Best tacos in Tijuana: 10 top-rated taquerías by style

Tijuana is one of Mexico's great taco cities. Charcoal-grilled northern carne asada, Baja-style fish and seafood tacos, early-morning beef head and spit-roasted al pastor all share the same streets. You will eat well here no matter what; the real question is where to start.

This list is built on real data: Google ratings, review counts and published opening hours. It is not a list of personal favorites but of places that thousands of people have tried and rated highly. Hours come from Google and can change, especially on holidays, so check each taquería's page before you go.

One general tip: many of Tijuana's best taquerías open early and close by mid-afternoon. If you want beef head, chicharrón or fish, go in the morning or around lunchtime.

Beef head (cabeza) tacos

1. Cabeza de Res la Única (Anexa 20 de Noviembre)

Cabeza de Res la Única is one of the most-reviewed taquerías in the city, with 4.7 stars from more than 3,600 reviews. It focuses on beef head and tongue and is open from 7 am to 2 pm according to Google. It sits on Bulevar Federico Benítez, and it is a breakfast or lunch stop, not a dinner one.

2. La Única de Culiacán (Calzada del Tecnológico)

La Única de Culiacán has 4.7 stars from over 1,500 reviews and is also all about cabeza. Same morning schedule, 7 am to 2 pm. A good pick if you are near Otay and Calzada del Tecnológico.

Chicharrón tacos

3. El Tío Pepe (Gabilondo)

El Tío Pepe is the most-reviewed chicharrón specialist on this list: 4.6 stars and more than 4,500 reviews. It opens from 8 am to 6 pm, longer hours than most morning taquerías.

4. Sancochi Chicharronería (Libertad)

Sancochi Chicharronería has one of the highest ratings in town, 4.8 stars from 570-plus reviews. It is in the Libertad neighborhood and open from 8 am to 3 pm. If you are closer to Colonia Madero (Cacho), its Cacho location also holds 4.8 stars with the same hours.

Fish and seafood tacos

Fish tacos are part of Baja California's identity, and Tijuana has several highly rated spots. Two of them sit on the same avenue in Libertad, which makes a seafood crawl easy.

5. Tacos de Pescado Alicia (Libertad)

Tacos de Pescado Alicia has 4.6 stars from more than 700 reviews. It specializes in fish, including battered fish. Hours run from 9 or 10 am until 5 pm depending on the day.

6. Mariscos El Pescador (Libertad)

Mariscos El Pescador, also on Avenida Aquiles Serdán, has 4.7 stars from 270-plus reviews. Expect fish and shrimp tacos, and an early start: 7 am to 3 pm.

7. Mariscos el Mazateño (Tomás Aquino)

Mariscos el Mazateño is likely the most-reviewed place in the city in our directory, with 4.5 stars from nearly 11,000 reviews. Fish, shrimp and octopus tacos, open 8 am to 7:30 pm.

Al pastor tacos

8. Tacos El Franc (Zona Este)

Tacos El Franc has close to 9,900 reviews and 4.5 stars. It is one of the best-known al pastor stops in Tijuana and runs from the afternoon until around midnight (1 pm to 11:59 pm on Saturdays).

9. Tacos al Pastor El Meño (Independencia)

Tacos al Pastor El Meño has 4.8 stars from more than 330 reviews. Its window is short, 5:30 pm to 9 pm, so treat it as an early dinner. Besides al pastor, it is also listed for alambre and tinga.

Carne asada and after-hours tacos

10. Las Ahumaderas (Colonia América)

Las Ahumaderas has 4.5 stars from over 6,600 reviews and is the answer when it gets late: it opens at 8 am and, per Google, stays open until 4 am on weekdays and 6 am on Saturdays. Look for carne asada, alambre, tripe and machaca.

For another late option, Tacos Alicia on Blvd. Fundadores has 4.5 stars from more than 4,300 reviews and stays open until 1:30 or 2 am.

Planning a Tijuana taco crawl

• Morning: beef head or chicharrón (Cabeza de Res la Única, El Tío Pepe, Sancochi).
• Midday: fish and seafood in Libertad or at El Mazateño.
• Evening: al pastor at El Franc or El Meño.
• After midnight: carne asada at Las Ahumaderas.

Tijuana is a big city and these taquerías are spread across many neighborhoods, so group your stops by area instead of crossing town in traffic.

More tacos in Tijuana

TacoPortal lists 47 taquerías in Tijuana. Browse them all on the Tijuana page and filter by taco style, or read our Tijuana taco guide for more background on the city. Already have a favorite? Look it up and check its hours before heading out.