San Diego is a wonderful place to visit. It has stretches of beautiful beaches, plenty of sunshine, and a "chill" vibe that's hard to find in other big cities.
My wife and I spent a weekend in Pacific Beach to relax and immerse ourselves in a bit of beach culture. We walked along the boardwalk, laid out in the sand, and sipped drinks at the many bars along Ocean Boulevard.
While San Diego is great for fun in the sun, it's also known for something else we love:
The California Burrito!
I could see how Rigoberto's would be a favorite amongst bar-hoppers in Pacific Beach. It's near all the bars on Garnet Ave and stays open 24 hours. There's a decent amount of seating, a walk-up window, and the service is fast.
Quick Summary:
The burrito was decent. The steak was a bit plain, lacking any type of distinct seasoning. The un-melted cheese was a new, but welcome experience for us. It added a strong cheese flavor without the gooey texture of fully-melted cheese. There was a heavy dose of guacamole and sour cream, which seemed to take over the other ingredients. That said, the sour cream was pretty tasty.
The most memorable part about this burrito were the hash browns. Does it still qualify as a true California burrito without fries? Either way, we loved it! The hash browns added a much-needed saltiness and crunchiness to each bite.
Quick Summary:
Quick Summary:
Quick Summary:
Back in Pacific Beach, La Perla gets a good amount of foot-traffic from beach-goers, surfers, and tourists alike. It has plenty of seating, indoors and outdoors, and gives off a similar no-frills vibe as other Mexican joints in the area.
I've read great things about La Perla, but their burrito was my least favorite of the bunch.
The steak wasn't very charred and felt chewy to bite. It was also drenched in some kind of sauce, giving it a slimy feel. There was a lot of cheese, adding to the overall mushy texture of the burrito. Unfortunately, there wasn't a proportionate amount of fries to provide a crunchy counter-balance to the other ingredients.
If there was one thing I enjoyed, it was the pico de gallo. It had fresh tomatoes and a strong taste of cilantro. It added some much-needed freshness to an otherwise underwhelming burrito.
Every time I have a Lolita's burrito, I'm reminded just how great a California burrito can be. It may not be every San Diegan's favorite, but it certainly sets the bar for me!
Quick Summary:
There are a million "can't miss" burritos in San Diego we didn't get to try, but there's only so much time and stomach-room in a weekend.
In between swimming and sun-bathing, we went on a quest to try as many California burritos as we could. Now, I don't claim be an expert on burritos, or any food for that matter, but I love eating them!
So, I decided to share our thoughts on seven California burritos we managed to try while in San Diego!
So, I decided to share our thoughts on seven California burritos we managed to try while in San Diego!
Rigoberto's Taco Shop
The burrito was pretty basic. Although the steak was tender, it wasn't very charred or seasoned at all. We also noticed some of the fries were a bit undercooked. The melted cheese was a nice touch, but didn't add much in terms of taste or texture, probably because there wasn't much of it at all.
If there's one thing we loved about this burrito, it's the tortilla. It was toasted and flaky on the outside, but remained strong and chewy with each bite.
Quick Summary:
- meat and fries a bit undercooked
- cheese and pico de gallo were good, but lacking in portion
- tortilla was crispy and flaky, toasted well
Taco Surf PB
San Diego, CA 92109
Right in the heart of Pacific Beach, Taco Surf PB feels more tailored to tourists. The ceiling is decorated with all kinds of surfboards and surfing videos loop on TV screens, providing entertainment while guests wait for food. It has a large seating area, able to accommodate lots of burrito-lovers.
Right in the heart of Pacific Beach, Taco Surf PB feels more tailored to tourists. The ceiling is decorated with all kinds of surfboards and surfing videos loop on TV screens, providing entertainment while guests wait for food. It has a large seating area, able to accommodate lots of burrito-lovers.
The burrito was decent. The steak was a bit plain, lacking any type of distinct seasoning. The un-melted cheese was a new, but welcome experience for us. It added a strong cheese flavor without the gooey texture of fully-melted cheese. There was a heavy dose of guacamole and sour cream, which seemed to take over the other ingredients. That said, the sour cream was pretty tasty.
Quick Summary:
- guacamole and sour cream were a bit on the heavy side
- unmelted cheese was a new and flavorful experience
- hash browns were fried to crunchy perfection
Cotixan Mexican Food
3720 Camino Del Rio W
San Diego, CA 92110
Cotixan looks like your every-day, no-frills Mexican restaurant. It has a walk-up counter, sauce bar, and large, fast-food like seating area. The furniture and decor is, by no means at all, trying to impress anyone. In fact, we couldn't even tell if the place was open, as the lights were dim and hardly anyone was inside.
However, don't let the venue deter you...
This burrito was huge! It was jam-packed with a generous portion of well-charred, well-seasoned steak along with a heaping stack of crispy, golden fries. It was also stuffed with semi-melted cheese, sour cream, and pico de gallo. The tortilla was thin, but surprisingly strong enough to hold the monstrosity together!
Each bite was a mouth-filling explosion of flavor. And it seemed to never end. Needless to say, our favorite part of this beast was its size-to-price ratio. For a relatively low price of $7.75, this burrito provides a decent-tasting meal for two humans.
Quick Summary:
Our favorite part of the burrito was the big, thick cuts of steak. They were large, well-seasoned, and very juicy to bite into.
Cotixan looks like your every-day, no-frills Mexican restaurant. It has a walk-up counter, sauce bar, and large, fast-food like seating area. The furniture and decor is, by no means at all, trying to impress anyone. In fact, we couldn't even tell if the place was open, as the lights were dim and hardly anyone was inside.
However, don't let the venue deter you...
This burrito was huge! It was jam-packed with a generous portion of well-charred, well-seasoned steak along with a heaping stack of crispy, golden fries. It was also stuffed with semi-melted cheese, sour cream, and pico de gallo. The tortilla was thin, but surprisingly strong enough to hold the monstrosity together!
Each bite was a mouth-filling explosion of flavor. And it seemed to never end. Needless to say, our favorite part of this beast was its size-to-price ratio. For a relatively low price of $7.75, this burrito provides a decent-tasting meal for two humans.
Quick Summary:
- huge huge huge
- well-charred and well-seasoned steak
- big portions of each ingredient, hard to get it all in one bite
Don Carlos Taco Shop
La Jolla, CA 92037
We spent some time visiting La Jolla, just north of Pacific Beach. We visited the cove, played in the tide pools, and walked along shore. After exploring, our plan was to eat a burrito at the infamous Taco Stand. Unfortunately, the line was out the door and down the sidewalk. We were too hungry to wait.
Just up the street from Taco Stand is a hole-in-the-wall joint named Don Carlos. It wasn't super busy and I'd heard nice things about it, so we decided to give the burrito a try.
To our surprise, this burrito turned out to be one of our favorites! It was a good size, not too large, not too small. The melted cheese and sour cream weren't overpowering and did a great job "gluing" the other ingredients together. The tortilla wasn't as toasted as we'd like it to be, but it was strong enough to hold everything together. The fries were crinkle-cut! They were thick and salty, adding a good amount of volume and flavor.
We spent some time visiting La Jolla, just north of Pacific Beach. We visited the cove, played in the tide pools, and walked along shore. After exploring, our plan was to eat a burrito at the infamous Taco Stand. Unfortunately, the line was out the door and down the sidewalk. We were too hungry to wait.
Just up the street from Taco Stand is a hole-in-the-wall joint named Don Carlos. It wasn't super busy and I'd heard nice things about it, so we decided to give the burrito a try.
To our surprise, this burrito turned out to be one of our favorites! It was a good size, not too large, not too small. The melted cheese and sour cream weren't overpowering and did a great job "gluing" the other ingredients together. The tortilla wasn't as toasted as we'd like it to be, but it was strong enough to hold everything together. The fries were crinkle-cut! They were thick and salty, adding a good amount of volume and flavor.
Our favorite part of the burrito was the big, thick cuts of steak. They were large, well-seasoned, and very juicy to bite into.
I'll have to come back for Taco Stand, but I highly recommend visiting Don Carlos!
Quick Summary:
- thick, crinkle-cut fries were a nice, unique touch
- cheese and sour cream held ingredients together well
- generous cuts of thick, tender, juicy, well-seasoned steak
Lupe's Mexican Eatery
San Diego, CA 92111
Out in the suburbs of Linda Vista, Lupe's offers customers a more modern take on a Mexican eatery. They have a fancy, touchscreen soda machine, an electronic menu board, and neon decor. It almost feels like you're walking into a Chipotle.
But this is definitely not Chipotle...
I have to say, this burrito was one of the best of the weekend! It had the perfect amount of guacamole and sour cream, just enough to provide the flavor, not enough to dominate the overall texture. The fries were comparable to McDonald's fries, full of flavor, fried to perfection. The cheese was melted, adding a soft texture to an otherwise crunchy bite. Although there was a bit of a rip in the tortilla, it did its job holding things together.
The best part of this burrito was the steak. The steak tasted like actual grilled steak! Seasoned just right, smoky, and charred just enough to provide a bit of a crunch with each bite.
Out in the suburbs of Linda Vista, Lupe's offers customers a more modern take on a Mexican eatery. They have a fancy, touchscreen soda machine, an electronic menu board, and neon decor. It almost feels like you're walking into a Chipotle.
But this is definitely not Chipotle...
I have to say, this burrito was one of the best of the weekend! It had the perfect amount of guacamole and sour cream, just enough to provide the flavor, not enough to dominate the overall texture. The fries were comparable to McDonald's fries, full of flavor, fried to perfection. The cheese was melted, adding a soft texture to an otherwise crunchy bite. Although there was a bit of a rip in the tortilla, it did its job holding things together.
The best part of this burrito was the steak. The steak tasted like actual grilled steak! Seasoned just right, smoky, and charred just enough to provide a bit of a crunch with each bite.
Quick Summary:
- tortilla ripped a bit, but held together for the most part
- fries were crispy and golden, like McDonald's fries
- steak was grilled very well and had an authentic, char flavor
La Perla Cocina
Back in Pacific Beach, La Perla gets a good amount of foot-traffic from beach-goers, surfers, and tourists alike. It has plenty of seating, indoors and outdoors, and gives off a similar no-frills vibe as other Mexican joints in the area.
I've read great things about La Perla, but their burrito was my least favorite of the bunch.
The steak wasn't very charred and felt chewy to bite. It was also drenched in some kind of sauce, giving it a slimy feel. There was a lot of cheese, adding to the overall mushy texture of the burrito. Unfortunately, there wasn't a proportionate amount of fries to provide a crunchy counter-balance to the other ingredients.
If there was one thing I enjoyed, it was the pico de gallo. It had fresh tomatoes and a strong taste of cilantro. It added some much-needed freshness to an otherwise underwhelming burrito.
Quick Summary:
- very heavy on the meat, very light on the fries
- steak was chewy and slimy from sauce
- pico de gallo had fresh tomatoes and strong cilantro
Lolita's Mexican Food
San Diego, CA 92111
They say your first love is the sweetest. And for me, Lolita's California burrito was my first and to this day, remains my favorite burrito!
Lolita's is a popular chain in San Diego, though I've heard the Clairemont location is the "real" one. Regardless, each location has modern decor, fast service, and consistently great food. If you want a great-tasting California burrito, you can count on Lolita's to get it right!
The burrito is simply amazing! The tortilla is toasted until it's crispy and flaky on the outside, but soft and chewy in the middle. The fries are packed in generously, crunchy and golden on the outside, soft and warm on the inside. The steak is seasoned with a distinct and unique peppery marinade, then charred until it has a bit of a crunch, while remaining tender through the center.
The semi-melted cheese and sour cream do an excellent job of holding all the ingredients together with each bite.
They say your first love is the sweetest. And for me, Lolita's California burrito was my first and to this day, remains my favorite burrito!
Lolita's is a popular chain in San Diego, though I've heard the Clairemont location is the "real" one. Regardless, each location has modern decor, fast service, and consistently great food. If you want a great-tasting California burrito, you can count on Lolita's to get it right!
The burrito is simply amazing! The tortilla is toasted until it's crispy and flaky on the outside, but soft and chewy in the middle. The fries are packed in generously, crunchy and golden on the outside, soft and warm on the inside. The steak is seasoned with a distinct and unique peppery marinade, then charred until it has a bit of a crunch, while remaining tender through the center.
The semi-melted cheese and sour cream do an excellent job of holding all the ingredients together with each bite.
Every time I have a Lolita's burrito, I'm reminded just how great a California burrito can be. It may not be every San Diegan's favorite, but it certainly sets the bar for me!
Quick Summary:
- nicely toasted, flaky tortilla
- generous amount of crispy, golden fries
- peppery, well-marinated steak, charred perfectly
Conclusion
There are a million "can't miss" burritos in San Diego we didn't get to try, but there's only so much time and stomach-room in a weekend.
The great thing about San Diego is just about any burrito or taco shop has the potential to have the best California burrito you've ever had. San Diego is just that good at making these things!
I can't wait to go back!
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