Tortilleria Lily

tortillas better than average.
too bad they don’t serve food like Carnitas tacos

Sunday morning decadence in San Diego begins with a buying a pound of carnitas and tortillas from Tortilleria Lily. The best tortillas I’ve tried containing simply corn, lime and water (these guys won’t make it too long even in your fridge)– made with love from the preverbal abuelita who on Sunday only offers her delicious carnitas for $ 8/​lb.

I left San Diego for New York and after searching there high and low, I have concluded Lily might have the best corn tortillas in the whole damn country. Corn, lime, water. Less than two dollars for a a face-​sized stack. Shenanigan-​free.

I rarely give 5 stars for anything, so that’s why I’m only giving four. I would have to be blown away to give some place 5. With that being said, let me assure you this place is good.
Now as a Chicano it only makes sense that I review this place, especially since my tag line is «Chicano San Diego». Most San Diegans wouldn’t get this, because it’s a Latino thing or more specifically an indigenous thing. You see, Native people (this includes Mexicans) have been eating corn for over 500 years, actually closer to thousands of years. You could say we invented corn and actually we did. During the evolution of human beings there is one great measurement of advancement and one of those is the cultivation of food. Well when Mayan people manipulated the corn plant we domesticated it for consumption and have been eating it ever since. So let’s just say corn is central to our diet and culture.
If you grew up in Latin America you will know, you can go down the block to get fresh made tortillas on a daily basis. Welcome to City Heights where there are lots of Latinos, but mostly Mexicans and Chicanos/​as. So if you want to keep it real, get yourself some fresh made tortillas, but only buy what you need, cuz tortillas are meant to be eaten fresh with no preservatives or other man made chemicals. It may mean you will have to make a trip to Tortilleria Lily’s every time you need corn tortillas, but some things are best the way they were originally, that’s tradition. Now if we could just tear up the parking lot and plant some corn that would be OG, but then where would people park their trokas (spanglish for big ass truck with Sinaloa stickers on the back window).
Oh and the price is right. $ 1.80 for 2.5 lbs of tortillas!!!

Only go here for good homemade tortillas. The original tortilla factory in san diego. Everybody’s very nice. My family. Has been going here for years. Parking is in the back.

I’ve been a customer since about 1991. I do purchase other brands if I need to, but Lily is my number one for corn tortillas. The tortillas are not too thick, they have a great texture and the flavor is authentic. I’m sorry Gabriel’s, North Gate, Sawaya, Pancho Villa, IGA and Carnival. Not saying that I won’t buy from the other places, because sometimes you have to. Just saying that Lily’s are by far the best.

This review is for the carnitas!
If you are ever in the mood for carnitas, and are a morning person, definitely stop by here to pick up the best carnitas you will ever have! They are not a restaurant, they sell carnitas on the weekends only. They make one batch of carnitas for Saturday morning and another for Sunday morning, that’s it. I’ve gone in at 8am before and not been able to buy them because they have sold out. I try to come in before 6:30am, just to make sure I get some because it IS that serious! The salsa they give you with the carnitas is pure amazingness. They won’t give you extra, not even if you offer to pay for them. It is strictly 2 salsas per 1lb of carnitas.
Recommendation:
Go in early to purchase carnitas and a small bag of tortillas. The tortillas from here are not as good when you reheat them, so I try not to have left-​overs. Have some limes ready at home and enjoy! They do sell the small cans of «Herdez Salsa Casera» which I like to buy and mix with their salsa to make it last a little longer=]

For the best tortillas at a extremely reasonable price, go to Lily’s!

This is my hood! Anyway I’ve been having tortillas lilly since before this place was all fancy remodeled like it is now. The tortillas are bomb. I think they sell other stuff now, can’t comment on it because I’ve never had it but if it’s made there then I trust that it’s good. The parking situation kind of blows and I think they close early but it’s worth getting up early to get freshly made tortillas. If you’ve never had fresh tortillas, and by the looks of the lack of reviews on here, many of you haven’t, this is the place to go! Get on it my fellow Unilocalers!

best tortillas EVER! yummy I moved to Vegas and I come to isit every few months and Vegas has nasty tortillas so I come down n buy a whole bunch n take them back so we have good San diego tortillas at home!

The best masa I’ve ever had. I use their Masa every time I make Tamales.

The corn tortillas are amazingly delicious and not too pricey — less than 2 $ for a small. Very tasty! The prepared masa you have to order the day ahead… It was bland and kinda not good. I called back in and the man said add chili sauce or broth … It certainly needed somthing but. A+ on the tortillas.

Best tortillas evAR. That is all.

The only bad thing to say is that they close up shop in the early part of the afternoon. And maybe that I can never get through the whole stack of tortillas I buy.
No shortage of wee Mexican women in here. It’s nice that they got a facelift a couple years ago, and the storefront looks good. But I don’t know why they bothered. The shop has always been packed.