Azteca Taco Shop — Restaurant in San Diego

I live downtown near Lolitas and will say that Azteca blows them out of the water. It's a mom pop shop where they cook they food as if they were eating it themselves.

I got the chicken enchiladas combo and the carne asda taco. The Carne was perfectly seasoned with just the right amout of spice. Alot of places downtown skimp on the spice but not Azteca; its packed full of flavor. Nice amount of toppings but it doesnt fall apart in your hand. 9/10.

The chicken enchiladas also had a lot flavor and spice but was more mild than the carne. I like my enchiladas to have enough sauce that you get some in every bite. This place does exactly that. They dont drown the enchiladas or only put enough sauce on top that its hardly covered. Slightly too much lettuce but the lettuce was also fresh and crisp instead of limp lettuce that has been left sitting out. Perfect amount of cheese topping on the cheese enchiladas. 8/10.

The rice was below average. It wasn't dry or too moist but was slightly cold. The biggest draw back was the amount of flavor. It basically tasted like white rice that hadn't been fried long enough and the sauce it simmered in lack in seasoning. 4/10.

Some places downtown ignore the beans and rice completely but to me that can make or break the meal. Beans were flavorful, warm and smooth consistency, and while this place is no Lola when it comes to the beans, I'd still put them in my top 5. 7/10.

Definitely gonna keep coming back to Azteca. Good...

I've taken a liking to the California burrito which a little more pricey coming to about $9.70, but its big enough for atleast 2 meals. The pollo burrito is grwat as well, get the combo w/ beans & rice especially with the California burrito because it's got fries in instead. I moved here in November, this place has kept me coning back more than any other mexican food restaurant & is 100% betgwr than in&out Webt back today, 2/1/22 & qsked if the prices online heod uo accuracy for validity before ordering. Idk if it was a language border (but I use google translate when I can recognize vexxed merchants.) But as whwre the on-line menu(s) showed getting the aode if beans & sude of rice being cheaper. She reassured me qs nicely as possible of the inaccuracies & by doing so, w_o having the extra bread to spead I did. It was done SO quickly after ordering that I didn't have time to wvwn recheck the sites to inform her whim said the prices were accurately depictedm i qsked for a menu (to go) with prices & wqs tokd it didnt existm I asked if the restaurant had taken the time to out them online w/o knowledge qlas to help here...also no. There is ZERO accurate online menua with prices beyond the oics taken yoi see afywr searching for Azteca, etc. Hacubg said that, it's great un a hurry mexican food, less than surrounding locations in downtown San Diego &...

Hard Pass! I have been here many times and every time it gets worse and worse. The last time however was the final. Now I am boycotting it ;)

1st. The location is not the best - being located right next to the trolly and around the corner from where the homeless beg. The restaurant itself is just a step above a hole in the wall (and not one of the good ones). Somewhat dirty, extremely dark and dreary and they blast the small TV with Mexican soap operas. I would especially never eat there.

2nd. The food is average to poor. A basic selection of your typical Mexican dishes yet none are good almost taste as if it was just warmed up old or freezer food - definitely not fresh or authentic, which is surprising.

3rd. And lastly - the service! They are very slow in getting your order taken, as they are more concerned with talking with their coworkers, watching TV or pretending to clean tables. Then the people who work there themselves - extremely stingy and inconsiderate. For example they will only give you one salsa container. What Mexican restaurant doesn't have a salsa bar for one and two what one limits you to the amount of salsa you are...