San Diego Fish Tacos and Mexican Food
Yummy, yummy San Diego, which, if you listen to 91.1 FM long enough, you’ll learn “San Diego” means whale’s vagina in German (thanks, Mr. Ferrell). Great radio stations in this town pair nicely with the great tacos.
Here’s where we ate.
Rubio’s
Rubio’s has dethroned Chipotle as my chain Mexican purveyor of choice. These may spread everywhere because they’re delicious. They’re the self-proclaimed originators of the fish taco. Seems dubious, but they are good. And they’re $1.50 on Tuesdays in the afternoon.
Mr. Taco
There seem to be two of these – one for Mexicanos authenticos and one for gringos. We went to the gringo one and loved it. Great tacos, especially the “Tijuana street style” ones – just meat, onion, and cilantro on a tortilla. Green salsa is amazing. I want a pint of it. Fish tacos are good here too.
TJ Oyster Bar
We sampled the fish, oyster, and shrimp tacos. Shrimp was the best, but all were good. Next time, I’m doing what the guy at the stool next to mine did – get two fish tacos (always on special for $0.99) and 6 raw oysters. Genius.
TJs also gets points for being way small. There are two-tops along the wall and bar seating across the window and along the mini kitchen. At any point in the place you could extend your arms fully and steal food off three different plates.
La Cocina – Ramona
Purported to have not only the best Mexican food in Ramona, the “best in the WORRRLD” – three Rs. It was certainly good, but the Mexican market we found in the boons of Wisconsin still has tops taco honors. In all honesty, I had a burrito. Didn’t get tacos. Had to mix it up, you know? Most entertaining bit about the dining experience was probably listening to the discussion at the table behind ours. Somebody was getting a crash course in Bible study. Food is heavenly.
Dos Brasas – Old Town
Got rolled tacos here that were smothered in guacamole – really good. Lisa got amazingly good nachos. Neither of us got any of the breakfast burrito options which they’re supposedly know for. Neither of us, additionally, could figure out where people were finding the little trays for chips from the salsa bar. Seriously, where do they hide them? Must only tell the locals where they are, because everybody else had them.
Honorable Mentions (where we’ll be next time we’re in town)
- South Beach Bar & Grille in Ocean Beach — next time we’re in town on a Tuesday, we’ll be here enjoying $2.50 tacos all day.
- Mama Testa — these guys were on Bobby Flay’s TV show, Throwdown.
- Jimmy Carter’s on Fifth Street — from the former president himself. Damn.
- Los Cuatro Milpas — watch out for the long lines. Go early.
- El Cuervo Taco Shop — big servings and tasty carnitas. Sounds good to me.
- Roberto’s — wait, these guys are the original? I guess any good food movement needs to have multiple people claiming credit.
So the moral of the story: just get tacos in San Diego. There seem to be no bad places. What a great town.