Craft and Taco Lounge — Restaurant in Escondido

Let me start by saying I'm originally from Austin... where they claim to be Taco capital of Texas. I've eaten my fair share of tacos. I'm Chicana and have even made myself and my family a whole lot of tacos.

We've tried a lot of taco places in North County to try to find "the place".

Our family is not made up of taco snobs, we just know what we like. At times deconstructing the taco we're trying and giving it a chance before we dive into as a whole. There are several elements to consider when doing that: 1- the tortilla 2- the meat, or meat substitute (in some cases veggies) 3- the quality of those items 4- the toppings 5- the salsa, or dressing

Collectively we rated each of the tacos we ate as 5's. They met all 5 criteria and my tastebuds were in heaven. A friend that joined us who lives close to Santee said they'd even make the one hour trek to come have these tacos again.

We had -

The El Camaron taco with its sweet Tamarindo Chipotle Salsa that helped ease the spiciness of the taco. This taco was tried on corn and flour tortillas, both excellent choices.

The Blackened Mahi Mahi with cabbage, mango bits, arugula, chipotle aioli, and tomatillo avocado salsa on a corn tortilla. Holy smokes I ate it so slowly because I didn't want it to end!

The Chile Relleno taco with the melted cheese in a perfectly fried relleno. I mean come on... the chile relleno was delicious on its own then you add toppings, the lemon aioli, and ranchero sauce... bam! Creaminess of the cheese and the flavors just hit your tongue.

The Carne Asade taco was tender meat with simple toppings and the ranchero salsa. My daughter who is a picky eater didn't talk the whole time she devoured her taco.

Langosta was perfectly cooked lobster with the mashed potatoes and butter... devine.

The prices are reasonable, I'm surprised they don't charge more considering the amount of items in the tacos.

I highly recommend the tacos and the friendly staff adds to the great taste. They did take a little time to come out but considering that the tacos were so delicious it was worth the wait.

The only down side is that we live in Mira Mesa and I have to drive a ways to get a taco again. Totally worth the drive today.

Thank you C&T Lounge. Everything...

Been driving by this place for years and finally got to come in and try it.

The menu looks so appealing and everything reads like it would be so good. But in all honestly, I didn't think very highly of their food..

We walked in and the restaurant had a very out dated and halfway trendy vibe to it.

We odered at the counter right when you walk in. The women who took our order was very friendly and kind.

We ordered the following tacos.. Blackened Mahi Mahi, the Fisherron, El Pescado, a Carne Asada, carnitas, and Chilie Relleno as well as an horchata.

The Blackened Mahi Mahi was seasoned with a lot of spicy, it was too spicy and not in a pleasant way..

The Fisherron had a nice crunch and good seasoning to it.

El Pescado was also fried nicely but the strawberry inside the taco was very foreign for me if I'm being honest. But it made for a more fresh flavor so I understand why people would enjoy it.

The Carne Asada taco loaded with toppings.. everything fell out in the first bite and the meat was dry.

Carnitas tacos were sweat with a spicy salsa that was honestly not an exciting combination..

The Chile Relleno I was most excited for. But there was no chile.. :/ I bit into it and it was just fried cheese.. no pepper inside..

When I took a bite out of each taco, it was pretty good but the more I ate the more unsatisfying the tacos were.. We had just come from the gym so I ate what I could to be satisfied. The food all came out warm, not hot or fresh and the tortillas also grew displeasurable the more I ate each taco. I dont know, it's hard to explain but the meal went from okay to bad.. and the missing chille was just unacceptable.. not even a cheese pull :(

I did very much enjoy the horchata though. It was well made.

Overall I think their spin on tacos is cute but also comical.. not...

Easily the Top Taco Spot in Escondido!

A mix of mexican street style and craft fusion taco will leave your mouth watering for more.

Escondido Coco Loco is my #1 a Coconut fried shrimp, bay scallops, in a blend of sweet and sour siracha aioli sauce with microgreens and sesame seeds is by far my favorite.

My #2 Their twist on the conventional fish taco is amazing El Pescado is not your basic fried fish taco a blend of cabbage, aioli, cilantro, and habanero raspberry salsa is garnished with a strawberry slice. Some of the most creative flavors I've seen in a fish taco that always finds its way back into my order everytime.

My #3 They do a great avocado topped Surf and Turf a mix of steak and shrimp that always seems to be just the right mix and always on my list as well.

All your traditional favorites are still there when you need them Carnitas, Al pastor, and Pollo asado are pretty loaded for a single taco one of these definitely will hit the spot when I'm craving meat or want to add a fourth taco into the mix.

As I continue to explore the menu I can say I have had an amazing experience and the food is always hot and consistent.

Dessert - Try the churros they come out hot made to order with both caramel and chocolate dipping sauce

Indoor and outdoor seating, they are great about sanitization and cleaning. Cashier is friendly and the owner is amazing. Good beer selection and great tacos what more can I say - Try it all! You won't be disappointed.

Update: 2 years later same great, place same...