Taqueria El Cino

While visiting San Diego, my friend (who is a local) recommended this place for taco night and it did not disappoint!!Birria taco - I did not order consome on the side but meat itself was super tender and soaked with all the spices from the consome. the corn tortilla was soaked with the broth yet super crispy. a bit greasy but it was so good topped with onions and cilantro that I ordered seconds :DCabeza taco - the BEST type of taco there is, no cap! meat was super tender, juicy, and soaked with savory broth. meat not gamey AT ALL. similar to carnitas but much more juicy. paired well with all condiments, salsa gives it a tangy kick! Lengua taco - meat is a bit tougher but tastes EXACTLY like a regular cut of beef. not gamey AT ALL. paired well with all condiments, salsa gives it a tangy kick!Birria mula - first time trying a mula and it is similar to a meaty quesadilla but smaller and tortilla is crispier. I think the cheese is a bit too much for me as it takes a bit away from the birria meat, but I am glad I tried it!Service was quick and friendly :D My friend and I came for dinner at around 5:30PM and shop was relatively empty. We were seated right away with no wait. Has own free parking lot.

I am BAFFLED by the amount of positive reviews this place has. Please do not trust those, like I, foolishly, did.I ordered the Small Taco Pack, which includes salsa, limes, grilled onions, grilled yellow peppers and 10 tacos. Here's what I got: NO cebollitas, NO chiles gueros, 4 salsas, THREE (3) (dry) limes for TEN (10) tacos, 7 dry tacos, and 3 carnitas tacos that were the saving grace and reason i'm giving 2 stars instead of 1.To go into detail for each taco I tried:*Asada = dry, bland*Adobada = dry, bland*Cabeza = disappointing* Birria = driest birria I've ever had!*Carnitas = good taco!Service was just bare minimum. The inside was cleanly, with plenty of seating. Prices have definitely spiked A LOT in the past year, just from looking at past yelp reviews, and it's kind of unbelievable to pay such high prices for such low quality.I would definitely NOT recommend this place. You want a solid recommendation? New taco stand off Highland and 18th St in National City.

Carne asada is decent but on this particular order I paid 5 tacos w everything on the side I Can probably make 2 out of everything I will not be back as this is not the first time I get less than I paid for in the pastI've had incomplete orders and it's not busy enough for this to happen. Dine in is the only way to ensure you're moneys worth I have posted a pic tuit the meat with a tortilla as reference. Dinner be ware always check order before walking out

Craving some street tacos and this place did not disappoint. Located in a spot that isn't too busy, it's very spacious, clean and well arranged. As soon as you walk in you can smell the grilled meats. Lots of options on the menu but I tried the birria tacos, carne asada taco and adobada taco. All were very fresh on homemade tortillas. Very good flavor in all of them but definitely liked the adobada the most. Salsas were good too. They offered agua frescas but didn't get a chance to try those. If you want some good quality tacos and don't want to deal with the crowds at other taco spots, add this place to your list because everything about it was great!

I stopped into this place because good reviews so was just seeing the vibes. But I have to say I wasn't impressed , asada was fatty, tacos weren't seasoned enough for my liking , but they have potential $15 for 3 small tacos ehh not street size but a little bigger. There waters are good though !!

We were leaving San Diego heading to the airport and wanted some tacos. It was between this place and another on Imperial Beach. I thought we had time to sit so I chose this place so we can be inside. My wife changed her mind as time was winding down so we ordered to go. I was pleased when the cashier said the tacos come with guacamole along with onions and cilantro. Sour cream and cheese is extra and they don't do tomatoes . She told us the tacos were bigger than street tacos they felt about the same size or maybe a few inches more. My wife, our mom and I each got 2 tacos and daughter got a quesadilla and we got 1 order of fries since they give you a lot. I didn't like our tacos being wrapped in foil as they are hard to grab being wet from the guacamole and the fries were super soft which needed salt. I was so frustrated trying to eat while driving I just said forget it I'll wait til I get home. It was ok by the time I ate it. Maybe it was my fault not asking for to go containers or getting a burritos instead.

This place is phenomenal!! The food was amazing and the staff was awesome!! We actually went back a second time in the same day. The place was small but clean !! Will eat here again!!

super fresh tacos-- we had birria and carne asada, with some very freshly made agua fresca. We sampled several flavors-- watermelon, mango cucumber, and hibiscus-- all were really nice, along with the horchata.the tacos were very filling-- two are perfect for the average person. Ana we finished it off with an order of churros with caramel sauce- four small, hot, cinnamon churro pieces with a small cup of warm caramel for dipping. I don't get to Imperial Beach very often but I would definitely come back here the next time!

Pollo tacos were piping hot, with ample guacamole and the aguas frescas were soooo refreshing! Churros were hot and fresh and tasty!

Great food. We tried some of the different menu items and were very pleased with our dinner. If you like spicy salsa this is the place to be! Great churros, too. First time customers and will probably be back. The person at the register was very friendly and patient with us. Small discrepancy with a menu item was nicely and quickly resolved.