco Stand (a few blocks down) out of the water. Portions are huge. Its very authentic. The woman at the counter was nice as can be. I'll definitely be returning next time I'm in the area.
(5)KC G.
The food is good, not the best Mexican food you'll ever have, but good. There is very little room inside and the cutlery provided is so bad I could barely eat my food. If you're in the mood for an inexpensive meal and you like authentic style Mexican it's work your time.
(3)Booby G.
if ur a 40 yr old white guy from la jolla or if u never have been to LA, this spot is delicious. honestly though, the food here is super bland and the tacos are too big. Yes, large and no flavor. Plus, it's expensive. The only decent thing was the super fries and the fish taco. The pollo asada and carne asada are straight shameful. no flavor, no seasoning, it's dry. Don't kid yourself, SD, this spot is poopoo. anything from a taco truck is better than this place
(1)Chi A.
There is no shortage of delicious Mexican food in San Diego, but there is always something that will make one stand out from others. For me, Don Carlos has a very delicious tasting tortilla. It's very soft and fluffy. My usual order is a California burrito. Here they use the thicker cut fries, and not the thing crispy fries so it will be a hit or miss if you prefer the other. What else can I say? The Owner is really cool and chill.
(5)Jessica L.
Delicious tacos at a good value. I got the carne asada and fish taco, my boyfriend got shrimp and al pastor. They were all delicious and quite filling, for maybe around $3-$3.50 each. Very casual, order at the counter place. Will definitely be back
(5)Melissa R.
It's all about the tamales!! :) I love Ryan!
(5)Austin D.
Quintessential burrito joint on Pearl, the eatingest street in the heart of La Jolla. - Calif burrito rocks! - Nice veggie selection - Chips were fresh made n hot! - Guac was good but needed a bit o' salt - no salsa bar but the sauces in the squeeze bottles were more than adequate
(4)Amber H.
Had heard about this place from tons of friends. Finally went about a week ago. As a native Southern Californian, I consider myself an expert on taco shops. The place is small, the food is fresh, and the owner treats you like family. The Cali burrito gets massive raves.
(5)Zohreh A.
Yum! I don't know why but I'm just obsessed with their burritos.. even the regular bean,cheese, and rice one. My friend ordered a bunch of their burritos once for someone's thesis defense and there was one with french fries, cheese, and soy chorizo in it (called the Scripps burrito) and it was unbelievably delicious. I need to come back and get one of those awesome burritos again.
(5)Amy C.
Super friendly Owner and Staff. Maybe not the healthiest, but I love a good burrito. :)
(5)Claudia A.
Would you like a delicious ass burrito with an attitude? I really want to keep trekking it out to La Jolla from Golden Hill to Don Carlos but it keeps getting harder and harder after such shitty service. It's really inconvenient when their hours are "we'll open whenever the fuck we want, we'll close early if it's slow, we'll stay open late if it's busy...maybe, forget it nah, I'll close whenever my huevos tell me." Some of us drive from really far away because, yes, the food is THAT good and it is a total disappointment to drive a total of 30 miles to find that they decided to close early. Today we went at around 11am and we were really hoping it would be open (there's always uncertainty). It had to be open, and yes it was. We arrive and the sir tells us, "We're not accepting credit cards right now, cash only." Te digo nomas, si no es una chingadera es otra! Yes, I was once sort of a small business owner and we've had telephone line issues with our credit card machines and yes I know it's out of their control and it's a real pain in the ass for everyone and it's no problem for me to walk next door to Dick's Liquor and get some cash out, but the least you can do is apologize. I don't want you to treat us like royalty, just be have some manners. Yikes. Of course we got cash and came back and yes my food was delicious and reasonably priced, but I could only take so much abuse, especially when gas is not cheap and it's quite the rare road trip for me to enjoy a bomb ass burrito.
(3)Kirk G.
My favorite Mexican place in PB/ La Jolla area. Soyrizzo burrito rocks. Gat salsa Verde
(5)Jennifer B.
Came here with my friend after she looked it up on Yelp. The California burrito is seriously the best I've ever had; really delicious. The service is really awesome too. I don't know the name of the guy that worked there, but he was really friendly. Would come again!
(4)GA R.
Without doubt our favorite taco shop. We go there all the time. I eat a 2-bean tostada. I think they have the best refried beans I've ever had. I asked Ryan what they put in the beans and he said just beans and seasonings and that's it, no lard, no oil. My husband likes the veggie burrito. The food doesn't taste all processed and smooth. It tastes like lots of different fresh ingredients. We like the vegetarian aspects of Don Carlos and don't eat the foods with meat there. Nice to have tasty fresh vegetarian dishes.
(5)Sola L.
4.5 stars! I have been deprived of good burritos. I was super excited to try this place. I'm glad that I did. There was plenty of food for a very good price! I had the CA burrito. It was my first time having one and I loved the fries! As soon as I bit into my burrito, I tasted how well the meat was marinated and cooked! Everything in the burrito was perfect! I also ordered the cheese nachos and they used the shredded cheese so the cheese hardened overtime. It lost its appetizing feature. The space is really small and feels cramped. The staff was pretty good.
(5)Debora L.
Very impressive vegan and vegetarian selection including vegan homemade tamales, soyrizo in anything you would like, and vegan-prepped beans. In fact, there's a sign on the wall asking you to indicate if you're vegan and they will accommodate. Excellent! (A note: DEFINITELY not healthy - vegan does not equal healthy; the chips we had came coated in oil, a la Chevy's.) Boyfriend nabbed the carne asada burrito, which was thankfully "San Diego" style (meat + guac, pretty bare bones). Loosely wrapped and gigantic, the meat had a weird soy sauce after taste that didn't suit his buds. But it's cheap and feasible for diets of all types.
(4)Melisa C.
This place was recommended by one of my co-workers so I went for lunch yesterday, and I enjoyed it. I will definitely be a returning customer. First off, there are so many menu options that it took a while to decide what I wanted. They have a la carte items, combos, and specials. I also liked that they had a variety of meat options. I decided to go with the pollo asada salad. It had lettuce, guacamole, whole black beans, salsa, and chicken. It was a gigantic salad with generous amounts of each item. All of it was very tasty...I ended up eating it all!!!
(4)Miss L.
I like how it's low-key and not all fancy
(3)Domenic P.
The Hungover Burrito, is stellar; and, if you have a hangover, I highly recommend it! The place is a cozy size, with more seating outside. The service gets the job done, and satisfies. Ultimately, I haven't tried everything here (only a few different types of burritoes as I'm STUCK on the Hungover Burrito), but their food will satisfy your craving for Mexican food and keep you coming back!
(5)E R.
I have often placed orders from this place but this is the first time I have ever ran into this particular cashier AKA The Owner... for one he insisted that he had given me the receipt.. I had to empty out my pockets and purse to show him that he never gave me one. After going back and forth he finally gave me a copy.. 2. I had placed an order for a shrimp burrito and received a carne asada one.. when I called to let them know about the mistakes he was still stuck on the "I did give you the receipt issue" wow I told him about the burrito mix up and his response was "we are human we make mistakes" yup 3 already with this order.. he did say I could pick a shrimp burrito up... I told him I was too far and I just wanted to voice my opinion. I asked who the owner was and he said" I AM" all I can say is WOW. Never once did this "OWNER" apologize for his mistakes.. I did tell him I would be writing this review and he chuckled and said " one bad review will not do anything" ... I will never ever give this guy not one cent of my money.. nor will any of my office staff. I hope that when people read this review it will make a difference and teach this "OWNER" some customer service skills and how to be humble.. remember you are able to pay your bills, and you remain open because of the customers. Guess some "Owners" forget that sometimes.
(1)j b.
2 stars according to yelp's rating scale ("Meh. I've exerienced better"). Sub-par as far as mexican food joints go. Fish tacos aren't stuffed at all and the fish tastes like the microwavable frozen fish sticks you can get at the grocery store. The california burritos have tasteless meat and just overall it was very bland. The carne asada burrito was nothing special. I've been here multiple times and I really do try to like it because of all the good reviews it gets, but IMO there are way better places....just not in La Jolla. Travel to kearney mesa for some better mexican food. The only good things about this place are probably the flan cups, the prices are fair, and the proportions are good.
(2)Adrianna E.
The food was of great value, but did not feel like the tacos had much flavor. We ordered carne asada, fish, and carnitas tacos and nothing else. First off, the tortillas tasted really delicious and soft and somewhat whole wheat as well..which was nice... But, the fish taco was the battered fish, which is not my preference and it tasted just like a taco anywhere when battered, nothing special. The carne asada was the biggest disappointment for me...The steak had completely no flavor at all. The cuts of meat where great and for that I was pleased, but I NEED SPICY TACOS! Not even the salsa could make the taco spicy or flavorful... WHY ALL THE GREAT REVIEWS? Well, the carnitas was really delicious...That was definitely a good one there! Wish we would have known, we could have had just the carnitas tacos. Overall, cheap good fresh mexican place...get carnitas because the other two had really no flavors.. Good guacamole though! On the carne asada taco... but overall, not that great.
(3)Roy T.
Best carne asada around. The prices are fair, but the servings are generous. Service is always fast, and if the owner Ryan is in, he'll probably give you his honest opinion about something and it will probably make you laugh. It's not a big place, and it's not fancy, but it's the best Mexican joint you can find anywhere!
(5)Laura M.
The food is good and the place has a relaxed, "beachy" vibe. Seating is very limited.
(3)Sara S.
First off, I have to say that as a native San Diegan I am excessively picky about my Mexican. Don Carlos has managed to become my favorite restaurant. Their burritos are stuffed to the gills with all kinds of fantastic things and the fries they use in them are never soggy (I've had almost all of them and they've all been impressive). The rolled tacos and chimichangas are perfectly crispy with just the right amount of toppings. Their tamales and enchiladas (which have a sauce that I could drink out of a ladle) are always perfect. Another awesome thing is that vegans and veggies can go here worry-free. Thank you DC for thoroughly rocking my socks off!
(5)Lakshya D.
One of the few Mexican places that offers a soyrizo option, which is great. As the shirts say, it's "ugly, gaudy, and looks like Mexico" (fun fact: this phrase came from an angry complaint from a La Jolla resident and Ryan turned them into tshirts/stickers), but oh so delicious. Ryan and his staff are great and the food is even better.
(4)Reshma G.
Excellent food, verde salsa was fantastic! Good options for veggie folks. I also liked the seating place facing the street. Amazing fresh food, quick service.
(5)Tristan Z.
Amazing Mexican food in La Jolla. Went to UCSD so frequented here often while down there. The philly cheesesteak-esque burritos (La Nina and El Nino) are amazing, and haven't seen that anywhere else before. Love that they also have soyrizo burritos, haven't seen that elsewhere either. The only Mexican place that actually gives you an appropriate amount of guac when you add it to your burrito. Highly recommended if you're in the area!
(5)Tiffany P.
We stopped here just before closing on weeknight. Read a few reviews that said how reasonable the prices are and how the food was good... yup, true true true. If we lived in the area, we'd be here every week. Pick your menu item off the list stapled to the wall. Canned cokes. Authentic taste. Nice portions.
(5)Mattheus K.
Great food, great owner, and great food. I make sure to stop here at least once every time I visit La Jolla and I'm never disappointed.
(5)Peter C.
Hands down the best fast food mexican food I've ever had. Easily beats out Santanas, Robertos, Cotixan, Pattys, everything. This is the only mexican restaurant in San Diego I miss after graduating and moving away. The La Jolla burrito is AMAZING. Last time I had it was a good 7 yrs ago so maybe it has changed but it was amazing. Tender chicken, tasty sauce, crispy fries...what more can you ask for. Only down-side is that it tended to be a bit more expensive than other similar places. Small place with only 2 tables inside. If I remember correctly, there are tables outside too. Gotta try it!
(5)Alik W.
Twelve years ago, I wandered into this place while stuck in San Diego for three days. I'd forgotten it until I came back today. It's not changed, except the menu's bigger. More importantly: DELICIOUS. Not the cheapest taqueria ever, but portions are big, menu includes a lot of items you won't find at a lesser stand, and they do everything well. The carnitas in particular is some of the crispiest I've had in a taco. Their numerous flavors of house tamales are also not to be missed. Stroll the pricey shops of downtown La Jolla, see the seals, and then when you're ready for a meal, come here and get something real. Better yet, get it to go with some tequila and margarita fixins' from BevMo across the street.
(5)TJ B.
Don Carlos is on the top of my list for delicious Mexican food! I got 2 carne asada tacos (soft corn tortilla), there was enough steak and accompanying accouterments for 4 tacos!! What a deal! I'm very picky when it comes to how meat is cooked and how it tastes. Don Carlos did not disappoint. The steak was very good. My partner in crime had the steak burrito which was equally as amazing. If your in the area, this is a must go to place for great Mexican food!
(5)Elsa S.
Excellent Authentic Mexican Food at a Very Reasonable Price!!!
(5)Ron E.
Best Carne asada Burrito around, I know my carne asada's, I am the carne asada connoisseur .. good one the owner is pretty cool.. and good customer service
(5)Tara K.
THE BEST! It's the healthiest Mexican food I've ever had and great service.
(5)Leigh K.
I must say, what I love most about this place is that it seems a bit more "healthy." I don't know that it actually is, but the menu is pretty extensive with its vegetarian options. I LOVE that. I've been here so many times. I've tried breakfast burritos, tamales... pretty much something in every category, provided it be meatless... and I've liked everything. There isn't much room to sit inside, but you can take your burrito to-go, like I always do, and walk down to the Cove and eat outside. Just look out or the seagulls might divebomb you for your food.
(4)Erin M.
AMAZING sweet corn tamales! AMAZING Carne Asada fries!!!! YUM!
(5)Christopher K.
Crunchy tacos? Crunchy tacos! It's quite probable that crunchy tacos are everywhere and I just haven't looked for them, but I was excited to see them on the menu at Don Carlos. Were they worthy of excitement? Not really, no. You know how it is with the crunchy tacos: half the bites are nothing but shredded lettuce and cheese and the other half are just the filling. That's not Don Carlos's fault, of course. I don't recommend the potato taco because the scant amount of potato just got lost among the deliciously crunchy fried shell, but the shredded chicken taco was pretty good and had more filling. The green salsa is nicely spicy. I'm giving it 3 stars on the assumption that I should have gone for a little different order (one crunchy taco to satisfy my craving and something else along side). It reminds me a little of El Zarape in my usual neck of the woods because it's one of those places where you feel a little bit cool just for walking in. Or maybe you feel like you're not quite cool enough, depending. There are just 3 tables inside, 2 outside on a shady patio overlooking picturesque Pearl Street, and an outside counter for maybe six people if they all get along really well, so plan accordingly.
(3)Katherine S.
Don Carlos is awesome! I read the yelp reviews and they were all good, so I decided to try it, I was not disappointed! Their burritos are massive, and fish tacos are tasty with a unique flavor (probably from the white cabbage and stuff on top). They have a huge selection of both sweet and savory tamales too, which are awesome. The finace got me a nutella/banana/walnut one last night and I was very pleased! Also its cheap, and the owner is f*cking awesome and hilarious! They also have 11% off cards that you can use whenever you go. Outside seating is good for people watching as well :)
(4)Sunny J.
You want good taco shop, you got it!!! Tacos, burritos, you name it its delish....Love this place :)
(5)Lori L.
I tend to cook for myself because I LOVE cooking, but when I want a real treat I head to Don Carlos Taco Shop. The staff is friendly, it's real food with no crap (lard, etc.), and the food is always divine. I'm not a meat eater, so my review doesn't include fish or meat dishes, but the plant-based foods like the burrito bowl, potato taco, vegan tamales, and green salsa all make my heart melt. After a tough swim or a cold hike, the food there is filling and a welcome treat to my soul.
(5)Beth B.
This place rocks!! We were in town for a water polo tournament. We had some time to spare between match's, hungry we said let pull up yelp for something close and great to eat. Well, Thank you yelp, you gave us Don Carlos Taco shop. A short walk from The Bishop's School, 2 blocks. There it was a small little place with awesome food. We had everything from burritos, tamale's, tortas, and quesadilla, long with a ice cold beer. Perfection. Thank you, we will be back.
(5)Allison C.
Gracias a Dios, a vegan/veggie Mexican food option near UC San Diego. :-) Took me 3 years into my undergraduate studies to find this place right down the hill from campus. Don Carlos adds some much needed spunk right back into the pristine, pricey downtown LJ environment, and the shop has a great variety of dishes from which to choose. Staff is also really nice. I can't wait to return again. Add Don Carlos Taco Shop on Facebook as your friend. You get great, funny updates on specials and deals. What's funnier still about the shop's online presence is its website... who the heck was genius and quick enough to secure eataburrito.com as the website name! Love it!
(4)Joe V.
On vacation from NY I was looking for authentic Mexican food. Came here after going on a hike in Torrey Pines. I figured SD would have some good Mexican based on its proximity to the boarder. This did not disappoint. Had the beef tacos and my buddy got a burrito. It was phenomenal. If you are looking for real Mexican you need to come here.
(4)Danielle F.
The food is just delicious. So satisfying. Especially for vegans/vegetarians! My favorite dish is the enchiladas. The enchilada sauce is perfect. Amazing. We crave Don Carlos all the time and drive all the way up from Lemon Grove for the privilege of stuffing our faces there. My husband gets the shredded beef burrito and he loves it! The staff is always friendly and ready to recommend a dish that is sure to please you. I can't get over how addictive the food is here. WARNING: If you eat here once, it will probably become your regular Mexican craving!
(5)Michael H.
Best place to get authentic Mexican food. This place has been here for years and this is no tex mex joint. Lots of locals eat here since it has real and delicious Mexican food for cheap so you won't be straining your wallet when getting food here.
(5)Ryan W.
I went back. What a killer place! It isn't only about the good food they serve here. It is about the way the owner takes an interest in each of the customers who walks through the door. After ordering, we sat and listened to the interaction between the owner and his customers. He knew what they wanted before they ordered, asked about family, friends, football games, you name it. The Don Carlos Taco Shop has their finger on the pulse of the community. I think that is cool. I wish there were more places like that. This is the "Cheers" of taco shops. It wasn't long before our delicious food was served. For my main course, I had two of the tamales served with rice and beans. One was vegetarian with jalapeno cheese and the other was chicken. Both were fantastic. Shortly thereafter we were greeted by Ryan, the proprietor. He asked us if we were enjoying our food. We said that we were and he asked if we had been in before. When I mentioned that we had been in once and I had written a Yelp review, he immediately recognized me and headed for the kitchen to get something special. You see, he wrote to me after my initial review about a month or so ago thanking me and inviting me to come back next time I was in town. Next thing, he gives us a steaming hot tamale made with gnutella and bananas. It tasted exactly like banana nut bread and it was delicious! I love the creativity and the fact that Ryan rotates different types of tamales all of the time. It was the perfect 'dessert tamale' if there is such a thing. We spent the next half hour getting to know Ryan and hearing about his family history with the business dating back to the 80's. Ryan, who has roots from Costa Rica, took over the DCTS from one of his uncles in 2001. The business has been on a roll ever since. I am confident that his success is the result of his passion for really good food and great customer service. Go in and see for yourself. Ask Ryan about the "sign story". It is pretty funny. I love the shirts he created to eternalize the event. He has a great sense of humor as you will see. The type of person who makes lemonade out of lemons.
(5)Allison L.
When I first bit into my burrito, the disappointment was surprising. I expected it to be amazing from all the hype, but I honestly was not that impressed. I ordered the carne asada burrito, but the entire burrito was probably 95% carne asade, 5% everything else. The carne asada itself wasn't bad, but that was almost ALL that the burrito had. I was expecting a delicious combination of flavors like a real good burrito SHOULD have- rice, beans, salsa, etc., but every bite was the same: too much carne asada! For all the amazing Mexican food in San Diego, there are definitely better places around. I still will probably come back and give the tamales a try... hopefully I will not be disappointed again.
(2)Amy G.
This place was so baller. We loved the carne asada burrito and the tofu burrito bowl. Lots of great vegetarian options! Inexpensive and delicious food! The owner was a really friendly guy and seemed to love what he does!
(5)Rachel R.
Since moving up closer to the city from right by the border, I was having good burrito withdrawals. I was still in mourning from living too far from my usual burrito place. I thought nothing could console my broken heart. However, Don Carlos stepped in and I am whole again. I was greeted by a friendly guy. Very nice, and upbeat which was appreciated in the morning after a long hike. It put me in a good mood right away. Nothing beats authentic flavor, fresh tortillas and flavorful ingredients. Well let me tell you, Don Carlos exceeded my expectations. After mulling over all the great burrito choices, I opted for an egg, potato, cheese and chorizo burrito. Good gawds, it was delicious. Only downside, too much potato, there was literally a whole potato in my burrito. However, a little scraping out and my egg/potato ratio was quickly fixed. The tortilla was obviously fresh, the flavor, the consistency was to die for. Floury, soft, chewy and delicious. All this for 4$? Holy smokes! My friends were happy with their choices as well, we came to a consensus that this was our new favorite place. I will be frequenting this shop on a regular basis. Thanks Don Carlos!
(5)Traci W.
OK, Don Carlos, you win! Five stars! Delicious, cheap food. (We got 2 tacos, 3 rolled tacos, chips with guac, and two bottles of water for $17! I asked them to re-total it twice.) People are fabulous. Food is fantastic. Everything is inexpensive - which is incredible when you consider you're in La Jolla. You Win. You're officially my favorite Mexican food joint ever.
(5)Kimberly H.
Great taco shop...love the food! and believe me, I grew up in San Diego and I know my taco shops. Also I love the story I read about a stupid neighbor who wrote in to the city to complain about their decorations and signage being 'too Mexican'....ah what a stupid old hag. This place is great and I also love their graphics and marketing...stylish
(5)Lauren L.
Love little holes in the wall. We sat outside facing the street which made for great people watching and soaking in the so cal sun. I ordered the carne asada taco salad minus the frijoles for obvious reasons. The green salsa on the side is not mild and too much for my white girl self. The service is quick and friendly. The meat was flavorful and the salad was surrounded with tortilla chips on the perimeter. For $6.95 you can't go wrong. They serve beer but limited selection. Walk next door to the liquor store for the cerveza of your choice! Guac was fresh and tasty. Dig it.
(4)Vicky D.
I love Mexican food and usually don't have to use Yelp to find a place (just look for the shadiest restaurant sign), but I was getting a haircut down the street and wasn't sure which taco shop to get lunch at so I checked out Yelp. I was really impressed with the variety on the menu (seafood, tofu, breakfast, etc), but I got a carne asada burrito for myself and a California burrito for my sister because I LOVE carne asada. My burrito was really good but the meat was just slightly overdone. Somehow my sister's burrito came out a little bit better, so I'll get that next time. Their red "hot sauce" is really a chipotle salsa that is amazing, not the watery (but tasty) hot sauce most places give you. Will definitely come here again when I'm in the area!
(4)Rhiona A.
Ok, this place might just be a TAD over hyped. This is just a run of the mill taco shop that happens to also cater to vegetarians and vegans. The quality is not extraordinary or anything, so I am guessing these rave reviews are vegetarians super stoked on having lots of options! I totally understand. I think all taco shops could proably take a note from Don Carlos and offer more veggie options. However, I have grown up in CA as a vegetarian and know a thing or two about ordering vegetarian in ANY taco shop. The food here was just ok. To be honest, I was kind of overwhelmed by the amount of soyrizo in the nachos. It was super heavy, greasy, and I immediately wished I hadn't gotten the soyrizo nachos. The tamale I tried was much better. My husband had the same response as I did, it was just ok. I won't make a special trip here again, but I will consider it as an option, if I am in the area. It's worth stopping by to try, at least once!
(3)Yoon P.
An absolute jewel in downtown La Jolla!!! Ever since we moved, we often just have to give in to DON CARLOS SOYRIZO craving. I wish I knew how they make these faux meats because they're better than the real thing. I'm serious!! My favorites: - Potato Rolled Tacos w/ Guacamole - Soyrizo Burrito - Scripps Burrito, esp. if you're craving for that Carne Asada with Fries type of burrito - Jamaica, not too sweet and unlimited refills are nice! Don Carlos Taco Shop always accommodates our request to make all of their menu items vegan style (w/o cheese or sour cream), no problem, yet still makes the portion size humongous (1+ pound burritos y'all), as well as maintaining the quality of the ingredients... which is really rare in your typical hole-in-the-wall Mexican joints. Yay!! (Also FYI, there are extra seating outside for those of you wondering if the three tables are the limit of the seating area.) Thank you Don Carlos! We will be there again.
(5)Alison B.
Great spot for a Mexican food fix. And cheap too! You can get 5 rolled tacos with b&r and a drink for $5.50, what! Anyway I went for the pollo asado burrito, which is chock full of chicken and guac, and so huge I could only get about 3/4 of the way through it. Super good guac though! Also had some of my friend's chicken quesadilla, very tasty. Guy working the counter was friendly and laid back. Had some great 90s tunes playing while we chowed down. Cool little spot, I def recommend it :)
(4)Kai W.
One of my favorite taco shops in town. Basically as good as it gets.
(5)Mel M.
Five years ago, this place was one of my favorite places to go for a great burrito. After coming back here after a long absence, I was sad to see that the quality of the food had diminished significantly. The hot sauce that was once Don Carlos' spicy trademark is now salty and bland tasting. The carne asada that was once fresh and flavorful is now dry and plain bad. Finally, the girl at the front counter had an attitude, which didn't add to my experience. Overall, I'd say stay away and try somewhere else- after all, it's San Diego and a taco shop isn't exactly a novelty.
(1)Cindy C.
BEST CALIFORNIA BURRITO IN SOCAL! I also like their california carne asada fries and their nachos! if I could, I would eat here every day...
(5)Matt S.
Yet another above-average burrito place in SD. The best thing about the carne asada burrito that I had was that there was a kick to it. The behind the counter staff were very friendly and this is the only place I've EVER been to that gives you a free refill on your Horchata. Definitely worth going back but not mind-blowing either. Perfect place for after the beach.
(4)Zach T.
Simply superb burritos. Their large, soft, doughy tortillas are barely able to stretch around the more-than-generous stuffing of fresh ingredients expertly prepared just behind the counter. From the delicious seasoning in the Soyrizo (my favorite) to the old standby Veggie, the entire menu is worth a sample. In addition to the spectacular food, the people at Don Carlos are always warm and chatty. I can't remember the last time I was able to place an order without at least a brief chuckle. As others have mentioned, don't miss the seating outside. It's a perfect perch for people watching, and glimpsing the red reflection of the sunset off the ocean. For the best view, just walk down to the beach near the Museum of Contemporary Art and enjoy your burrito out on the rocks.
(5)Mark P.
Great little taco shop. Tasty salsa, good variety of mexican food. Decent prices and located in LaJolla. Only cans of soda and limited seating, but worth it!
(5)Samantha J.
Pretty damn good. I've eaten here a few times. Their burritos, tacos, rolled tacos... all are good. Each time I've gone I've ordered something different and I have yet to be disappointed (seriously doubt I ever will). I'm pretty set on trying a little of everything on that menu; there's so much variety, including good stuff for those who are vegan/vegetarian (the soyrizo is really good!). The atmosphere is really laid back - I really love the outdoor seating. There's even a window outside where Don can hand you your order. The Don himself is really chill. I really like that everything (besides the drinks) is premade/marinated by him, tamales and all. He makes the place (and the food) very homey. Be sure to check up on what tamales are up for eats - they change all the time! I really want to try their Nutella one. Yes. Nutella. Their Yelp page has a set time frame of when they're open, but just know that the time that they close can be pretty unpredictable, depending on whether the place is busy or really slow. If it's a really slow day, he'll close early. This isn't really an issue though because you can always call them to check how it's going (you can call to order in advance as well!). Definitely not your average taco shop. Just typing this review makes me crave it.
(4)James H.
Hey Don Carlos, Ignore these fucking haters, responding isn't going to get you anywhere. Just keep making the best Mexican in La Jolla and it won't matter what they say on Yelp. PS The fish tacos slathered in green sauce occasionally makes me cry.
(5)Marvin H.
The Scripps burrito: Best hangover cure. Ever.
(5)Geoff C.
Nice little taco shop. Had a beef taco which was good and beef enchiladas. The beef enchiladas weren't my favorite as they had tons of onions. I would try it again if I happen to be in the area.
(3)Kevin W.
I'm not sure why they are so many glowing reviews of this place, as I found it to be mediocre at best. Claims that this place serves "healthy" food is probably due to the fact that their food is unseasoned and not over oily. I had a mushroom burrito, and took my vegetarian friend who had a tofu burrito. Both seemed pretty basic in preparation, saute a few vegetables, season with a bit of salt, and wrap in a burrito. Both were nothing spectacular at all. Maybe I'll give this place another chance sometime.
(2)Natan J.
This has become my favorite American-style taqueria in all of San Diego. Extremely friendly service and a wealth of delicious options. If you get one thing here, I would recommend their carnitas. Carne Asada is also good, and the Pollo is so-so. My favorite three things here are the Hungover burrito (carne asada, bacon, eggs, salsa, potato and cheese), the chorizo burrito, and the chillaquilles. Damn tasty and you won't leave hungry. The selection of salsas is less diverse - they have red, green, and assburner. All three are delicious, but those wary of heat may want to steer clear of the assburner. Not much else to say. Definitely try this place!
(5)Art O.
We got here a bit too early so we had to wait up the street until they opened at 10am. Guess we got a little too amped for the breakfast burritos after reading all the reviews here. I got the "Hungover" breakfast burrito which included eggs, potatoes, cheese, bacon, AND carne asada. The carne asada was tender and spicy unlike the carne asada at most taquerias in the Bay Area. The only down was the potatoes because there were kinda mashed in there rather than being roasted. Definitely would come back to try the rest of the items on the menu.
(4)Kristen T.
For affordable, fast mexican, this is the place! The food is delicious, made to order and fast! I've tried just about everything on the menu & have no complaints. The soyriso is especially tastey and the tamales are homemade and as good as any I've ever had. They have so many flavors to choose from, but I really like the pumpkin and harvest ones best. The carnitas and rolled tacos are also SO GOOD. I love Don Carlos!
(5)Johnny B.
Moving to Texas (which was like trading a red snapper for an empty box on the gameshow Wheel of Fish), I have encountered serious burrito withdrawal. People claim there are good tacquerias here they are all Tex mex themed, and there aren't multiple options in each neighborhood. You have to drive. My withdrawal is mostly fixated around Don Carlos. I had better breakfast, carne asada, and California burrito variants at other taco shops, but Don Carlos offers a half dozen burrito alternatives, mostly of the vegan / vegetarian kind, that can not be beat. Seriously. Don Carlos veggie / vegan options are the club I would use to beat someone dressed in a baby seal coat. They are that powerful.
(5)Terrence M.
Don Carlos is known for offering an abundant selection of delicious tamales, but on my most recent visit I went for the carnitas burrito. Good call. This is one of those taco shops that can confidently be relied upon for a consistently great burrito. Although it's easily accessible from busy Pearl Street, Don Carlos is located in La Jolla Village, so unless you're coming from Shores, UTC, Bird Rock or north PB, it may not be worth the drive. If you're in La Jolla, though, Don Carlos is where you need to be!
(4)Hetty W.
Great food for a reasonable price! Two fish tacos and a drink on Fridays for $5, what a steal! The portions are enormous, and they are huge portions of really flavorful food. I got a carne asada burrito bowl, which was basically a HUGE styrofoam cup stuffed with rice and beans and meat and of course--guacamole. The rice and beans were packed at the bottom and kind of slightly overcooked, but everything else was really delicious. Their spicy green salsa has a really good kick, although a lot of people seem to prefer the red, which has a smokier bbq-flavor. The staff is really friendly and accomodating. Come on a nice day and they have outside seating, or get it to go and eat it for a picnic meal on the beach nearby!
(5)John M.
I roll in here now at least once a week with the kids to get my fix. Their big tasty burritos, friendly attitude, local vibe and charitable works keep me coming back. I saw "The Don" give some guy short on cash, riding a bike and looking hungry free potato tacos the other day. Keep passing it on! Not sure what's the best on the menu, but the pollo asado burrito is SO TASTY. Fresh chicken with salsa fresca and guacamole - just the way it should be. Killer fresh chips and guacamole are practically a meal in themselves. Combine that with excellent spicy mexican carrots and fresh salsa, you can't miss here. Keep up the good work. JM
(5)Donald W.
Little Shop, but good food... good prices. great staff. nice location in La Jolla
(4)Nick R.
I've been eating here for over a decade and it continues to be just as good as ever. For my money Don Carlos has to serve the best fish taco in San Diego.
(5)William H.
This food was praised to us as a great place for a quick Mexican bite. Although San Diego is the capital of culinary disappointment, we tried to restrain our skepticism and check it out. The food is simply not good. The produce was clearly not fresh; the ingredients were third-rate. The cook was definitely a smoker: there wasn't anything that wasn't badly over-salted. (That's generally a giveaway.) The kitchen itself was dirty and chaotic. The drinks were the usual over-sweetened mass-market atrocities - would it have killed them to make a fresh aqua fresca? There is good, cheap Mexican food in San Diego. This isn't it. Now, there are a lot of cheap, greasy hole-in-the-walls in the world, but I'm stunned how this one somehow eked its way into a covert decent reputation. It doesn't deserve it.
(1)Sherri H.
This place is bomb! Lots of food for the money. My friend had a veggie burrito that she said was really good, but she could only eat half. Nachos were excellent too. You have your choice of pinto or black beans, both bueno. I LOVE they have FRESCA soda.. never been to taco shop that carries it. The potato tostada was great.. ususually a tostada would not fill you up much, but again, lots of bang for your buck. It was like a mashed potato w/out all the crappy milk and cream that makes it disgusting. It had some seasoning with a kick. This place is small.. dont' blink..you'll miss it !
(4)Max M.
Outstanding for vegetarians. Gets busy so calling ahead might be a good idea. Get the Scripp's burrito. Just do it.
(5)Anabelle V.
One of my favorite Mexican restaurants period!!!! Best beans, Rice, chicken burrito, service, & great staff!!!!
(5)Christine Q.
This place is yummy! Ever since me and my friends found this place, we've always gone there for our Mexican food needs. It's one of those little hole in the wall places that we just happened to come across. The menu has a lot of options for vegetarians and non-vegetarians; my favorite item is Rolled Chicken Tacos with Cheese. There's places to sit inside and outside, so if it's a nice day, you don't have to worry about being stuck inside. I also think the website name is very clever haha. I will definitely go back a lot.
(4)Andrew B.
Easily my favorite fast food Mexican place ever. The Sunrise is the best breakfast burrito I've ever had, but with ham, bacon, fries, and sour cream, I can hardly eat it every day. Super Nachos with carne asada are also as good as it gets anywhere in the San Diego area. Tamales of all kinds are fantastic, and way bigger than at most other places. Both the green and red salsas are great, but they do have a tendency to run out of the green. One thing that can be tough with this place are the erratic hours. As many times as I've been there, I couldn't tell you when it opens or closes; not sure there's even a set schedule. Also, it doesn't hurt to have a sense of humor. The guy behind the counter might bust your chops a little, but it's all in good spirits.
(5)Moocher Y.
I wanted to share this lovely message I received (and only just got around to reading). It was sent to me on 2/17. Please note the owner's direct attack on UCSD. Thank you. "Hi Moocher, Don C. has sent you a message on Yelp: Your Review "listen , Did you even say that in your first post? no. I think you are a lonely person that only gets off on sitting behind a keyboard and writing about how bad the world sucks. Dude, I only responded to the comment thay you left, your pic doesn't do well for a person that calls himself "Moocher" I hope that you don't return, cause I don't I don't need sad little people like you. ten bucks says that you are student from UCSD and you have no friends and you think you are making a change by writing reviews of stores. I'll key you in on a little secret, what you left is no review you are just bashing, and I responded in kind." "
(1)Johanna K.
Awesome food and friendly staff. My husband and I have been coming to D.C. for years and the food and service is always on point! Don Carlo's is hands down our go to joint for Mexican food.
(5)Jerry E.
I've gone here a few times because it was kinda out of the way of where I lived to mix it up as I'm a huge fan of mexican food places and don't want to kill any of my main spots. If you haven't tried soyrizo this would be a great jumping point into that experience. I've only ordered the Scripps (soyrizo, fries, salsa, sour cream, & cheese) because it's so damn good and it drives me to take the trip out to this place. Everyone I've talked to who works at this place are really friendly and I've had some enjoyable conversations with them about various things. The best convo I had was talking about their "ass burner" hot sauce and all the peppers that went into making it. You know people are serious about their food when you can hear them list off lots of ingredients and the intricacies of how they go well with each other. The sauce does live up to it's name, but has much more flavor than that of other super spicy sauces. So if your into good taco shops, especially those with robust vegetarian options check this place out and you won't be disappointed.
(4)Josh B.
What a great hole in the wall to fill an empty stomach while on vacation in La Jolla. Forget the snotty restaurants. Get yourself to Don Carlos for cheap awesome BIG tacos with fillings like potato. Fish and potato tacos, and they're open on Sunday night? Count me in. My wife and I filled up for a whopping $10.80, and the service is friendly and efficient. I hope that I'll be back soon!
(4)Susie G.
I can't believe it took me so many years in San Diego before someone told me about Don Carlos Taco Shop! The vegetarian selection is awesome -- I just came here for the first time, the food was fast & friendly & DELICIOUS! Far from healthy, but the Scripps burrito was incredible. I'm pretty sure I gained 10 pounds on the spot. 10...delicious...pounds. Bonus points for awesome service & enough leftovers to feed me a 2nd meal the next day! Yummmmmmm.
(5)Anne M.
Food was good but the guy that took our order was so rude that it kind of didn't let me enjoy it. I'm highly allergic to cucumbers so I asked if the pico de gallo had cucumbers. He told me it wasn't a Greek restaurant and looked at me like I was dumb. I would rather be safe than sorry. Other than that the food gets 4 stars but the service gets 1!!!!
(1)Joel F.
Delicious and excellent selection for a pair of hungry vegetarians. I had the soyrizo burrito and my gf opted for veggie burrito.
(5)Jeff B.
Was pretty excited to try this place after reading all the positive reviews. Instead it was met with mediocre food and poor service. Had friends with special dietary restrictions with me that asked simple questions and received sarcastic answers. Can't say I'll be back.
(2)Navaz K.
Best fish taco ever! Good carne asada! Got a fish taco and carne asada taco today. The fish was lightly fried, not greasy, came with a mound of fresh, crisp cabbage and just enough tangy sauce. Carne asada was tender, with good flavor, and they gave plenty of meat. Both came in fresh corn tortillas with a nice spoon of guac. The whole order came to $6, which I thought was a little pricey for a taco shop, but the freshness of the ingredients and the amount of good meat they give makes it reasonable, since I'd pay that much for a sandwich, and this was more filling and tastier!
(4)Liz L.
Ryan and I love Mexican food and we LOVE Don Carlos. Not only do they have an extensive menu (lots of veggie options for me!) but it's affordable and near school. Before we even got a chance to order, the owner's welcoming hospitality made us feel at home. The authenticity of everything (from the people to the menu) is refreshing. We will DEFINITELY be coming back. I want to try everything!
(5)Jemma D.
This place is fantastic. It's the definition of a hole-in-the-wall, and a great La Jolla discovery. If you're looking for Mexican food that satisfies your soul, this is it; their food always hits the spot. One of the best things about this place is the variety that they have. Even looking just at the burrito menu, there's more options in that one section than some other places' complete selection. 7 breakfast burritos, 14 vegetarian burritos (yes 14 AND vegetarian), 18 meat burritos makes for some delicious diversity. I'm personally partial to the La Jolla burritos, similar to a California burrito except chicken asado instead of carne asado. This is NOT to detract from the variety of tamales, chimichangas, enchiladas, tortas, etc that, thus far, have all been worthy indulgences. And if you're worried about the price, DON'T. Burritos that weigh over a pound are under $6 and well-stuffed tacos come at about $2.25 a piece. Totally worth it and this place will keep you coming back for more.
(5)Raze V.
It's a ludicrous pile of food for not much money. All I got was the Clairemont Burrito (that's Spanish for "garbage burger") and I was ungodly stuffed. I am still stuffed. That burrito was *checks clock* seven hours ago. Definition of hole-in-the-wall, also an upside. Bizarre and intriguing fusion menu. The con: the food is solid, but not five-star excellent. Like someone further down said, it is in fact very heavily salted. But I like salt, so it's really not much of an issue.
(4)Rafael C.
This is a awesome place. It is in the eye of the hurricane of expensive La Jolla but still has a great price and great food. I recommend the Pollado, chicken with rice and beans.
(5)Jarrod G.
Long time listener first time caller......finally I tried Don Carlos Taco Shop. I was in the mood for something sort of close, but tired of the same old thing. So....the light bulb went off.....hey I haven't tried this place. Awesome menu selections on the wall. Actually the whole wall is the menu....so I was a bit overwhelmed and glad nobody was behind me rushing me. I opted for the La Jolla Burrito as the pollo asada sounded yummy. Comes with fries, cheese, sour cream and probably some secret ingredient to keep you coming back all stuffed inside....but either way sounded delicious. The taco salad looked good that another patron had and I may try that next time. But then I was intrigued by the guy behind the counter interacting with a customer he obviously knew and the guy was ordering a burrito bowl...sounded interesting and looked great! Now I'm all confused....I guess I'll have to come back a few more times sampling my way through the menu. This totally reminds me of just some college hangout...nothing fancy, but the guy seems to know his customers. The kind of place you can usually count on good food at good prices without all the hype. Outdoor seating too so you can people watch.
(4)Vinitha R.
Amazing! Great tacos, good for groups, inexpensive and sooo tasty. I came with MANY vegetarians and they all left happy which is often hard with small taco shops. Even my friend who is vegan had great tamales.
(5)Susan L.
My boyfriend and i have frequented Don Carlos only a handful of times, and, while i am ALREADY tired of Mexican food (we moved here nearly 2 years ago), i will NEVER turn down a chance to eat there. The food is always top notch, never any complaints in MY department-and i am quite the finicky eater. The guy who is usually there (Ryan?) is always quick with conversation, he's extremely funny, and takes pride in the food, service, and the menu. I never have had a bad experience here, and i don't foresee any in the future. Also, we are both deaf, so i appreciate the fact that they are always quick to provide us with a pen and paper and take the extra time and care to ensure our order is correct, answer any questions, and even go further to carry out a decent conversation on paper. 4 thumbs up from both of us, Don Carlos. Thanks for all you do, and keep up the GREAT service.
(5)Berna T.
Machaca burritos. Machaca burritos. MACHACA BURRITOS. That's all I could think about this morning. So, sitting in Pannakin Coffee, I used my handy dandy iPhone to pull up the nearest Mexican food spot in La Jolla. Now, I was a little apprehensive about La Jolla being able to produce decent Mexican food, because - let's face it - even though it's TECHNICALLY San Diego, it's also very much Caucasiaville and therefore I would not be surprised if all I could turn up is a La Salsa or Taco Bell. But lo and behold - this taco shop turned out to be kind of great. Granted, it was no El Chile (which is practically located in Mexico), but it was good. The machaca was tender and tasty, and like any taco shop worth its queso, they throw the burrito on the grill, resulting in a lovely, flaky tortilla. (Steaming your burritos is bad. San Francisco, get a clue.) Also on the menu - tamales, and tons of vegetarian and vegan options (which kind of un-authenticates the place, but caters to the local health conscious folks). The service was friendly and quick, and with the number of people coming in and out at 10am, it seems to be a local favorite.
(4)David C.
I was a bit unsure about this place as there wasn't anyone in the small place when we first got there. I am glad we gave it a try as it was a great experience. The prices are very respectable and right after we ordered the place started to get some more action. We had the carnitas and carne asada burrito and rolled tacos. You should try to get many items off the menu and share with family or friends to get a full experience of the place. All the items we ordered were good, but the carnitas burrito was my favorite. Maybe even take your order down to the beach for a better view!
(5)Serena T.
Yummy! I got the Don Carlos Special $5.50 for 5 tacos with sides of rice, beans, salad and can of soda. Fast service, yummy food, taste fresh and they give a lot of guacamole and cheese for the rolled tacos! Definitely will be back when I'm in SD area.
(5)Nicole S.
Soo good! Great veggie/ vegan options too! Love the basic Bean & cheese w Oaxaca Mushrooms!! Great variety for tamales too!
(5)Winnie W.
for being in la jolla....you get a damn good deal...i would really like to go on a friday for some fish tacos
(4)Carrie O.
Still a big fan of Don Carlos, and my husband finally got to try their food tonight, too (he loved it!) The mushroom burrito is DEFINITELY worth a try. So good!! And the bean taco is a good mini-meal. I will be back over & over. Their salsas are worthy of 5 stars for sure, so I'll go ahead and give them 5 stars :). Yummmm
(5)Christopher D.
I like how small it is, you know, whole in the wall style. Yet on the other hand it's not small enough to be a unique grab and go taco stand and at the same time its not big enough to the point that seating is a pain if there over ten people there at a time. The fish taco was good and I got to sip on a beer while sitting on the curb side patio munching down. The shrimp taco was ver very bland. To the point that I would not recommend or try again. Please note: If you are a stickler for the white sauce that is commonly put in fish tacos you will most likely be disappointed here; it tasted cheap and overly tangy with a yellow hue.
(4)Alex V.
Best Burritos in SD!
(5)John H.
I love tamales and I love this place. A very busy shop with indoor and sidewalk seating. There were quite a few vegetarian options and all kinds of tamales. I got the harvest (veggie) and a chicken with red sauce tamale. So moist and delicious. I wish it were closer to where I was staying, as I would like to have visited it once again. The building isn't much to look at, but don't let that stop you from going in and getting a good meal!
(5)Lin O.
I had an Australian friend in town who had one mission - to eat fish tacos. We had limited time and so I yelped Don Carlos. Fantastic choice. The store is a tiny hole in the wall with a huge selection of burritos, tacos, etc. They have a lot of vegetarian options (soyrizo, tofu, etc.) and will even make things vegan for you. Portions were generous and service was friendly. We had: --Fish tacos - a nicely sized breaded and fried fillet of white fish, with fresh cabbage and sauce --Carne Asada taco - also tasty, wtih guac. Meat was a smidge dry --Chorizo taco - my friend had this, he liked it. Spicy and full of chorizo oil. --Fries - basic crinkle cut. What can I say - I was craving 'em --Mexican cokes - I introduced my friend to the joy that is MexiCoke. He believes Aussie coke is also made with sugar, but this tasted different from what he was used to. After filling our bellies we then took a walk down to the ocean and, spurred by the belief that he wasn't going to get fried fish in a flatbread anytime soon, we went back and he ordered one of many different ridiculous things on the menu - the fish chimichanga. Its made of the fried fish fillets wrapped up with shredded cheese in a burrito wrapper, and then deep fried till golden, and then covered in cheese and guac. With white sauce on the side. Holy cow. That's something to only be eaten while drunk or extremely hung over... Not sober. Who would make such a thing ?!?! I mean, it's good if that's what you really want... He got about halfway through it. I ate two bites. All in all - I recommend this place. Great way to get a good chunk of food for cheap. Or something insane for cheap -- such as burritos with french fries in them, or the aforementioned fish chimichanga (for that matter, all chimichangas are insane)! I will be coming back to sample more off their huge menu. Thank you Don Carlos, for sending my friend back to Australia happy!
(4)Effie R.
Extensive menu for vegetarians and vegans. They have tofu, soyrizo, mushroom, black beans, and pinto beans. I recommend getting a burrito bowl, it comes with a side of chips and so much delicious food. Also their vegan tamales are bomb.
(5)Danny G.
When we first saw the line outside the plaza, we thought it's for this place. Then we realized it's for the shift of posts at the local physical rehab center. The size of the burritos and tacos are quite impressive. However, neither the classic carnitas nor the seafood tacos tastes anything special. Moreover, the carnitas is completely dried out. That said, the California Burritos looked very appetizing. Oh, each taco is around $3, which seems to be a little over priced compared to tacos in LA.
(3)Stacy E.
I have to say, Don Carlos has hands down my favorite breakfast burrito in San Diego! The Hungover burrito is honestly one of the best burritos on the planet. I used to work a block away from Don Carlos and I would be so sad that I had to wait till 9:30 to order one. I do have to say, although I'm super sad I don't work in La Jolla anymore and I can't order from Don Carlos as often as I would love to, I'm sure my waist line is doing a lot better now. However, I would still gladly eat a Hungover burrito every day!!
(4)Rico A.
This place is UGLY, GAUDY and LOOKS LIKE MEXICO!! If you knew what this meant then it won't be offensive. In all honesty, this is my new favorite spot in San Diego. Ryan (aka Don Carlos or The Burrito Guy) is one of the coolest business owners I have ever met. From the time I walked into his shop, he gave my family and I the run down on the history of Don Carlos. To top it off, he's a huge NASCAR and a friend of Jimmie Johnson (my favorite NASCAR driver). The menu has plenty to offer. My buddy Rick ordered a lot of food and Ryan warned him that it was too much food for him. I mean, how honest can he be where he talks people out of food! This shows the true honesty and integrity of the owner and the business. As for the food, well my favorite was the El Nino burrito. The best way to describe it is eating a Philly Cheese Steak as a burrito. It was steaming hot (can you believe people actually complained that the food was too hot?!?!?). I'm glad Don Carlos serves his food pipping hot, I don't want to eat cold food. I also sampled a crispy shredded beef taco. Amazing! To wash it down, I had a Mexican Coke. For you who are not familiar, a Mexican coke is Coca Cola served in glass bottles like the good ol days. You can still find these in Mexico, hence Mexican Coke. I would highly recommend this place if you're in the La Jolla area. Its down the street from Torre Pines. So if you're in the area, grab an El Nino burrito and kick back at Don Carlos. Ask Ryan to tell you some stories because he has some great ones!
(5)Alex P.
Great hole-in-the-wall Mexican food place. Lots of menu items, good prices, tastes great. Definitely recommend checking it out.
(4)Jose G.
It's OK. Maybe my expectations were too high given the reviews here. Tried the burrito, nothing wrong with it. Prices are fair.
(3)Megh D.
I ate here sunday...today is thursday...I think that I am still running off of that burrito. The thing was the size of a Yugo! If I cannot demolish a meal, you know it is abnormally large. I could not conquer that Mushroom Tofu burrito -despite all efforts. It was piping hot, fresh, full-flavoured -but load up on their hot sauces anyway, they are fantastic. The one star lacking is because the tofu was not cooked enough...it was still too fluffy. I like my 'fu with some char on it. In addition to the burrito, my compadres attempted two quesadillas, two tacos, another burrito, side of guacamole, side of tortillas and guacamole, horchata, and a sodie pop -all for about $30. Don Carlos does not know the meaning of the word 'small' -except when it comes to their prices. So, watch out, DC. I am comin' to ye with a mission to finish one of those beast-urritos! (Or vegan tamales...mmmm....)
(4)Arthur B.
Don Carlos es un bueno taqueria! Pretty good burritos, very filling! They have some authentic Mexican stuff, Coca-Cola straight from Mexico! Love it! would recommend if ur looking for a quick place to eat. The inside isn't that big and there's a limited amount of space to sit, but for a quick grab and go..its perfect.
(4)David G.
Yum! San Diego has Mexican food joints of all shapes, sizes, and quality levels, but Don Carlos is the one that does it for me. My favorite is the La Jolla burrito, which has chicken and French fries and other spicy goodness denselypacked into a tortilla. (This is, in other words, a chicken version of the California burrito.) I sometimes come here with my vegetarian and vegan friends, and then I steal bites of the Scripps burrito. (This is yet another version of California burrito, but this time with soyrizo.) At first I was skeptical about soyrizo, but Don Carlos has turned me a fan! There's very little seating inside (only 3 tables), so I prefer to sit outside and watch the rich La Jollans cruise up and down Pearl St in their Bentleys. The exhaust seems to add a little special something to the flavor.
(4)Alex J.
I grew up in southern california and since I moved from San Clemente to La Jolla, Don Carlos is my favorite place for some quick mexican food I've found around La Jolla. I highly recommend their carne asada and carnitas burritos for lunch or dinner, which always come with a solid spread of house made guac (I still like to order double sometimes though). For breakfast, I'm always torn between their egg and potato burrito, the chorizo burrito, and the hungover burrito (bacon, carne asada, eggs, potato, and awesome), even if I haven't been drinking in a week. The fish tacos are excellent as well. The tortillas are awesome fresh made by a local vendor, and the torta bread is always fresh and nicely toasted. The prices are lower and portions are larger than several of the other burrito spots around town. The salsas are awesome: a red and green made in-house from dry roasted chilis and tomatillos respectively. Their hottest salsa, affectionately named ass-burner, is something to take sparingly unless you can handle some serious heat. We've ordered catered burritos and taco bars from here several times for student functions at UCSD and people are always asking for where to get more of them. They even deliver large orders. The staff and owner are all completely awesome and have actually stayed open late once or twice for us so we could mob some people over there for food after the occasional party. They also have a long history of supporting sports teams and local bands from the high school. How much of either of those do the chain restaurants contribute to our local community? So while it may be Ugly, Gaudy, and Look Like Mexico (UGLLM is practically their motto, ask about it in the shop), I wouldn't have it any other way and I must salute Don Carlos with a sixth star: * Muchas gracias.
(5)Ani T.
Highly recommended. Great food.
(5)Maricris D.
Filling! I ordered fish tacos and carne asada fries. Both were pretty tasty, but nothing spectacular.
(3)Mac W.
By far my favorite burrito on Earth. Their California Burrito (con guacamole) is unlike anything else... The service is friendly and helpful if you're not sure what to order (but don't be silly get a burrito for goodness sakes!) All my vegetarian friends adore this little taco shop because they serve up an amazing "Soyrizo" Just because you don't eat meat doesn't mean you can't enjoy a fantastic burrito! The shop is located right in downtown La Jolla-- a traditionally ritzy place, but Don Carlos doesn't fit the traditional La Jolla restaurant stereotype. DC is homey, classic, and damn good. Definitely give it a go-- you won't be disappointed.
(5)Julia G.
Because of good reviews, i tried the fish taco but i don't like breaded fish. Shredded chicken taco taste heavy on the spice and can't taste the chicken. I heard la jolla burrito is good so i will it a try next time. 3 stars for now
(3)Michael L.
Solid burritos! I tried it for the first time today and have to say that the burrito was awesome. I will be back!
(4)Kevin S.
This place lives up to the hype. Their carne asada buritto is the best I have ever had. It was HUGE. I just ate part of it as leftovers. There is still some remaining. I recommend the chips as well. They were piping hot when they were served to me. This place is a little pricey, but worth it.
(4)NorCal D.
5 Stars -- not because it is the best, but because it is great. "Tacky, Gaudy and Looks Like Mexico!" is how one La Jolla Society Marm described this hole-in-the-wall This is just the way I like my taco shops. All the classics are here and I have also had apple tamales Wow! If you want, you can be disappointed, but I love it!
(5)john A.
I found Don Carlos years ago from a print advertisement and have frequented the place ever since. Originally I went because there was a mention of vegetarian burritos, and I was in the mood for vegie food - I found the Oaxaca burrito to be quite good, and they always have a tasty assortment of Tamales! I take many of my out of town visitors there and they all enjoy the food, the relaxed atmosphere and the Mexican Cokes with real sugar (not that HFCS stuff!
(4)Caley H.
You just can't get burritto's like this anywhere else! Best in California. The mix if flavors is perfectly balanced and oh-so-scrumptious. Don't miss out on this place, or make the mistake of going to one of the other wannabe burrito shops. I can't wait to come back to San Diego from San Francisco to eat here.
(5)Albert Y.
When I first bit into my burrito, the disappointment was surprising. From the hype, I expected golden unicorns to burst forth from my mouth, covering the large line of locals and visitors who were waiting to order with incredible platinum salsa verde and showering the porches parked outside with molten diamonds. Instead, the entire burrito was probably 95% authentic Mexican flavor, the type that you struggle to find north of Tijuana. And 5% of Ryan's entertaining and bellicose rhetoric. Every bite was the same: too much flavor! Considering all the Mexican food available in San Diego, there are definitely worse places around. In fact, I would say *all* the other places in San Diego are worse. Especially the pathetic chain-store burrito place that just opened up the hill, selling bland rubbish which I purchase only to use as disposable receptacles with which I perfect my woman-pleasuring techniques (like warm apple pie, they say). I still will probably come back and give the tamales a try... hopefully I will not be disappointed again..
(5)Joe H.
Don Carlos represents the pinnacle of Mexican taco shops in La Jolla. The ingredients are refreshingly flavorful, the portions are just enough to keep you full, and the service is friendly. They have an expansive menu, occupying several panels and blanketing the wall to your right-hand side as you enter the taco shop. It's sometimes a little overwhelming to find what you want, but they've grouped all menu items categorically, which makes it easier to find. Their burritos are not as greasy as most holes in the wall, but still maintain a moderate grease level so as not to fool the unsuspecting burritophile into thinking he or she walked into a health food store. As per health, Don Carlos has actually made it healthier to eat Mexican food. Pshaw to those naysayers who denounce all Mexican cuisine as unhealthy. As ignorant and stereotypcial this assumption is, it's all the more so incorrect at Don Carlos, which has refreshingly adopted Soyrizo and Tofu into their menus. For a conditional vegetarian, such as myself, I'm overjoyed to see a vegetarian burrito list containing five or six options. Most taco shops will only feature one veggie burrito, using old shredded lettuce, sludgey refried beans, grayish salsa fresca, and if you're lucky, guacamole paste. Don Carlos always tastes fresh, and innovatively offers mushrooms, tofu, spicy potatoes (which honestly tastes like Turkey Day mashed potatoes with Mexican kick!) and Soyrizo (a tofu/chorizo substitute). The service is extremely friendly and helpful. The owner, Ryan, is personable and fun. There are few taco shop owners who make themselves so easily accessible, and I personally find this helpful and reassuring when ordering. They have at least a half-dozen tamale choices daily, varying on ingredient stocks and they are all good. I'd recommend the red sauce pork, the jalapeno cheese, and the pineapple tamales. I've never left Don Carlos unsatisfied. You can't find a more solid taco shop in La Jolla. It may not be the absolute best, standing a head above all others, but it's one you can count on in your time of burrito need.
(4)Sayanan S.
Ok, so the San Diego Reader called the shrimp burrito at Don Carlos, "the best in the world." I haven't tried every shrimp burrito in the world, but I can say that it's the best I've tried in San Diego. The burrito is huge, and packed with shrimp. There is no skimping on ingredients at Don Carlos. The salsa verde that they make in-house compliments it perfectly, Get one of the Hop Head Red beers, and you're sitting easy.
(5)Virginia C.
Teetering on 4 stars! My friends and I went to this small little shop for dinner. There wasn't very much sitting space and there were only 3 small booths in the restaurant itself but I found the feel of the shop to be very appropriate for the quick and casual service we received. I ordered a soyrizo burrito with guacamole and it was really good! I usually go for just a normal vegetarian burrito but the vegetarian options just begged to be ordered. I was ready to chose between the mushroom burrito and the regular vegetarian but my friend ended my debate with high praise for the soyrizo. We didn't wait too long for our orders to be ready but before we left with our to-go orders, he offered us hot sauce. The guy working the register asked if we wanted "hot, hot or ass-burner" and was pretty rude about my inquiry about a mild option, sarcastically referring me to Taco Bell. Once we stepped out of the shop, we wanted to try some of the food while it was fresh so we sat down at one of the many tables outside of the shop and before we were settled, the guy at the register poked his head of the shop window and made a comment about how we ordered to-go. I don't know about the service, but the burritos were good. Maybe I could have enjoyed it more if was serviced by someone else and ate it somewhere else.
(3)M. M.
Definitely THE place to go in the La Jolla area! Great Carne Asada. Sure, you could get the same thing for 25-50 cents cheaper in 'Chula Juana'....but that's quite a commute from the LJ area. Better to just get your food from 'the Don' in LJ -- the food is seriously as good as any that you can get in the San Diego area. Definitely hole-in-the-wall....so don't show up with 20 people looking for a place to eat.
(5)Adam C.
Flat-out delicious burritos. The price is decent, especially for La Jolla, and the serving sizes are awesome. It tastes like one of my favorite burrito place in Portland (Cha Cha Chas and the King Burrito cart). I try to go every time I'm in downtown La Jolla.
(5)Brian K.
This place doesn't come close to being "the best Mexican restaurant." Another instance where Yelpers have gone wild - too liberal with the 5 star dosage. It's not like I avoid the place, the place is just okay. After about 5 visits to this place, their food tastes like other fast food Mexican restaurants so it's nothing to brag about. Comparable to a Cotixan's or Roberto's. It's decent Mexican food but by no means, is it the best. Negatives: no fountain drinks, only canned soda. But they do have beer though (in bottles).
(3)Sergey K.
Overall, this is the best Mexican food in La Jolla. They have a huge menu with all the usual favorites but also some rare treats. The tamale combos are a must-try here. The menu is very vegetarian friendly and even carries some vegan items if that's your thing. The prices are a little higher than in rest of San Diego but the portions are by no means small. Only complaint I have is the seating options, there are only 3 tables inside and the tables outside are unpleasant due to the heavy road noise from Pearl.
(4)Sunny K.
nyum nyum soyrizo vegan burrito. life is good :D
(5)Michelle B.
So, I first started coming here because I was vegan and loved mexican food. This is BY FAR the most authentic vegan mexican food you will get (I know, it's an oxymoron...) The burritos are big, and had better be for the price. Their salsas are delicioso, the green is my favorite. They also have spicier red sauce, which is good and very, very spicy. Their meat is good too, I've had bites of people carne asada burritos and got a chicken burrito once too. Not too dry, well seasoned. Good place. ONE thing. Sometimes, the guy in charge can get a little cocky. I once heard him outright yell at a customer... even if the customer was wrong, it was kind of disturbing... I think since it's such a popular taco shop that is doing so well, they can neglect customer service at time because... well quite frankly, losing one or two customers won't exactly hurt them. However it's also located in La Jolla, a very wealthy community. The people there are notably snootier, and can be a bit of a handful when it comes to their needs, especially in food, I'm sure. So overall, this taco shop is amazing.
(4)Dawn M.
Best rolled potato tacos and guacamole I've had in 10 years of taco shops in SD. Light and fluffy tamales. Righteous sals roja. Nice people. The savory Scripps burrito features soyrizo & fries (not greasy) its rich!
(5)Ranjith K.
wow, this is the 200th review for Don Carlos! I cant believe I have gone past this shop so many times without noticing this gem of a restaurant in the neighborhood. I still cant believe their price point, is it for real - in La Jolla. The place is very casual and I will not recommend taking your date here. But on any other day, this is the place for a nice, tasty, filling mexican food. Never have to wait too long. They have good vegetarian menu, which I like. Scripps burrito is my favorite here.
(5)Aaron W.
Great Food. I always come back!!
(5)Paul A.
This place rocks! Tortilla is so hot and just tastes super fresh. Had the hungover breakfast burrito which consists of bacon, eggs, cheese, carne asada, and of course, guacamole. The burrito came out hot, really hot, the salsa, both verde and basic red complimented the burrito perfectly! Simply put, hot on the outside, delicious on the inside, satisfying at the end with the right amount of flavor and salsa to compliment. Perfect, why can't I find a girlfriend just like that!
(4)David S.
Breaded fish sticks in a fish taco and fish chimichanga? I am guessing that is pollock from Alaska. Yuck. The rest was good - salsa, price, ambiance. However, in a seaside town at least the seafood should be good. Overall this is nothing special, even if it is an institution.
(2)Mimi N.
There is every type of tamale in the world. Tamale heaven. But I've never had one. I like the carne asada fries and the potato rolled tacos. They make me happy.
(4)Meghann D.
This hole in the wall is the bomb! Heard about it all the way from Hawaii, and it was well worth the trip! Don is the man. Hit it twice in one day, try the El niño!
(5)Mona M.
i swear this is the 4th mexican place i've reviewed. I'm a sucker for good food and DAMN, i've never gotten a burrito from here but their carnesada fries are SUPER good, i'm vegan so i have them with soyrizo or w/e and they are delicious. In middle school my friends and i used to go like once a month, but nowadays money's getting tighter cause i'd rather be spending my money on something other than food so i don't go here much but when i want mexican food, this is where it's at. and they have bean tacos. great right???
(4)B F.
I have to admit that I'm not really a fan of tamales. However, one of my cousins who visited me loves the stuff so I followed her to this taco shop only to be impressed by the flavor of their food. Every tamale I tried was good tasting and was not very expensive at all. They had a large variety of different types of tamales that were made fresh every day. I'm glad that these tamales were my first experience. I have yet to find a place that matches or comes close to the quality of these tamales. I am definitely tempted to return one day for other delicious Mexican food I hear they have to offer.
(4)Miss B.
went here after reading the many positive reviews...ordered fish tacos, shrimp taco, and carne asada tacos. ALL were disgusting! fish was heavily breaded and NOT fresh but rather looked like fish sticks! shrimp smelled and not in a good way. the carne asada was cold and not tasty at all! will not be back here ever again!!!
(1)Josh d.
Oh man, where to start!?!?! This place is by far one of the top local "diamonds in the rough!" Even if you're not in the mood for an amazing potato taco, or the infamous "El Niño" burrito, then at least stop in to high five Ryan aka "Don Carlos" and tell him that Thor sent ya!!!
(5)Sal U.
I've been coming here weekly for 20 years! Always great!
(5)Rajeev K.
Great vegetarian options. Try the Chile Relleno, Scripps burrito. The bowl is huge. Amazing options. I ate all varieties of tamales. Cheap and great tasting Mexican food.
(4)Nancy U.
Ugly, Garish -- Looks Like Mexico! Tastes BETTER! Terrific tamales (try the cranberry dessert one!) Tasty fish tacos with a slightly lemony yellow sauce. Good garlic-y salsa. And an entertaining owner with a sly sense of fun. Whenever I travel, I look for small, hole-in-the-wall gems like this one. Good food. Good value. And a hands-on friendly proprietor who obviously loves his restaurant and the food. I will be back.
(5)Bitter M.
Best burrito dive in LJ.
(5)crimson p.
I was super disappointed with the tacos after reading the reviews. If you like the quantity over quality, you may like the place. It' a bit better than Porkylands (I gave them one-star), but just a cut above. I do commend them for having vegetarian options and a wide-array of tamales, which is definitely more unique for a taco/burrito place.
(2)Cole M.
Let me start by saying that I am a HUGE Burrito snob, IMHO the BEST burritos can be found at the source, San Francisco (If you didn't know, the burrito did not come from Mexico, it came from the city)! Having gone to UCSD, I have tried every Burrito shop in the Northern part of San Diego, and I have been disappointed time and time again from the MXN, Cotixans, etc. that serve terrible dry burritos that I would not even see fit to serve my dog. That being said, Don Carlos, along with Vallarta's, are different. The Burritos are piping hot and the meat is quality, you can tell from the texture. One of my pet peeves about other burrito places in SoCal is they seem to not understand that the cheese is supposed to MELT into the rest of the ingredients, I cant tell you how many times I have bit into a California burrito only to get the miserable combination of warm meat and cold, unmelted cheese... This is not the case at Don Carlos, the ingredients come together like a symphony of flavors in your mouth! My recommendation? The Hungover burrito! Eggs, Potatoes, Cheese, Bacon and Carne Asada... that's SMART!
(5)mindy d.
Hmm...I'm in the mood for a burrito, but not a bean and cheese one, and not a veggie one, and not a seafood one. Any other choices for pescetarian me? Yes! Don Carlos has brilliantly added soyrizo to many burritos. And they sell limeade that is so refreshing and not overwhelmingly sweet. Worth the drive down to La Jolla.
(4)Thomas M.
This place is great. If your in the heart of La Jolla then you want to check these guys out. They provide all the favorites like my torta. If you are in the area and looking for a legit taco shop check them out. They give out really good sized portions as well. The workers are really friendly and you will instantly be fan. Check them out.
(4)Si O.
The menu here is pretty extensive, lots to choose from. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, chili relleno and tortas. I got the three item combo with a chicken/potato taco, cheese enchilada, and chili relleno. The cheese enchilada was great, the red sauce was perfect and lots of cheese. I The relleno had potato stuffed inside. I didn't really like the potato but the rest of it was good, I liked that it didnt have a lot of batter on the outside of the chili. The chicken/potato taco was good an average taco, I would get it without the potato next time. Not that many places to sit. They have three tables inside and an outside area that's facing the street.
(3)JOHN C.
We were in La Jolla and used Yelp to find a Mexican joint....Don Carlos delivered amazing food and great service. Let's start with the food. We started with some chips and guacamole, both of which tasted homemade and fresh. Lots of flavor in the guac. Next we gorged ourselves on a ton of dishes....tamales (they have like 10 kinds!), fish tacos, carnitas tacos, veggie tostada, and a quesadilla. Everything had tons of flavor and came out quick. The woman behind the counter was very attentive to our 2 kids. Highlight of the meal was the carnitas, which was super flavorful and moist, and the BBQ rib tamale (sweet masa with shredded BBQ rib meat in the middle). It's a bit of a "dive" but that adds to the charm. Decor is authentic. Decent crowd on a Wednesday afternoon, but food was quickly delivered. Definitely will go back next time I make it to La Jolla.
(5)Amy F.
The menu is a little overwhelming if you don't know what you want beforehand. There is every combination available posted on the wall before you (types of meat, style of food, burrito, taco, enchilada (even tamales)). This is a tiny taco "joint". There is only one thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars and that is cleanliness. The place looks like it could use a good cleaning. It has clearly been around a long time and seen a lot of business. I suspect this will continue to even if they don't wash it down. I know I'll be back.
(4)Colby Y.
Haven't been here in a while but this review is based on the level of service, friendliness and quality product that this lil taco shop delivered time after time in mu previous visits. 5 stars all the way and now that I am back in the area I will moat certainly frequent this spot again. I hope it's still the same!!
(5)Heather R.
so we have this silly little tradition at our house, we celebrate half-birthdays. Yes - HALF birthdays...my daughter was born the end of April so right around Halloween is her half birthday. She gets to pick where she wants to eat dinner each half b-day so this year she chose Don Carlos Taco Shop. The lady at the counter Aricelli was so sweet...all smiley...and very accommodating. ( I changed my order as soon as I saw they had home made tamales!) YUM. My husband and I each ordered a beer and Aricelli asked if we had ever mixed our beer with lime and Clamato...uh, no...well, she said it was the BEST and we should try it sometime. The next thing I know, Aricelli is handing us some Clamato in two plastic cups, each rimmed with margarita salt and some sliced limes. She went to the market next door and bought the Clamato just so we could try it. What a gal! It wasn't my favorite but it was fun, we are always up for trying new things. My daughter had the Carne Asada Fries which looked disgusting but tasted realllly good. I'd say the food was three star good but I am throwing in an extra star because of Aricelli, she went over and above just for us. We'll be back!
(4)Erin H.
They have excellent veg food here! The soyrizo tacos are so delicious. The only down side is that they can be a wee bit pricey for mexican food. The "authenticity" is really good though, so it is pretty much worth it. I am a long time customer and plan to continue to be!
(4)Tyler H.
Best burrito I have had in San Diego county.
(5)Helen H.
Had the beef tacos and shrimp tacos...awesome! This place made me crave tacos all week long while I was visiting San Diego. Since I'm moving down to SD, I'll be visiting Don Carlos as often as possible. Love this place!
(5)Jasmine M.
I love Don Carlos! They have awesome fish tacos, outdoor seating and friendly service. They're also really good at taking phone orders for pickup. The shrimp taco is also great, grilled not battered. Delicious :)
(4)X X.
Find a way to plan this into every San Diego trip I take Lots of veggie options Super filling EAT HERE.
(5)Dillon S.
I'm never a huge fan of authentic mexican, but my friends all reported that I was wonderful. I really appreciate their veggie friendly food, though! The soyrizo was delicious. They have over 30 types of burritos, so one is bound to please you and your friends!
(4)Kinsee M.
What to say about Don Carlos....hmmm. Vegetarians can rest assured they'll find something on the menu. Carne asada lovers won't be disappointed and for those who dig on those rolled tacos, Don Carlos comes through. The only thing interesting or different about this Mexican joint is the website they advertise on the window. I love burritos, so when I saw eataburrito.com painted across the window, I made a note and checked it out when I got home. To my horror, I discovered that the website does not yet exist. I can't believe no one has swiped up that domain name. It's so sweet.
(4)mahi m.
The tamale selection is phenomenal - sweet and savory, meat, veggie and vegan. They sell out, so you may want to call. Got a recommendation from a couple of locals to come here and it was worth the walk from the cove. Still have a half burrito for lunch, wrapped in its tasty, grilled tortilla goodness.
(4)Tyler L.
Most vegetarian options at a taco shop I have ever seen. Lots of food for your money and everything is delicious! My current favorite is the Scripps Burrito - soyrizo, fries, sour cream, guac., and some super hot sauce. This place is definitely worth the drive into La Jolla.
(4)Melissa S.
This place is the BOMB!! 34+ types of burritos. All was great and very reasonable prices. Parking on street a bit difficult. Very friendly staff that were willing to tell us tourists how to get to a couple places. Seating is limited. Kid friendly.
(5)Robi P.
Bless yelp for leading me here. It was a full days excursion for CJ, lil' G and me to walk here and back from the LJB&TC. Worth it. Twice I ordered the "Scrips" burrito- Soyrizo, french fries, sour cream and salsa. Twice was once too many. I tried a pina colada tamale here- it was as good as it sounds. Carol had fish tacos twice and loved them. Next door is a well stocked liquor store if you want a better beer selection than a few Mex brews.
(4)Ian S.
Great Mexican food. The location is key and is a good place to go with a large group. Good lighting and decently priced
(4)Michelle M.
Don Carlos is delicious! Their menu was huge which was very overwhelming. We ordered the Machaca. Husband said it didn't have much flavor as he expected but it was good enough. I liked the Carne Asada Burrito. I also the Enchiladas which was okay.
(3)Mark R.
This was some great mexican food!
(4)Bill Y.
It got good again!!! Last time we were in town, food was excellent... reminded me of late nights on the weekends
(4)Samantha D.
The food is really good. The staff is mostly incredibly friendly and easy to talk to. The only downside is the service speed. The staff taking my order tends to be tired, but not too bad. The food is really, really good, but it takes a long time to get. I was in there for half an hour waiting for my carne asada fries (which are delicious) and worth the wait. I just don't know what takes so long.
(4)Justin M.
This place is over rated. The shredded chicken taco was served with a broken shell and over fried, translucent chicken. The only flavor was the from the dirty deep fryer oil trapped in the pre-packed, frozen filling. Their pollo asado, soft shell taco was another disappointment. Instead of resembling marinated rotisserie chicken, it was cubed chicken breast with almost zero flavor. However, the asada burrito wasn't a total disappointment. I find the meat is over salted though. Since the shop and I are neighbors, I keep giving them chances to redeem themselves, but the woman who works the front counter most days isn't helping matters. Forget service with a smile I just want to place my order if she will ever pop her head out from behind the divider between the register and kitchen. The young man that works the register is on it, engaging and in a good mood. I'm giving this place one last chance to come though with a breakfast burrito. If they blow that, they are getting filed in the same category as Rigoberto's and Arby's.
(2)Scott H.
Great service and staff, great food, and by far the best Tamales in San Diego! Oh the Pumpkin ones around halloween! so good!
(5)Annie C.
Seriously the best Mexican in San Diego - well, La Jolla, but still - and you cannot beat the tamales there unless you take the time out of your own life to make them or kidnap someone's Mexican family to make them for you. Failing that, if you are in need of an AMAZING tamale, or really, anything else Mexican to eat, then you really need to go here. As any fine connoisseur of Mexican food knows, hole-in-the-wall is always going to be better than some puffed-up restaurant in Old Town. This one lives up to that in spades. Oh, and their fish tacos are better than any other I have ever eaten, and believe me, I have sampled many a fish taco. Plus, one of the most critical foodies I know highly endorses this place. Go here!
(5)David S.
I absolutely love Don Carlos. I went to high school in La Jolla, and it is one of the things I miss the most about San Diego. While I can't really speak for most things on their menu, I can tell you that their California Burrito is absolutely godly. I generally got a soda from Dick's Liquor next door while my burrito was being made (it's cheaper that way). I understand that this place might not be as cheap as a taco stand in Tijuana, it is still very cost-effective for what you're getting: the burritos taste incredible, and fill you up. Even more than that, the owner (Don) is very friendly and will make conversation with you about almost anything, if you engage him, or nothing at all if you so choose. I absolutely love Don Carlos and recommend it to anyone and everyone.
(5)Valerie B.
my bf and i were a little dissapointed in this place. dont get me wrong the food was good but the meat was dry. the carne asada nachos i had was filling but it was dry. not cool. and the cheese.....uhmmmm can i say wasnt of quality. my bf's carne asada burrito was missing some of the main ingredients........... cilantro and onions. what burrito is made without cilantro and onions? was that suppose to cost extra? i never knew that there is a burrito of just meat...... no sauce..... maybe some spices........ just meat. kinda weird. well i'd have to go back to albertos and some of the mom and pop restaurants.
(2)Hiram E.
So I dunno why? I have a love hate relationship with this place. Which has now turned into a hate relationship. The food CAN be good! But it simply destroys my insides just about every time I eat here. Today was the last straw. I got one of the breakfast burritos with ham inside and the Ham tasted very sour almost rotten(even after cooked...yikes!). But of course I was hungry so I just ate the damn thing knowing the ham was bad. This happens very often. Why can't this place be sanitary? Why can't this place finally realize people "literally" get sick of there food? I'm sure the health dept has to wear a hazard suit in order to do a simple inspection. Taco shops in TJ put this place to absolute shame, and this place is in la jolla? The original don carlos would be rolling in his grave if he found out what has happened to his beloved gem. Yes I live in La jolla and I know all the tourist will hit this place up once in a blue moon and praise this place. The real people of La jolla hate this place because of what I went through today, plus the quality went downhill. I love the ingredients of there burritos. But quality and sanitary must never be replaced. BTW...I'm typing this while on the toilet.
(1)bryant p.
Maybe it's the higher standard San Diego has set for me but this place doesn't even come close. If you live close by and don't want to venture out, then sure eat here. I've tried each meat and they all were disappointing. If you have to choose, get the pollo asada.
(2)Hiram E.
I go here when I have to. There portions are always small. They jack there prices up because of the location.Obviously. There Breakfast Burrito's are some of the best. Everybody I know hates this place except 2 people I know. This place is completely overated. But its not horrible.
(2)Peter W.
Visiting from out of town, wanted to visit a hole-in-the-wall rather than one of the chains. I had the carnitas burrito, excellent combination of crunchy and juicy, 5 stars. She had the fish tacos, kid 1 had the veggie burrito, ate it right up, kid 2 had the chicken tacos, which were a bit bland. Highly recommended.
(4)Amanda L.
I've lived in La Jolla for the majority of my life and Don Carlos beats out every single Mexican Food restaurant in San Diego. It is my personal favorite restaurant (period) and I highly recommend it to all. The food itself is phenomenal. The burritos are generally everybody's favorites (the Carne Asada burrito is my personal choice). I highly recommend trying the chimichangas and tostadas if you are up for something different. If you're a little less daring, the rolled tacos are both inexpensive and filling. Make sure you try the hot sauce - it's homemade and will add a great kick to any of the above. Aside from the food, the atmosphere of the restaurant is very comfortable and welcoming. The owner of the shop has become a personal friend of mine and is excellent at creating interpersonal relationships with all customers. He's helped host countless fundraisers at La Jolla High and donates more than most restaurants. The comment by John B. made me laugh. If it's "common knowledge amongst La Jolla locals that Don Carlos has been on a steady downhill trajectory since 1994", obviously nobody in La Jolla has actually gotten that memo. In fact, the store has beaten its monthly profit record three times in the past year.
(5)Andrea N.
Don Carlos keeps their prices low and their selection wide. I think that they are known for their wide variety of tamales but if you take a glance at the wall of a menu, you'll realize that there's something yummy for vegans as well as meat-lovers. Most taco shops seem to only be able to please one palate. It is the best taco shop in and around La Jolla (not San Diego, though). I feel very sorry for the poor souls who think that El Cotixan on Genesee is as good as it gets. If Don Carlos had longer hours, it would be perfect for UCSD kids.
(3)Kristin L.
What a great find - DC boasts the best cheap Mexican food this far north of San Diego proper. There isn't much seating, but the atmosphere is refrehingly grungy. The Clairemont Burrito was fantastic - the pork was tender and delicious. Everything, from the fat wedge fries in th California burrito to the pico de gallo on the fish taco. Oh yeah, the fish taco was simple, but delicious when hot and fresh.
(4)Madeline P.
I bounce in between the L.A. Area and San Diego through friends and I have not found a comparable place for tamales (cept for this one caterer who I sampled at a warehouse party in downtown LA, but that doesn't count). They are definitely a hole-in-the-wall spot, with very little seating save for outdoors. Despite the modest appearance, they have incredible food, a plethora of vegetarian options: multiple kinds of tamales (vege & vegan), spicy potato tacos, etc. Prices are good, as they should be.
(5)Alfredo C.
I come here for one thing...and one thing only. The Clairemont! Carnitas, french fries, salsa and crema wrapped in a flour tortilla. Don't get me wrong, there other menu items are pretty darn good but the Clairemont is just so BEAST! I go here for the Clairemont and the Clairemont only... ...well, maybe also some sweet corn tamales to-go if they're available... ...but yeah, Clairemont burrito - Get it! Go-to item and "my last meal on Earth": Clairemont burrito with a side of Mexican Coke.
(5)Brian S.
It's difficult to pick a favorite place to get burritos, but Don Carlos is high on the list. Good food all around; my friends find the potato rolled tacos particularly good. Most taquerias don't merit a comment on service, but the staff here are always a pleasure. They take credit/debit, too, as if everything else wasn't sufficiently to make me go back. I think they have a decent happy hour (M-F 3pm-6pm?), but let me double check that. And, hey, failing that there's a liquor store next door!
(5)Dylan O.
Unlike most places in La Jolla, I was short about 50cents for my California burrito and they covered it... But it was over priced any ways $6.20 for a California burrito? what ever It was good and they were nice. The burrito was so F-ing hot... with every bite flowed molten sourcream on to my lips... i was so hungry i couldn't stop though. So I can't really judge on the quality of the burrito since it was to hot to taste but i left with a full belly and some second-degree burns... I was happy for the most part.
(3)Anton B.
Don Carlos is a great hidden hole in the wall that offers great service and great food. whenever I am in the neighborhood i stop there and grab a great carne asada burrito.
(4)Judd H.
I'm in La Jolla for six weeks and I'm disappointed I just found this place during week four. I place great value on a low priced burrito and Don Carlos has plenty of options. Had the La Jolla Burrito and a brew and greatly enjoyed my evening. Service was very friendly, prompt, and helpful. Only complaint was the $4.25 price on my bottle of beer but I guess that's how it goes when the food isn't expensive. I suppose I could have gone for the brown-bag special 24oz Busch at only $2. It's a cheap eats kind of place but it exceeded my expectations. I'll be back for sure before I leave town.
(5)Christine C.
Don Carlos is a awesome and cheap Mexican eatery in La Jolla. I love little dive Mexican joints and I love them even more when they are in a ritzy area that is certainly the case with Don Carlos. The menu at Don Carlos is quite extensive, and there are a lot of healthy options available. Don Carlos serves three kinds of beans including, pinto, black and garlic and they are mouth watering good. There are also a lot of tamales on the menu. I didn't try any, but the selection looked a bit exotic. I think I'll have to sample one when I go back.
(4)Dylan M.
Bomb taco's at a cool little place. I also love all the news clippings inside the store. This place is RAD, fish taco + carne asada taco = amazing meal.
(4)Amber G.
Best f-ing potato taquitos (aka rolled tacos) on the planet. They get five stars even though the past couple of times I've tried to go there they've been closed for random reasons (last time was a gas leak). I'm so glad that I'm moving to San Diego so I can eat at Don Carlos every day. Ok maybe not every day, but I will go there a lot!!
(5)Brian A.
Dear Don, This is a story of love and expectations, betrayal and anger, and friendship turned boycott. The day is January, 7th, 2010. The BCS Championship game is on but all we are excited for is a halftime run to the Don Carlos taco shop in La Jolla. After parking and walking briskly into your shop we excitedly ordered a few El Nino's paired with Mexican cokes. Then... the unthinkable happens. The portly man behind the counter abruptly exclaims our 10% customer loyalty cards "expired in 2010" and he cannot honor the discount without the "new cards"!? The business-card-size contract and bond of friendship and loyalty falls to the counter.... suddenly a worthless, flimsy piece of paper with no memory of a long history of countless burritos, fountains of guacamole and equally as many upset stomachs and skid-marks. Friends, customers and La Jolla tourists, direct your attention to the other humble, friendly and appreciative Mexican restaurants in town. Nobody likes a breakup but the wise know when to cut ties with those that do not love you back. It is with regret but not remorse that our entire social circle will sever the ties with squat, square midget with a goatee at Don Carlos and support the friendlier Mexican places in town with our daily business. Yours truly, All 2009 10% discount CUSTOMER LOYALTY cardholders... smart business move, dick.
(1)Joe S.
La Jolla is not known for its taco shops, and I would say there is a reason. Don Carlos wasn't bad, but really, it just wasn't good, and if my Sister and brother in law hadn't liked their burritos, I would've dropped a 2 for this one. I mean, I got the Clairemont burrito because I had to rep my hood, but man. I do not like sour cream in the least, so I swapped out for guacamole, which I understand being charged for, that's fair. However, the burrito was quite poorly mixed, and the fries tasted like the store brand kind you find in the freezer section at the grocery store. They just weren't good. I did not find the other ingredients flavorful, and resorted to smothering it in the so-so salsa and lime. On the plus side, the burrito was HUGE, but I'd rather a smaller *good* burrito than a giant mediocre one. If I am stuck in La Jolla and craving a burrito in the future, I'll go a couple blocks over to Porkyland.
(3)alex c.
Being a San Diego native, I can say that Don Carlos has some of the best mexican food in town. It meets my expectations in that I can get quality food for such an affordable price (I would recommend the chicken rolled tacos and the pollo asada tacos!). I have lived in La Jolla for a couple of years now and I can contest that the other locals would agree with my review as it is a popular hang out for the younger crowd and a quick and easy meal to put on the table for the family crowd. I have also noticed quite a few tourists!!! Basically, I would say that Don Carlos is fantastic!
(5)M. S.
I can't quite describe the physical reaction that I get upon entering Don Carlos. It's the closest thing to Pavlovian that I've ever experienced. The tummy starts the rumble, the mouth starts to salivate, and I begin visualizing the tasty food that's in my near future. Lots of vegetarian and vegan options. My favorite stand-by is the black bean enchilada combo with rice and beans. It's pretty straight up-and-down, no frills type of food, but the flavors are spot on. I love the crispy tacos with the warm, soft potato filling and their burritos are amply-sized and tasty. Bonus points for having reasonable prices and good hot sauce.
(5)Mel C.
I tried this taco shop before I left Windandsea last year and had a hard time choosing from the huge menu. I had one of the vegetarian burritos and it was good, but not great. Seating is exttremely limited, but that's expected from a taco shop- I was annoyed because they advertise a non-existant website ontheir window.
(3)Shawheen K.
Don Carlos is the best taco shop I have ever been to in San Diego and I have lived here my whole life. Everything on the menu is incredible and the service is far above average, not to mention the owner is one of the most hilarious and genuine people you will meet at any place in La Jolla. If you get a chance stop by and you will definitely not regret it. No doubt the best taco shop in La Jolla!
(5)A M.
I am usually someone who likes the hole in the wall straight from tj type of place with the super greasy burrito's or Spring Valley swapmeet nacho's mmmmm... anyways that being said I wasn't to excited when my husband wanted me try this place in La Jolla...La jolla?!! The first time I went there I had a carne asada burrito, and honestly (sorry Ryan) but I wasn't to impressed. My husband convinced me to give Don Carlos another try, am I happy I did!!!! My favorite is the El Nino, it is definately a fancier burrito with bellpepers, etc. in it and all the ingredients are high quality. The food is always waaay to hot, but it's ok cause if it's not to bussy it gives you time to talk to Ryan (the owner) or his brother or sister whoever is there that day while it cools down, or just people watch from the outside seating. The rest of the people that work there are always super friendly just not as talkative but that's ok. Personally I'm not a big fan of the pollo asado but I am going to give the carne another chance. Oh yeah...if you're not to comfortable with spicy stuff, watch out for the assburner :)
(5)Jonathan Z.
My friend brought me to this place while working on a working on project for our writing class. Killer tacos and tortas.
(4)Chris P.
Easily the best tacos in La Jolla. The ingredients are fresh, the owner is affable, and best of all: a discount of pi^2 for UCSD students!
(5)Jennifer A.
My co-worker's family actually owns and operates this place. It's my boyfriends FAVORITE place to get California burritos. He takes everyone there. They are pretty yummy
(5)Anthony C.
One of my all time top favorites for the "Hole in the Wall" catagory of mexican eateries. From Julia Child's favorite place in SB to Don Carlos, I have eaten at various SoCal taco shops for 25 years. Always freindly, always good. The mexican decor here is not all glamor like the town it resides in. Yes its another hole in the wall mexican food place. BUT wait a minute - the food IS delicious. Spicey and interesting. I go often with my foodie son (age 11) who declares it the best food he knows. Try the green chicken mole enchiladas. The salsa comes in a large free flowing plastic bottle, flavorful, complex some of the best salsa out there. mmmm I' m getting hungry now!
(5)E K.
There are tons of vegetarian options and the menu is huge. Big portions and good prices. I'm not used to going to fast food mex places and having options as to what type of veggie burrito I can order! They also have a big menu of tamales, both savory and sweet. They only make a few of them each day, but there are a lot of them that look really interesting. Definitely going back there to try some more of the options. The service was pretty bad and the kitchen looked dirty and unorganized. Wanted to get a glass of water but couldn't get the attention of anyone working there. She eventually poured us tiny cups of water and took the pitcher away, but we gulped them down and needed more water... just keep the pitcher on the table, please?
(4)rex l.
I recently (finally) discovered a vegetarian food item that most mexican places carry that i actually enjoy and find worth the money. I like rice and beans, but it seems like a waste to spend $3+ for something I could make for a tenth of the cost at home. Anyway, what is this worthy food item? A chile relleno burrito! Most mexican restaurants offer them and so far, of the 5 or so places in SD that I've tried it, don Carlos has the best one, most flavorful chile relleno, plus rice, beans and here's the kicker, potatos (liek a california burrito)! Try it, its great. Their tamales are creative and tasty as well, but a bit overpriced for the quantity you get.
(5)Douglas R.
Extensive menu with a nice amount of vegan alternatives. I had the Clairemont burrito, which was pretty good. The french fries and tortilla overpowered the taste of the carnita. On its own, the carnitas is very flavorful. I also ordered the potato rolled tacos and would definitely pass on them the next time around. Bonus points for having Mexicola, but minus points for having the small bottles of Mexicola. The atmosphere was a mixed bag as well. The dining area inside seems rather small as well as the patio. It was a nice sunny day to eat on the patio, but at the table next to us was a gaggle of junior high students who proceed to make crank phone calls or at least talk about how they want to call such and such's mother and say that their daughter is stupid. That was a bit off putting and distracting if you have A.D.D. and a fan of quality phoney phone calls.
(3)Kannan M.
Veggie chimichanga was great.
(4)Carl M.
Great price, great food, great service! Will be back on my next trip to San Diego!
(5)Renee C.
This place is amazing. I've been there 5 times and get the scripps burrito every time (soyrizo with french fries stuffed inside). They have a lot of vegetarian & vegan options for an authentic traditional place. The salsa verde and chipotle sauce that they serve in ketchup containers is amazing too! The owner is also really cool and down to earth, and once regaled us with stories of his crazy visit to Vegas . Ask for a discount card and you can get 11% off every order, then sit outside and watch the women in workout wear prance around with their yoga mats and listen to the exotic cars pass by.
(5)jaja w.
i've been going to don carlos since the early 90s and it's still my favorite place to get a burrito in SD! for a long time, their prices had remained unchanged for decades (they even had a sign up that said same price since 1983, or something) sadly, inflation has forced them raise prices in recent years. the fish tacos are to die for -- don't go to wahoo's which is right down the street -- don carlos will blow them out of the water! carne asada burritos are amazing as well. nice little hole in the wall, still family-owned and operated, with patio out front for open air seating. a must if you're in la jolla and craving some mexican!
(5)Diwaker G.
Some really good vegetarian options!
(4)D D.
I can't claim to know what authentic Mexican food tastes like so I'm not going to comment on that. All I know is this place is delicious. I agree with a previous poster that it can be bland but that depends on what you order. I have never been unhappy with any type of bean burrito.
(4)