El Gordo Mexican Food — Restaurant in San Diego

El Gordo Mexican Food – A Colorful Taco Spot with Mixed Results

El Gordo Mexican Food stands out along Convoy Street in the heart of Kearny Mesa, with its eye-catching storefront designed like a small castle. The bold signage, old-style brick walls, and a quaint drive-thru lane give it a nostalgic charm. Both the indoor and outdoor dining areas are decorated with fun and traditional Mexican elements. Outside, you’ll find papel picado banners fluttering in the breeze—ideal for dog-friendly dining with your furry companions.

Inside, the space is full of character, with cactus-themed wallpaper, old-school coin-operated phones, and cutout decorations shaped like cowboy hats and chili peppers.

The menu offers a mix of breakfast burritos, meat-rice-bean combos, and a variety of tacos, with some weekday combo specials available at discounted prices. On staff recommendation, I ordered the Quesa Taco de Birria, served with a small bowl of beef consommé. The crispy tortilla paired nicely with the juicy beef, especially when dipped in the rich broth—definitely the highlight of the meal.

I also tried the Taco de Adobada and Taco de Lengua. Each taco came on a double-layered homemade corn tortilla, which seemed to be dipped in egg for added richness. The Adobada (marinated pork) was flavorful and well-balanced. Unfortunately, the Lengua (beef tongue) was disappointing—overly fatty, lacking the expected texture of tongue, and tasted more like oily meat trimmings than authentic lengua.

At the salsa bar, there are fresh-cut cucumbers and pickled carrots with peppers, which are a nice touch. However, the salsas themselves are extremely heavy—even the mild and moderate options had an overpowering, intense flavor that overwhelmed the tacos rather than complementing them.

Pricing is another downside. At $5+ per taco, it’s steep—especially considering the inconsistent quality. The restroom was outdated and in need of renovation, and when I visited on a weekday evening, only one staff member was working, which made service understandably slow.

While El Gordo offers a visually unique and inviting space, and some dishes do shine (like the Quesa Birria Taco), the overall experience falls short due to high prices, inconsistent food quality, and limited staffing. Worth a try for taco enthusiasts, but manage your...

Wow! Unexpectedly amazing taco shop!

Came here on a whim when getting my vehicle serviced in the area. Usually only get Asian food in Convoy area, so this was a first.

First impressions: No curb appeal, standard taco shop where you “get it & go” and don’t expect much as far as seating, decor, etc. They have a cute outdoor patio.

Upon walking in: Fun, welcoming, bright, colorful & attention to detail! Very clean with a great use of space. Impressive artificial flowers and wall adornments for this kind of place. So cool! Covered patio too & a variety of seating options.

Menu: Extensive! They have a few hand written notes with additional items(like your average shop) but most of their menu is digital. The plates include photos & prices are quite reasonable. There’s a kids menu. Couldn’t tell if they offer alcoholic beverages but there appears to be a bar & their logo includes a man with a beer in his hand.

Food: I was here for breakfast but craving rolled tacos. They’re so much better fresh! Ordered 3 w/ guacamole & cheese. Served on a reusable plate with plenty of toppings. I tried 4 different salsas, all of which were delicious 🤤 wish they had pico, but that’s not a regular offering at most salsa bars.

Ate at a cute table within the indoor fully covered & sealed patio that let in lots of light. The tacos were crispy as can be with flavorful meat. Guac was more of a guac salsa, which I enjoyed. Tons of flavor & nice consistency. Almost too much cheese, if there’s such a thing 😆

Can’t wait to return with the family & try...

I placed my order 15 minutes ahead because it was my meal for lunch. When I got there I had to wait because there were only two employees, the cook and the cashier. The cashier didn’t know about my phone order but the cook did so helped me. I asked for a burrito and a horchata. My burrito was wet even though I asked for no pico de Gallo but they still managed to put it in and at the bottom. The wetness seeped through the tortilla and through the bag. It was a big disappointment because that was the only request I had for the order. And the horchata was heavily watered down. Then I went to return the horchata it was only two mins after I finished paying and the cook said there was something wrong with the machine so that’s why they had to stop serving the horchata. As he said that I thought to myself why would you serve it to me if you knew something was wrong with it. My surf and turf burrito was wet and the meat was cold but the rice and shrimp were still warm. Usually their food is ok and better than what’s in the area if you can’t wait longer that ten minutes. But today they were bad and I have to prep myself for possible food poisoning because the cook left me questioning if the two bites I took were safe to eat and the sip I had was tainted...