Kotija Jr Taco Shop

My hands were glistening with grease after grabbing on to my chicken burrito.
Usually when I order a chicken burrito it’s as bland as it sounds. It’s either Pollo Asado or shredded boiled chicken and that’s about it. The Kotija’s version was dramatically different. When I got back to the office I could tell this burrito was stuffed. I also noticed that it was completely over the top greasy (see picture).
The «dark meat» chicken burrito (or pork, it was hard to tell at times) was definitely bold in flavor. It included some type of salsa and guac. It seemed like they shoveled a whole bunch of ingredients straight from the greasy grill into a tortilla. Definitely a unique mix of flavors. I mentioned before, the chicken was dark and some was pretty tough. For some strange reason I was jonsing apple sauce while eating it. Wait, I didn’t order the pork-​chop burrito instead did I?
While the burrito was not one I’d try again, there was enough at Kotija Jr to give it another shot. Plus they accept credit cards.
— They accept credit cards.

Best guacamole in town. Really hectic and busy during meal hours, not a great set up for ordering/​getting drinks/​salsa bar, but it’s worth dealing with for a great plate of food.

We live near by. Our family is there around once a week. Great food and service. Took a point off for serving over cooked/​slightly burned food on very rare occasions.

Kotija is a pretty good taco shop especially considering its Del Mar location… This place has been a go-​to for quite sometime and actually yields some really good tacos and burritos. The Al Pastor is delicious and the rolled tacos are very good. Overall, if you want a good taco shop and don’t really wanna leave Del Mar, Kotija is not a bad option for ya.
Pros–
Flavoring
Menu
Selection
Horchata
Portions
Decent prices
Indoor/​outdoor seating
Cons–
Parking stinks
Crowded around lunch
Can get salty
Not the cleanest

The best taco place I’ve been so far. (Took it to go) The only complaints that I would have is they only had one chunky salsa (I love onions in my salsa) and their green salsa was iffy. Other than that Chorizo breakfast burrito was great, it was different but good. It had beans in it (which I’ve never had elsewhere) and it tasted like it had a hint of cinnamon but it was very good. I was indecisive so I just ended up getting the fish taco and 3 rolled taco combo (I think it was either #13 or #14) the lady up front didn’t ask me what kind of rolled tacos I wanted so I was a little scared to figure out what it would be. It ended up being chicken (she must’ve been a mind reader) and they were like no other. They had guac and tomatoes and I believe some lettuce and they were unreal I tried to dress them up with salsa and honestly I preferred them as they were. Then the fish taco (here I am telling myself «it’s 7:30 AM and I ordered fish!?») being a bit skeptical I took a bite and I was IN LOVE the best fish taco I’ve had yet. I believe this will be our new breakfast spot on the way to work.

Asked for no salsa 3 times cook overheard me and asked cashier if no salsa while cooking — cashier instead of answering the cook asked me from my table if I was taking it to go, I said yes — he then replies to cook in Spanish…
Get home food has salsa. Coincidence or shady!
Not that big of a deal but it was the worst entry they’ve ever made me bc of the salsa & new cook/​cashier. Place is usually good but if my food is the quality of my last experience I might not ever go here again.

I’m glad someone good took over this location. Kotija is great. I love their taquitos, but especially like their beef enchilada with mole sauce.

It wasn’t all that fast and it wasn’t all that great either. I felt duped afterwards. I ordered the carne Asada nachos and the husband ordered a combo that had rolled tacos, a taco and a tostada. I was disappointed. Although there was an abundance of meat, it had ZERO flavor and dry as hell. My husband managed to scarf his food down. Of course, he’ll eat almost anything without question. I, on the other hand, wasn’t impressed AT ALL! If this place is Del Mar’s answer to «best Mexican food», you people haven’t really had GOOD Mexican food.
The pictures looked better than the food tasted. I really wanted to like it. But after digging around, I discovered a pile of dry chips, lathered in refried beans, little to NO cheese (BUMMER) and gloops of sour cream and guac. Tender and FLAVORFUL carne Asada and CHEESE is what is SUPPOSED to make this dish awesome. Sadly, I got cold chips, beans and meat.
My husband said that this just isn’t what we’re used to (Taco San Pedro — Hawaiian Gardens). I’m so sorry for the residents in the area who are just longing for REALLY good Mexican food… cuz this ain’t it.

I got to SD on Friday night. Had Kotija that evening. We loved it so much that we ate it again for Saturday Lunch and Dinner. I wish I was kidding you, but I am not! Their fish tacos are the best! It’s $ 3 for one, but don’t be fooled. These portions are HUGE. The deep fried fish comes out piping hot, along with the creamy delicious ranchy-​mayo sauce. Oh gosh, my mouth is watering just thinking about them. Everything else is okay. JUST GET THEIR FISH TACOS.
FISH TACOS
FISH TACOS
FISH TACOS.
I THINK I MADE MY POINT.

Great little spot. Your typical Mexican fast food joint. I mean it does have a bit of a dusty feeling, maybe because it’s so close to the beach and so sand is tracked in all day, but not my forte. I would not eat here, but pick up for take out was spot on. The menu was large enough, and we ordered the standard; California burrito (w/​avocado & beans), bean & cheese burrito (with sour cream & avocado), and a carnitas plate. The carnitas plate was all really fresh and tasted great.
The gentleman taking our order was very polite and genuinely looked like he was happy to be of service. There’s a really small serve yourself salsa island right next to where you order, and I can only imagine if the place is packed, it’s probably very difficult to get to. There already was a guy (kind of annoyed) waiting for me to wrap it up, so he can get in on the salsa, lol, but it’s really awkward how the salsa bar is placed and so tbh, if I go back, I’m streamlining the salsa bar, just to get it out of the way.
The food portions are way worth the pricing. I mean the California burrito definitely would feed 2 people and possibly a baby. And at $ 7.50 (sans the extras) you really can’t beat that deal. :)
Hitting the waves would work up an appropriate appetite for a Cali burrito! ;)

No root beer no green sauce no napkins and refused to refund me after I’m a regular here. Their mole sauce tasted like coffee it ruined my entire craving for enchiladas !!! I called them from work because now I’m at work without anything to eat and without one to return and they told me I had to bring the food back!!! Which yes if I lived across the street but I’m a worker In the community and I eat there ALOT NOT NOW THANKS FOR GROSS FOOD AND NO RESPECT !

Del Mar doesn’t exactly give you many options for late night Mexican food. This is one of the better choices; however, I’ve been here twice and both times they were super stingy on their cheese!
I would recommend their California burrito and being extremely intoxicated before coming in. If you get the rolled tacos, ask for more cheese. The servers are friendly enough but you will probably come here anyways because you’re drunk and there’s nothing else open.
If you’re looking for good carne asada fries, I strongly suggest Lolita’s.

Drove here for taco Tuesday they are no longer .99 cents they cost 1.29 each and they were out of s few meats.
So I decided my back up was potato rolled tacos which are amazing if you haven’t had them before and they were out of potato rolled tacos too.
Sigh…
So I ordered beef rolled tacos which tasted like fish oil and beef meaning they must fry the fish and rolled tacos in the same oil.
YUCK!
The quality was terrible.
My son ordered the carne asada fries which were limp and undercooked and he couldn’t even finish them and trust me he’s a teenager and can put down a whole order no problem.
For the price it wasn’t worth it at all.
Also this place is CRRRRAAAZY busy at lunch time so avoid at all cost.

Everyone’s saying get the adobada tacos but after having tacos el Gordo, adobada will never taste just as good. So my recommendation? Get the fish tacos, especially on Tuesdays when they’re only 1.99. Their fish tacos are like rubio’s famous fish tacos but on steroids. These tacos were larger than my hand and could easily swallow the tacos served up at Rubios. And unlike Rubio’s this promotion is all day here at Kotija Jr.
Please note the workers speak very little English here. Please do not get mad at them or irritated when they’re trying their best. During my first visit here, I was so appalled by the attitude expressed by the customers in front of me when they were trying to communicate with the worker. Little English does not equal lesser quality/​taste in the food they’re serving here at Kotija.
All that aside, just know you cannot go wrong with their fish tacos. Happy eating!

Okay, Kotija. You almost won your extra star back. I’ll give you a 3.5 star rating for now.
Despite being less than impressed with their enchiladas, their carne asada burrito was a better option. The burrito is huge and stuffed with carne asada, cheese, potatoes and sour cream. My one complaint is that the meat seemed a little overcooked and slightly crispy but the potatoes, cheese and sour cream made up for it. Honestly, I think I could be just as happy without the steak as the occasional bite of fatty meat turns me off but the majority of the burrito was good. I managed to eat about ²⁄₃ of it before I had to throw in the towel.
My boyfriend ordered a breakfast burrito with eggs, cheese and potatoes and received one with beans as well. Luckily, he likes beans and didn’t mind but I, as an anti-​bean eater, would have been quite upset. He thought the burrito tasted great though.

Happen to be at Del Mar Fairgrounds for the day and Unilocal led me to this place for the highest rated Mexican food close by…
This place is similar to most San Diego taco spots with $ 3.00+ per taco! yes they are larger than your street tacos but I generally like to sample different meats, they do have a pretty nice menu selection
so you should easily be able to find something that «Sounds Good»
I’m not sure what the wife was thinking BUT she ordered the Classic Mexican dish… Fajitas #FacePalm
Combo #28 Fajitas Trio ($ 9.99)
*(TRIO) Camaron/​Shrimp, Carne Asada y Pollo/​Chicken grilled with Onions and Bell Peppers blah blah blah… as anemic as this photo looks
is how it tasted! just NO FLAVOR at all… the best thing on the plate was the Beans! 1-​Star
Fish Taco ($ 2.95)
A large piece of white fish that was nicely fried, held up with a good crunch, Cabbage, Crema y Pico de Gallo *(visit the salsa bar for some decent salsa’s)
it was a very good taco except for the cold stiff corn tortilla! 3-​Stars
Combo #9 Carnitas ($ 7.75)
The nice Husband I am… I shared my food with the wife as her plate went into the trash can! this little piggy didn’t disappoint how can they do one thing so good and totally screw up others?
that’s some porky goodness! 4-​Stars
Not getting all the high reviews? perhaps the place is hit and miss depending on what you order? but based on the Carne Asada, Chicken and Shrimp I’d NOT return!

For starters, this is a 3 ½ star review. I’ll explain the loss of a full star towards the end of the review.
I’ve lived in this area for 20 years and this is my first time visiting Kotija. I am very familiar with the area and the restaurants that are right next door as well as many other shops. I’ve had my favorite taco shop in the area for the longest time but finally read the Unilocal reviews on Kotija and finally decided to give it a try. Have to be honest and say it was the Unilocal reviews that got me to come here because I’ve seen this place whenever I go to the other nearby businesses.
Kotija is located in a strip mall that is undergoing renovation. It’s quite a nice center with much available so you can stop off here on your way to shopping or after shopping. There is always plenty of parking. They have a few tables inside and an outside patio. The tables were a bit messy and reading some other reviews, this seems to be the norm. But it’s nothing that a quick wipe of a napkin wouldn’t take care of. Seemed like most people take-​out as I did.
When it comes to Mexican, particularly a taco shop type restaurant, I judge mostly off the refried beans. Good refried beans and generally the rest is good too. Well, if I were to rate this place on the beans alone I would give them 5 stars! I ordered a bean & cheese burrito and it was huge. And when I say huge, I really mean HUGE. Two people could eat this. The refried beans are some of the best I’ve had in San Diego County and there was just the right amount of cheese. The cheese had all melted by the time I took a bite and the burrito wasn’t greasy at all. I’ve had some that drip grease but this was quite clean for a bean & cheese burrito. Added their house red sauce which was mildly spicy. Not too hot; matter of fact, it could be a bit hotter but was good and the taste was perfect.
We also got a carne asada quesadilla. I just wanted to try the carne asada and again, I wasn’t disappointed. Again, the size was massive. The quesadilla looked big enough for 2 – 4 people (2 people if they weren’t going to eat anything else but it would make for an excellent appetizer for 4 people). Again, just enough cheese and no grease dripping. Very clean and perfect with the red salsa.
Last, we tried the fish tacos. I read a review and as the others have posted, they were like everything else, quite big. The fish was deep fried and a little flavorless but not bad. We took this home and live only minutes from the store by the tacos were a bit soggy when we got home. Still, good eating, and by soggy I mean the fish. I was expecting more crisp since the fish was batter fried, but still good. They are on par with Rubio’s fish tacos, just bigger.
Overall, great place and I will likely come back instead of my usual local taco shop. I’m curious to try their carnitas next time.
For the owners of this establishment, I deducted a full star for the use of Styrofoam to-​go containers. Maybe you aren’t aware, but while technically you can recycle Styrofoam, the only place you can recycle it is down near the border, which by no means is convenient. Maybe you aren’t aware, but other cities in the country are banning Styrofoam to-​go containers and I would say… look at your clientele. Recycling is pretty common in this area so you might want to get onboard and get the recyclable to-​go containers. I have looked it up myself and happen to know the cost is quite comparable. Don’t kid yourself by putting this off; it won’t be long before they are banned in San Diego. Do the right thing and get recyclable containers and I’ll gladly give you the full four stars (4 ½ if Unilocal ever changes to ½ stars).

Got a to go order with coworkers. Two of us ordered the fish taco plate and the other got the California burrito. The order was ready very quickly, maybe 10 minutes.
The two fish taco ordered were huge, we couldn’t finish them but they were delicious. Rice and beans were just ok. I think the fish pieces were larger than typical for fish tacos.
The California burrito was equally as huge, but I was told it was very good (they got it with guac)
They had both red and green salsa that we were able to get to go, the red was spicy but I liked it!
Overall we were quite satisfied with our order.

You know when you walk into a Mexican restaurant with a line out the door full of people who barely speak English is a good sign the food is authentic! I really love the fish tacos here and they don’t skimp on the portions either! Huge chunks of fish. I also like nibbling on the pickled carrots and onions in the salsa bar delish! The burritos looked very good and humongous! My friend ordered one along with a side of fries. Don’t get the fries they were soggy and cold. Parking is plentiful and the taco shop is very easy to find.
TIP: Come at 1130am before the lunch crowd!

The tacos at Kotija are no less tacos than they are mini open-​faced burritos. Seriously one of the largest tacos I’ve ever ordered and I made the mistake of ordering 3 for myself. I ordered the 2 fish taco plate and one adobada taco on the side; a painful, but delicious, decision.
The adobada taco was definitely my favorite of the 2 and I would highly recommend it if you find yourself mindlessly staring at the menu trying to decide what to get. The fish tacos were also highly enjoyable, definitely tasted somewhat fresh and just the right amount of white sauce on top. The pinto beans really took me by surprise and are probably some of the best I’ve ever had.
The interior of the restaurant is definitely rustic to say the least, but clean nonetheless. Salsa is honestly a bit bland, definitely can be skipped unless you really like the stuff. Prices are definitely fair for the amount of food they give you, just don’t go crazy and over-​order like I did.