There is no shortage of great places in San Diego to enjoy fish tacos, from beachfront bars to walk-up food trucks. This National Taco Day (October 4), indulge in San Diego’s finest fish tacos. If we missed your favorite, let us know in the comments below!
Our top pick for fish tacos at the moment is Casa Nova Tacos and their crowd favorite – Red Curry Fish Tacos. This exceptional taco is bursting with flavor – grilled white fish is topped with house red curry, coconut flakes, sriracha aioli, Thai glaze, and cilantro on bed of cabbage.
Locally renowned for their vast tequila and taco offerings, Volcano Rabbit in Downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp district is serving up multiple fish tacos this season for all foodies to enjoy. Be sure to try the Seared Ahi Taco served with furikake, sesame seaweed, pickled ginger aioli, purple cabbage and an ancho mango sauce served on a corn tortilla – a light and refreshingly delicious offering!
The East Village’s newly minted LOLA 55 offers nine different hallmark tacos, each steeped in Mexican culinary tradition. Make sure you have some horchata nearby when you test your spice tolerance by trying the restaurant’s Spicy Smoked Fish with local fish stuffed jalapeño, bacon, citrus soy, red mustard frill, creme and Carolina Reaper salsa. With a menu disclaimer labeled, “yes, it’s that hot” you know you’re in for a scorcher. For those looking for a milder option, there’s the Baja Style Fish that despite the name is anything but typical with local fish, chorizo-tomato vinaigrette, frisee, pickled serrano and purple basil.
Fresh-casual modern Mexican concept & newcomer to the Gaslamp district, Tocaya Organica, uses locally-sourced organic ingredients takes a unique vegan-first approach to tacos, bowls, burritos, and salads, while giving non-vegans the ability to opt in with their choice of grass-fed meat, free-range chicken and fish. For fish taco lovers, look no further than the Baja Chipotle Taco (featuring sea bass, jalapeno jack, shaved cabbage, sweet chipotle sauce, cilantro & vegan chipotle). They will a be offering BOGO (Buy One, Get One Free) on all tacos, all day long (11:30am-10:30pm) this Thursday, 10/4.
If you’re in search of the best fish tacos in Mission Beach, head in to Sandbar Sports Bar & Grill, located just a few steps from the beach. The Best in SD TKO Style tacos can be ordered with your choice of meat, including braised carnitas or local white fish, and are served in irresistible cotija-crusted flour tortillas. Each taco is piled high with beer-brined escabeche slaw, lime crema, spicy guacamole, tobacco onions, chipotle aioli and fried cilantro.
Adjacent to the Pacific Beach boardwalk, Shore Club is known for their Red Bull Slushy Vodkas but they serve up fresh fish tacos as well. Served with Spanish rice, and refried or black beans, chose between grilled or fried Mahi Mahi Tacos, Barbeque Salmon Tacos or Ahi Poke Blackened Tacos. Each plate consists of two tacos and your choice of corn or flour tortillas. On Tuesdays, dine in to partake in Shore Club’s Taco Tuesday special, with $3.50 shrimp, slipper lobster and mahi tacos!
Another Pacific Beach eatery to look for delicious fish tacos is The Duck Dive. With a menu compiled of classic American dishes as well as coastal favorites, there are plenty of options for fish tacos at this laidback beach bar. The perfectly-crisped Beer-Battered Mahi Taco, with shredded cabbage, pico, radish, queso fresco and jalapeno crema are a must-try. Duck Dive also has Beer-Battered Shrimp Tacos, Poke Tacos and Grilled Mahi Tacos, each with a variety of different toppings from pickled radish to avocado crema. Starting at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, tacos are only $2.50!
Fresh fish is a given at any of Fish Shops’ locations, in Point Loma, Pacific Beach or up in Encinitas. At Fish Shop, create your own custom tacos by first selecting your choice of fish. Seabass, Slipper Lobster, Albacore and Yellowtail are just a few of over 11 different options! The next step is selecting a marinade, the Cajun dry rub with brown sugar Fish Shop seasoning is a favorite, but you can’t go wrong with any. Tacos at Fish Shop come served with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, cheese and house cilantro house, with the option to add avocado. Fish Shop also offers favorites like the award-wining TKO Taco, mahi mahi grilled and marinated with Fish Shop seasoning, shredded cabbage, mixed cheese, house cilantro sauce and tropical salsa.
Good tacos are bested only by good taco deals – which is exactly what Rubio’s Coastal Grill has done for Taco Day! Starting on September 25, the revamped Taco Tuesday will include a $5 meal – the Original Fish Taco paired with any beer. A guest favorite, the Original Fish Taco is made with sustainable wild Alaska Pollock, hand-dipped in Rubio’s signature seasoned beer batter and served crispy. In addition, on National Taco Day, Rubio’s Coastal Grill will offer one free Original Fish Taco with the purchase of any beverage.
For an elevated National Taco Day, swing by The Clubhouse Grill at Fairmont Grand Del Mar, to enjoy a San Diego classic, Baja-Style Fish Tacos, while dining al fresco and taking in the scenic views of The Grand Golf Club’s 18th Green. Featuring fresh wild caught Mahi Mahi, seasoned cabbage, Pico de Gallo and an Avocado-lime dressing the Baja-Style Fish Tacos are served with Tortilla Chips and Pico de Gallo.
Bub’s @ the Beach may be best known for its laidback and surf-inspired atmosphere, but this 20-year-old Pacific Beach staple also slings some tasty eats. Behold Bub’s Fish Tacos, a generous plate of Bub’s Fish Fry or grilled Featured Fish, complete with lime crema, pico de gallo and cabbage, all rolled into two warm corn tortillas.
A San Diego go-to for authentic Tijuana street taco stand vibes, The Taco Stand brings made-to-order magic to the forefront of its operation. This local hotspot is complete with scratch-made salsas and fresh corn tortillas. Try their Grilled Pescado (Mahi Mahi), featuring grilled fish, cabbage, cilantro, onions, tomato, avocado and chipotle sauce, all packed into a housemade corn tortilla.
Head to Downtown Encinitas for charming beach town vibes matched with Union Kitchen & Tap’s coveted Fish Tacos, a careful compilation of blackened local opah belly, lime crema, pico de gallo, salsa verde and shredded cabbage. Be sure to pair your taco with an ice cold beer from the eatery’s vast assortment of drafts to complete the experience!
Treat yourself to a premier ocean-front dining experience on your next fish taco run, and head to Waterbar in Pacific Beach. Beloved for its stunning panoramic ocean views and fresh seafood, this dining destination is the idyllic location to indulge in Fish Street Tacos, crafted from local rockfish, cabbage, serrano pepper, crema and fresh salsa.
Del Sur Mexican Cantina is a vibrant South Park eatery that features an array of authentic Mexican dishes, flavorful margaritas and an overall lively atmosphere. Fresh ingredients and flavor combinations make Del Sur’s Grilled Fish taco one of the best in the city! Grilled Mexi-Cajun dusted seasonal fish is served with cabbage, citrus aioli and avo-serrano sauce. The plate, which comes with beans and rice, is $14 or the taco can also be ordered a la carte.
Pacific Beach’s premier party destination, Mavericks Beach Club, delights guests with entertainment, tasty beverages and Baja-inspired bites. Nosh on grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos, served on fresh corn or flour tortillas, and topped with cheddar jack cheese, cabbage, pico de gallo, chipotle aioli, cotija cheese and lime crema.
With locations in North Park and La Mesa, City Tacos turns up the heat on innovative, delicious and unique bites, including their seafood taco selection. The taqueria offers light and fresh Atun Fresco tacos, made with raw ahi tuna, green apples, cucumber, Serrano chiles and toasted peanuts in an orange marinade. Or try the grilled Alaskan Salmon tacos, arranged over a bed of spinach with artichoke hearts, red bell peppers and jalapeños, and drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette.
Known for its fresh seafood and stunning ocean views, Pacifica Del Mar prepares their fish tacos blackened with dynamite aioli, cabbage slaw and lime vinaigrette. The tacos are available for lunch or at the ocean bar. Head in on Tuesdays and enjoy them for $4 all night.
Oceanside’s favorite beachside fish house, Hello Betty serves 12 different styles of fried and grilled tacos reflective of an updated spin on classic Baja SoCal favorites using only the freshest local seafood. Stop by on National Taco Day and enjoy $3-4 tacos from 3 to 6 p.m. including their Smoked Fish taco which is served with smoky white fish, jack cheese, chipotle aioli, pico de gallo, and cabbage.
Fashion Valley Mall’s newest tenant is Phoenix-based Blanco Tacos + Tequila. Its first California location, the ultra-fresh modern, modern Mexican cuisine features an extensive margarita and tequila program and a completely reinvented menu. Stop by during Happy Hour on National Taco Day and enjoy $4 tacos including the Grilled Fish taco which is made with avocado, cabbage, chipotle aioli, pico de gallo, and cotija cheese.
A spin on the traditional favorite, the Tacos del Mar from Casa Sol y Mar in Del Mar Highlands Town Center are a contemporary twist on the fish tacos we all know and love. Two flour tortillas are filled with wild shrimp, Pacific salmon, Alaskan cod, avocado slices and chipotle lime salsa for an explosion of dynamic flavors!
Want to keep it simple, but still delicious? Casa de Bandini in The Forum Carlsbad whips up its classic Fish Tacos de Bandini with tender grilled or fried pescado blanco served in corn tortillas, garnished with cabbage and a special sauce.
Located along the coast in Ocean Beach with views from the pier all the way to La Jolla, Wonderland Ocean Pub, offers Taco Wednesday specials. With cuisine described as “islander coastal,” Wonderland serves up pub-style grub with a twist, including seafood, fish tacos, fresh mussels and oysters on the half-shell. For Taco Day, try their Fresh Fish Taco – grilled catch of the day with cabbage, pico de gallo, cilantro and white sauce on a chargrilled flour tortilla with melted cheese
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