Carnitas’ Snack Shack

Really cheering for this place to do well, there is definitely more positive than negative, but they are not quite there.
My favorite, 5 star thing about it is the triple threat pork sandwich. Before you say that it is too much pork, let me tell you that it is perfectly balanced, perfectly executed, and very very memorable.
The carnitas were less memorable; still good, but can be improved upon for that price.
Service was good each time I went there — welcoming, smiling people who are happy to answer questions.
If this place ever goes out of business, it won’t be because of the quality of food or service, but because it was designed so badly. The exterior is a patio separator which looks foreboding and unwelcoming; the entrance is a small door on the side which makes first time visitors pause to make sure they aren’t going through an employee entrance.
Interior doesn’t work either; the long rectangular (cafeteria) look could have been disaccentuated as was done by the previous tenant, but instead it is stressed by the wall with the elongated protruding pig. It also makes the place look dingy.

Oh man the side of fries were super salty eck. I wiped each of them down before I ate them. I shouldn’t complain though, they were FREE with my Unilocal check in. The steak sandwich and carnitas tacos were pretty tasty, they come with a side of corn (bleh). The staff was friendly, gave me some recommendations and pointed me in the right direction. It was just OK for me.

Came here with my family. Their specialty is carnitas and I had several friends rave about the tacos so that’s what I ended up getting for myself. The boyfriend got the Triple Threat Pork Sandwich and my parents shared the SnackShack Steak Sandwich because my mother is a tiny eater.
Tacos came out and the meat was really tender, but felt a little too greasy for my liking. I ended up draining the oil on a napkin before finishing. Didn’t get a chance to try the boyfriend’s sandwich, but he somehow miraculously finished it. It was HUGE and super loaded. He said he enjoyed it, but that it was definitely a heavy meal and he did mention that some parts felt a bit dry. My dad commented that while he liked his steak sandwich it was also a bit too greasy.
Overall, I guess I was expecting a bit more melt in your mouth and less grease. Maybe it was just an off day. People have told me they really loved the pork belly appetizer and I didn’t get a chance to get that this time around. I might try the original location in north park next time.

I used to really like this place! The original location is better, I think. I ordered the kids meal grilled cheese sandwich and added carnitas to it. The sandwich itself was okay, nothing special. The carnitas was really fatty. I pulled a lot of it off and ended up with very little edible meat.
The place was also really loud. There was a party of like 15 and half of them were kids. It was 8:30pm on a Saturday night. I thought I was getting a nice date with my husband, but instead I got Chuck E Cheeses.
I do love their fountain drinks. The Shirley temple and the root beer are really good and they have other fun flavors. Since that night was one of my last few eating meat, I most likely won’t be going back to the Shack.

The original Carnitas’ Snack Shack can only be described as absolutely phenomenal, especially if you’re a pork lover. I mean seriously, a freaking sandwich that’s got pork stacked on pork stacked on even MORE pork! Truly, it is a heart attack waiting to happen… and I STILL don’t care. Yes, I had to order the Triple Threat Pork Sandwich again. Yes, it is just as good as the North Park edition. Ridiculously ridiculous, full of artery clogging delight, and absolutely zero regrets!
But I did leave a few menu items on the table, and quite frankly I have zero desire to deal with North Park’s parking situation (which is only marginally better than the farcical situation in Pacific Beach). So, despite this plaza’s also fairly crappy parking situation, at least it’s a parking lot.
So what were those other menu items? I’m never EVER not ordering the pork belly appetizer ever again. As an avid pork belly lover at Korean BBQ, I’m not entirely sure how I skipped this last time. Super juicy with an awesome sweet-​spicy glaze and they actually you give quite a bit! Plus I had to try my friend’s poutine… let’s just say that they did not screw up the poutine.
Other major plus of this location is that there’s inside seating AND it’s basically double the size. Can’t wait to come back here!

Got the pork belly app, the ribeye burger (was the daily special at the time), and my boyfriend got the triple something.
Overall, this place is okay. The ribeye burger was good, but nothing all too special. My boyfriend’s triple. something? I liked that there was a lot of meat and it was decent, but we both found it a little dry. I wish it came with some sort of sauce of something.
HOWEVERRR! The pork belly app was DELICIOUS. I mean… who doesn’t love pork belly? And whatever sauce they used was just… simply amazing. We bought two more of them to-​go.
The service was also great (: staff was very friendly and kind. One of them let me sample the different sodas. Not the typical Coke, Sprite, Fanta, etc. I think they craft their own or something, and they had some pretty interesting flavors: D seriously. what’s a snozzberry? Because it was great. The shirley temple was pretty good, too. Bought a cup to take on the road (:
Anyways, like it said… overall: Average

Holy Braised Beef sando! Of course, the boys have a craving for their usual Snack Shack burger, so we venture our regular location to cure their craving. Low & behold there’s a fabulous looking special on the menu, so I have to order it. Good god, talk about deliciousness! My one ask — add it to the menu, it’s that damn good.

Triple threat, where have you been all my life? The crunchiness of the fries and the pork — oh the pork! I really am a fan of pork so this was the place to be. This is, however, not the place to be if you’re on a diet. The burger was flavorful, greasy, and they didn’t skimp out on the meat.
This location is nicer than the one in North Park if you’re considering taking a date out here. They have padded seats and the restaurant feels very open and homey. It also helps that there isn’t always a long line to order like the one in North Park.
Overall, great food and atmosphere. Will come again!

So it’s almost midnight and I’m craving something. I look through my phone and realize that I totally forgot to review this place! SUCH A GEM!
I was afraid it would be overhyped… but Carnitas’, you proved me wrong! If you don’t like pork, THIS is the place to get some amazing pork items (or other meat options)!
Me and a close friend ordered:
–1 triple threat sandwich /​/​YUM. YUM. YUMMMM. It’s like s mouthful of exploration! Every bite is so different but so same… how does that make sense? I don’t know either. But safe item to get if you don’t know what you want!
–1 roast beef sandwich/​/​this is not the actual name BUT it does have LOTS of beef in it! Reminds me of a panini but with a Carnita’s twist! AMAZING. Amazing flavor, tender beef AND huge portion! Only thing is that sauce is a bit too much for me but it’s SO DELICIOUS. Solid choice!
–1 order of shake fries /​/​CHECK-​IN, my helpers! Get a free order! Piping hot, and rich in flavor. YUM! And big portion too! Enough for two.
Pros:
–Amazing service. Cashier was super nice with recommendations and small talk!
–Awesome food. I crave this every time I walk by… and I dream about it…
–Great ambiance. Awesome place for casual date, hangout or just with family!
Cons:
–errrrr…doesn’t fit my macros?! Just kidding. It’s perfect.
Tips/​Observations:
–parking is pretty spacious! Note: they are reconstructing in this area so don’t be frightened.
–check-​in got free order of shake fries!
Overall, this is such a great place! I am so excited to try other items on their menu!

Everyone raves about the Carnitas Snack Shack so we decided to try it. We ordered the: Triple threat pork. Steak sandwich. Carnitas tacos… Grilled cheese sandwich… Chicharones. All were pretty good, though a little pricey in my opinion. The triple threat pork looked the most interesting which my husband ordered. His only comment was I wish they put more pulled pork which seems a common comment by most people who have tried this place. I ordered the carnitas tacos and they weren’t bad, but I’ve definitely had better. The one thing I really did enjoy was their drink selection from the fountain! Silly I know but that would be the only thing I would go back for.
As for the location, it’s hard to find parking as they are in one of the busier malls in the area. I heard the line gets crazy too but when we went for late lunch, we were the only ones in line. The décor of the restaurant was nice and cozy. Overall, the place and the food was okay.

I LOVE THIS PLACE SO MUCH.
Food is so good and they have gluten free options.
I love a burger with a GF bun
their Beet salad, so good.
Tacos are HUGE
Their bacon ketchup is the absolute best stuff that i swear they add crack in there.
They always have cider, but wish the’d get Alpine brewery or some Duckfoot beer up in here.
I come about once a week.

3.5 rounded up to 4. Is it just me, or does the food taste a bit better at their original location in North Park?
Being a creature of habit, I order items that are consistently good and never let me down. Their BLT, Pork Belly appetizer and their SnackShack steak sandwich. Although all delicious, it wasn’t quite at the same level as their original location.
I’ll still return as they are much closer to my home and it’s much easier to find seating/​parking. Get your porkie fix today!

Carnitas’ Snack Shack is a solid 4.5 stars. Carnitas’ Snack Shack is so delicious that after I ate dinner there, I had to immediately inform the Unilocal Universe that you need to run, not walk to the nearest Carnitas’ Snack Shack (CSS). When I encounter a restaurant that fires on all cylinders, I immediately want to share my great experience. CSS is one of those restaurants.
CSS has two locations. One off of University Avenue, which is the original location, and the one I went to in Del Mar, specifically El Camino Real. Through Unilocal,I’ve kept CSS on my radar because of the thousands of positive reviews and the high 4.5 star rating. CSS in Del Mar seems fairly new. It is located in the very busy shopping center where Cineapolis and Urban Plates are located. The only reason I took a half star off of CSS’s rating was because of how busy the shopping center was and how far we had to park away from the restaurant. Inside, CSS has a cool vibe going on. You place your order first and then sit down in their brightly lit restaurant. There’s a really cool wooden wall adornment of a pig. There’s a bright colored mural of cartoonish pigs on some of the other walls. Lastly, there was plenty of seating and no wait at all.
The parking frustration is so worth it after you consume CSS’s food. OMG! WOW! Must Eat Restaurant. For a party of 3, I paid over $ 50, but it really is value for the money. I ordered the Snackshack Steak Sandwich, which had sliced ribeye, pepper jack, tomato, pickled serrano pepper, chipotle aioli, and jalapeño bread. I also ordered their fries with bacon ketchup. You heard me right, bacon ketchup. I ordered a drink, which is self service. One of the best things about CSS is their drink station that has All-​You-​Can-​Drink Horchata and Shirley Temples. The steak sandwich is like a beautiful art piece, not just for its appearance, but for its taste once you take the first bite. The bread looks crunchy, but appearances are deceiving. Once you bite into it, the bread is soft with a slight crunch. It has the right and not too spicy taste. Everything within this sandwich blended so well together. I can honestly say this was one of the best sandwiches I’ve eaten in San Diego. That good. Really enjoyed my fries and the sandwich comes with a side of corn that’s like cole slaw.
Holler at me after you experience the divine food at Carnitas’ Snack Shack. My daughter’s volleyball team lost in the playoffs, but our sadness was conquered by the great food we devoured at Carnitas’. As I said in the beginning, run or drive really fast to the nearest Carnitas’. Your stomach will be happy.

I’ve been to the original location and was very happy to find that this location is opened. Visited yesterday and ordered a Carnitas Tortas — the portion was huge! The flavor was pretty good and the carnitas were moist. While i was enjoying my torta, the next bite i took a bug fell out from my sandwich. UGH completely grossed out I took it to the staff and have him looked at it. All he did was apologized and said they’ll bring me another sandwich. At this point, i didn’t think it was a good idea ordering the same again. I don’t know what was in the pot or in that same bed of lettuce so i opted for their Pork Belly dish instead.
Service was a bit slow, we were the 4^th table in the restaurant and i had to wait for a very long time for my torta while everyone else from my party got their dishes already. And because i sent the torta back and requested for the pork belly, i had to wait again.
While the food was good and atmosphere was great, you have the option of indoor or outdoor seating, the service needs to be better, in my opinion. The person who was delivering food to the table, first messed up our order in the beginning; then when he came back for my new dish, he almost spilled the salad and was ABOUT to use his hand /​fingers to touch my salad to stop it from spilling over
so overall experience food + service = it was just A-​OK.

June: I didn’t order the usual which is their pork belly appetizer. Instead I decided to get a pork sandwich and a side salad.
That day we came after our workout, the restaurant were having some difficulties. Their lights were out and they couldn’t get it back on. No big deal, we just sat next to the patio for lighting.
When my order came iwas like whoa! The pork sandwich was huge and of course I scarf it down. It was definitely greasy but full of flavors and the bun was toasted perfectly. I’m so glad I asked for their side salad. It really helps cut the grease or in other words I feel better that I’m eating one thing that is healthy. Balancing it out I guess lol.
Nice décor and a great sit down with a big patio area.

I have not been to the North Park location but I know what a legend this place is to San Diego… so we were stoked to visit the North County version (at Del Mar Highlands) on a warm day like today.
Our menu:
* Triple Thread Sandwich — three kinds of pork. Huge & greasy. Enough for 2.
* Pork Belly Appetizer — had to try it. Sweet, fatty and truly decadent.
* Carnitas Tacos — massive tacos. Two is all you need!
* Kids Grilled Cheese — one of the cheesiest versions in San Diego
* Kids Carnitas Taco — our kid eats a lot and one taco filled her up good.
* Honey Hips — a really great flavored local craft brew
Our total came to $ 65 with tip. The servings are large so think twice about what you order. The Triple Threat Sandwich didn’t come with fries and didn’t need to. I still couldn’t finish it.
Things to note:
* Booth seating is padded. All other seats are not.
* The bathroom is for one person only. Kind of awkward if it’s busy.
* You order at the counter right when you walk in.
* There is a small outdoor patio area with a TV and a bar.
* The kid’s juices and milk containers are tiny. Go with the natural soda fountain instead.
We like this place but boy I don’t want to see pork for a while… at least until I warm up my leftovers ;)

I’ve been to their other location in North Park and the one in North Park gets so busy and plus the seating at that location is outside seating.
But his new location that opened up is in such a great location! In the heart of the Del Mar Highlands shopping center. With other stores around to enjoy the night and plenty of parking. And on the plus side, this location has inside and patio seating so there is plenty of space to dine! And when my boyfriend and I came for dinner it wasn’t busy at all.
FOOD:
So on Fridays they offer their poutine and it so happened we came in on a Friday… GET THE POUTINE. you will not be disappointed ! On the menu there’s a little spot on called «daily specials» (which is kinda small if your not really looking) but the Poutine was sooo good ! Gravy, bacon, and pork doused all over french fries ?! COUNT ME IN.
I got their snackshack burger which was really filling since I didn’t finish it all ! Super juicy a mess to eat though but really tasty. It also came with a side of a corn salad (?) which was so good because i love corn so much haha
My boyfriend go their snackshack steak sandwich which he easily finished it all. His sandwich was quite tasty too. The steak was cooked really tender and easy to eat. And the sauce they used in the sandwich was really good as well.
Overall, a really casual place if you’re craving a pork belly app, some poutine, or even some tacos with a twist. Recommend !

PORK BELLY! Everyone has to try the Pork Belly App at least once. It’s so tender and flavorful. Melt-​in-​your-​mouth goodness. Yum! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. The pork belly is pretty fatty though, so just a warning for those who don’t like fatty meats.
The carnitas tacos were okay — nothing spectacular but not too shabby either. They give you a big serving of carnitas on each taco so it can get a tad bit dry.
I honestly don’t have much else to say about this place besides. GET THE PORK BELLY!

Long time listener, first time caller.
I’ve always wanted to try the San Diego Snack Shack, but their inconvenient lunch hours made it impossible. I was so happy to find out that this location has normal business hours including being open on Tuesday.
We came early at 11:30 to beat the rush and there were many available tables inside and out. In fact, it was a lot more difficult finding a place to park. We queued up outside and made our way to the cashier. The special of the day was a Cuban sandwich and I decided to order that with a side of seasoned fries for good measure. With a drink, the cost was about 15 bucks.
While waiting for the order, there was plenty of upbeat rock and roll music playing and a nice a breeze blowing through the restaurant’s large open wall. It was interesting that the tables were empty of napkins and condiments, you’ll have to grab that stuff up front.
My choice for lunch was a Cuban Sandwich. In retrospect this was a great decision. Two types of pork and a rich overall flavor. The Cuban was an encapsulation of everything good about Carnitas Snack Shack, glad I ordered it. The fries were crisp, topped with seasoning salt. My co-​worker got the triple threat and said it was great.
A few tweaks
— The Bacon Ketchup was forgettable as it tasted like thick marinara sauce.
— For the Cuban sandwich, my suggestion would be ditch the Dijonnaise, and add a more pronounced mustard.
Overall, I enjoyed the experience here. I’ll definitely be coming back.

I prefer this location than the one in North Park because it doesn’t have flies flying around.
Nice and clean.
I’ve ordered a lot of different dishes here but the one that stood out are the Steak Burger and Pork Belly Appetizer.
If you don’t like pork then don’t come here. If you do, like me, then this is the place to go.