The best beef cheek and tongue tacos in the West Coast!

I visited the old branch of Tacos El Gordo, which is a bit far from downtown and has over 10,000 reviews on Google Maps. As soon as you enter, there are several lines. The line for the spicy pork was the longest, while the lines for beef and beef offal were shorter, but the service was slower. Two of us ordered eight tacos in four flavors, which was just enough to feel full. Those with a bigger appetite can go for ten. 👍 Flavor recommendations: Beef tongue > beef cheek = spicy pork > beef tripe 💡 Queue tips: ADOBADA is the signature spicy grilled pork, CABEZA is for beef cheek, tongue, and tripe, and ASADA is for steak and cactus. It’s recommended for one person to queue while the other saves a seat, otherwise you might not find a place to sit. The locals often have one person save seats while five others queue🌚 Lengua (Beef Tongue) The best of this visit! Both this adventurous eater and a more conservative foodie gave it a thumbs-up. Their beef tongue is full of flavor, not gamey at all, and cooked to just the right tenderness—softer than the one I tried on the East Coast, which I prefer. Cabeza (Beef Cheek) A must-order for those who enjoy tender, gelatinous textures! Adobada (Spicy Pork) Their signature flavor. There are two windows for this, but the lines are still the longest, which shows how popular it is. The pork is thickly skewered and roasted on a rotating spit, similar to Turkish kebabs, and the slightly charred outer layer is sliced off and wrapped in a corn tortilla. The safest choice—classic and not greasy. This was the flavor I most wanted another bite of among the four. Tripa (Beef Tripe) Their beef tripe is crispy-fried, seasoned with red chili, and tastes good, but it gets a bit greasy after a few bites. I’ve been writing food reviews on Xiaohongshu for a few years now. Besides sharing, it’s also a way to record my experiences, capturing the subtle joys of taste and giving a bit of meaning to my otherwise meaningless existence. 😋 Slum Foodie Rating: 5/5, the best beef tongue taco—a dance of tongues on the tongue 💰 Per person: $20 📍 Tacos El Gordo 556 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA 91910 #SanDiego #SanDiegoFood #SanDiegoTravel #SanDiegoLife #SanDiegoFoodExploration #SanDiegoMexican #Taco