2 San Diego-area restaurant rank among Yelp’s top 100 US taco spots
SAN DIEGO — Tacos are a popular dish in the U.S., especially in the San Diego area.
Yelp recently compiled this year’s top 100 taco spots in the nation, with two local restaurants making the list. Tacos El Gabacho in Spring Valley placed No. 15 on the list while The Craft Taco at SOVA came in at No. 23.
Tacos El Gabacho is known for its mobile catering service and taco cart.
“Tacos El Gabacho was the BEST! They came out and set up in our driveway for a party of about 30 of us. We had the best time getting to know them, and the food did not disappoint. They are the nicest people with the funniest stories to tell,” Yelper Lindsay B said.
The Spring Valley taco spot serves foods like Adobada, Carne Asada, fish tacos and vegan tacos.
“The tacos were all tasty. Kudos for the fish tacos. They use Red Snapper and fried them in panko crumbs. The Carne asada was chopped the finest I had ever had and tasted no gristle or fat. The (Adobada) was good and the chicken was chicken,” Yelper Eddie C commented.
Starting as a food truck in June 2020 due to the pandemic, The Craft Taco turned into a brick-and-mortar in April 2023. Some popular items on the menu include the Dorado Fish Taco, Shrimp taco and California burritos, according to Eddie Tamayo, founder of The Craft Taco at SOVA.
“Each taco was extremely high quality and tasty. The fish taco was perfectly seasoned and very light considering it was fried. The Cochinita taco is a must have; the way that meat is marinated and slow-cooked makes it so flavorful. The freshly made hot sauces were delicious too!” Yelper Jenn H. said.
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Tamayo explained to FOX 5 via email how growing up in San Diego and always having “strong ties to our Mexican culture and cuisine” is Craft Taco’s “attempt of showcasing all that Mexico has to offer with our aesthetic spin to each taco.”
“Aside from tacos, we also offer delicious wine sourced from different regions of Mexico and a wide range of Mexican beer,” Tamayo said.
The restaurant, which neighbors a coffee shop and brewery, also features a shared patio with plenty of seating.
Hours of operation for the Craft Taco at SOVA are Monday through Thursday 11 a.m.- 8 p.m., Friday through Saturday 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Hours of operation for Tacos El Gabacho are Monday through Wednesday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Yelp conducted the study by identifying businesses in the restaurants and tacos categories and ranking those spots using the total volume and ratings of reviews. Only the highest-rated location was included if a chain appeared on the list more than once, according to Yelp. All businesses also have a passing health score as of July 24, 2023.
In California, 13 other restaurants placed in Yelp’s top 100 U.S. taco spots.
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