Los Tacos — Restaurant in Encinitas

Recently moved to Encinitas from the Bay Area and have struggled to find burritos and tacos as good as they make them in San Jose. We ordered Los Tacos and the first time it was awesome. The second time we placed an order over the phone and picked it up. When we got back to the house we realized they had given me SALMON TACOS when I ordered AL PASTOR and they forgot our rice and beans for one combo. We called to see if we could come get it fixed since we live down the street and they said I had to bring the food back in so I did. The lady who took the food back had an attitude and was different than the lady on the phone. She said that the lady on the phone messed up and even though we confirmed it three times, the birria combo doesn't come with rice and beans. She acted like it wasn't their fault at all and when I asked if I would have to pay for another side after everything we've had to do she got mad at me and raised her voice NO.

My boyfriend got an order in store today for a bean, rice, and cheese burrito which is pretty hard to mess up. He got halfway through the burrito with no rice. Thinking it was on the bottom he dug down and they NEVER ADDED RICE. When he went to the front to let them know and see if they could remake it they refused to and the lady caught an attitude. She said because the girl at the front rang it up wrong it's not their fault. LIKE WHAT?! You just admitted it was you guys who made the mistake... This place is MID at best and their service is even worse. Find any...

The food is definitely good. I wouldn't say great but definitely good. The food is made fresh and there is a great variety of proteins. I didn't care for the corn tortillas. They were too thick and lacked the amazing taste of fresh made corn tortillas. There is a big difference between tacos made with fresh made tortillas and store bought tortillas. I don't think these were fresh made tortillas. The carnitas was great. The Carne asada and fish lacked and real flavor. The salsas are great especially the medium red. The pre COVID salsa bar is stocked with bagged limes for convenience. The two things that stood out for me...friendly professional staff/employees. I'm a high maintenance customer with some foods. I'm no onions and cilantro. Not a single Rolling of the eyes by anyone. Also I wanted to try a variety of tacos. The female taking my order said no problem to my taco trio combo with three different proteins. Most restaurants don't allow this option unless buying the tacos individually. Here is the cherry on top of the sundae. Los Tacos serves beverages but no alcohol. The Brewers Tap Room is two doors down and they have no problem with customers ordering from Los Tacos but eating there. I cannot resist a cold beer with Mexican Food. Overall Los Tacos has good food with...

I used to really like this place. The food is good, the service was decent, and one of the things that made them stand out was the little salsa cups. You could sample every salsa without wasting, and it felt thoughtful and eco-conscious.

But lately they’ve gone backwards: • Self-serve salsas now come only in large plastic containers — more waste, less variety, and no effort to portion responsibly. • DoorDash orders don’t get salsas anymore, when they used to. • Staff no longer ask or bring them out — the service feels cut back.

And the worst part? Double-bagging: a plastic bag inside a paper bag. The paper bag alone could hold the food, napkins, everything just fine. There’s no logical reason for it — it’s just extra waste to make it “look nice,” like you’re carrying out a special little package. Honestly, it feels more about appearance than function, and it’s ridiculous in a city that prides itself on eco-friendliness.

What once set this place apart is now blending in with every other shop, and it feels like a step backwards for both service and sustainability. I’m leaving a harsher rating because their overall score is high, and businesses notice when loyal customers call out changes. The food’s still fine, but...