City Tacos — Restaurant in La Mesa

Having been to this location over legitimately 30+ times in the last year, let's start with the good in this detailed review...

I can confidently say that the food is honestly pretty solid most of the time (when the order comes out correct on the first try that is). Their rewards system gives me enough points to redeem a free $5-7 every few visits, from just buying 2-3 tacos each visit as well! I used to frequent this location regularly each week, but over time have had a multitude of such poor, unprofessional experiences with their customer service and vibe of the place - it's just not even worth swinging by anymore.

I'll just go to the other City Tacos locations more near the coast when I'm really feeling a Surf N Turf, Mexicali, Pollo Asado, or Salmon taco. Each of the last 5 times I have been here, I've waited in line for a noticeable amount of time. Even when it's not Taco Tuesdays, and there's only one or two customers ahead of me. Also, 2 out of the 3 last times I have visited this place after 8pm (they close at 10pm) and I request specifically for corn tortillas due to food allergies on all the tacos rather than flour, they literally have all been flour even though some of them are supposed to be corn by default in the first place in their menu.

My guess to this is the cooks just are too lazy to prepare/handpress and lightly cook their corn tortillas to shape once they run out of their regular stock they made for the day or something like that, so just make the flour ones because it's easier and faster then hope no one notices.

Every single time the guy who works Front Of House that wears a backwards flex fit hat has taken my order, literally always get a flour tortilla on the tacos or the entire order is not packaged "to-go" from my order even though it was mentioned before paying. So I always have to take the extra time to wait for them to make actual corn tortillas from scratch, or get a box from them and I box it myself most of the time I've been here lately. This location lacks proper customer service and critical thinking skills, and I'm quite frankly just over it and don't crave it anymore even though the food is pretty bomb. Especially with their yellow mango salsa, but also about that; 3 out of the last 5 times I have visited they haven't even had the yellow mango salsa in stock and ran out for the night! Ahhh c'mon man, everyone only comes for tacos and salsa. Not even rice or anything special for sides is on the menu anyways. Just needs a bit more training and management in my opinion happening here, and honestly I would gladly come back more often if the backwards hat guy isn't playing BigXThaPlug's same song repeating on loop 5+ times over and over on the speakers lol.

Whenever the filipino guy is working or any of the latina ladies take my order, usually you can expect professional and polite customer service. There's a couple guys who work there that if you pull up and are in line, you already know something about your order is going to get forgotten, or the salsas are out of stock or something generally not going very smoothly. From the first few months I was going there it was mostly a couple of polite ladies working there, since then there's been a few weird vibes/attitude with the backwards hat fella when I gently ask for the things that were forgotten (it's been a handful of times now unfortunately). He has offered to give me a refund a couple of times for getting the food wrong in my order when I receive it and I catch it before I leave, but just kind of rather go somewhere I can have a more consistent and enjoyable experience really.

Cheers! Really hope this location...

Recommended by a mentor as a good place to eat, close to my residence, a friend and I went to experience it for ourselves. We were happy to be so lucky as to find a slot right in front, and one should expect to find metered parking in this area, as you would at the Gaslamp. There was quite a long line, which increased our good expectations of the place, with so many people waiting to order. When it was our turn, the man who took our order looked unenthused, at best. I mentioned it was our first time there and asked if they were able to omit a certain ingredient, to which he impatiently replied with a flat-no. Then, my friend and I specifically asked about the portion size, referring to how large each ala carte order was. We wanted to make sure we ordered enough for us both. Distracted by this point, he rudely said that the entrees we ordered were enough for us (we ordered 1 entree each-the surf and turf and carne asada), and we BOTH heard him clearly state each order came with 3 wraps (or rolls, can't recall the exact name of the tortilla served style). When our order came, they each were served on the smallest size paper tray I've ever seen (half of a pound capacity). Each order was just ONE small tortilla wrap with what we had ordered on top. Imagine the order you get at most other taco places you frequent, but miniature size. When we finally were able to wave down a server to ask about the 3 we were told each order had, the server told us that that was the order, even going on to say that they were even on special that night. If he was trying to convince us we should have been happy to be getting lied to, and then ripped off-because we were getting ripped off a little less than we would have been any other day there because we ordered the special, well, it wasn't a very effective marketing ploy. I mentioned to him, too, that it was our first time there and he shook his head with a smile and shrugged his shoulders. We were honestly, just dumbfounded. It wouldn't have been a big deal for us to order enough that would satisy each of us, that is why we specifically asked about portion sizes, being out first time there. What really bothered us was that we were mislead about the size of each entree, obviously to justify the amount we were paying up front. Then, when we brought up the indiscrepancy by bringing it up to the server, we were basically told there was nothing that could be done about it. Even busier restaurants that we have visited Downtown, or at the beach areas have made accommodations in the past to make us feel like our business was wanted. It's just good customer service. Not even expecting...

I've first ate at City Tacos at their North Park location and this La Mesa store has the same high quality tacos from there. I've visited this location four times, twice at night and twice during the day, it is a wonderful restaurant to eat at and hang out with friends. This isn't a cheap taco shop to buy tacos or carne asada chips, the tacos here are higher priced but feel about 1.5 to 2x bigger than than typical street tacos. Three or four tacos plus a draft beer should set you back $16 to $25 depending what you get. The tacos here are perfect, I really love the Borrego taco w/ Lamb & the Portobello Mushroom taco they are my favorites. Especially on the Portobello taco, I have been hooked how they make it, plus the corn, & cotija cheeses toppings gives faint tastes of an elote.

The tacos aren't overly filled up but I always seem to spill some extra out when halfway done. What I love about the menu is how they have icons to help you with you decide; spicy, paleo, vegetarian, & what kind of tortilla it comes with. There are about 19 tacos available and they have a specialized taco every so often. You have to order sides, there doesn't seem to be a combo kind of meal when you order tacos.

Coming here for food should amp you up, it has a lively atmosphere, with upbeat pop tunes from the 80's to now & very attentive employees taking your order and serving you tacos. It is a very hip place and happening place, so if you're expecting something more quiet, or having a strategic boring by the numbers business meeting wouldn't recommend it. If you're looking to start the fun nightlife somewhere, Taco Tuesdays here can ignite it with a live DJ mixing in an assortment of genres, you won't miss it if you're navigating with your ears. Though I'm not sure if there are DJ's here every night, I would assume there are on Friday or Saturday.

They don't have a large selection of beers on tap, four craft beers and they got an assortment of bottles to drink to make up for it. The salsa bar is full of selections and never have I seen any condiments look like they've ever been sitting outside for too long where they dry up. There is parking in the rear and you can enter thru there as it leads to the patio where it has a small bar. Outside seating is nice at night as they have outdoor heating and the building does block some of the wind. City Tacos got my attention at the original location in North Park and the La Mesa location keeps the...