Loteria Taco Bar

Well $ 7 for this sad looking corn quesadilla and $ 2 tips, I don’t even want to start to describe how plain the flavor it is. by the way, while your customers sanding next to your bar waiting for food, it’s kind of common courtesy to let them know food is ready.

Having been to San Pedro Square a few times, I decided to try this taco bar before heading to the Sharks game at SAP Center. The menu had a bunch of different items and had a unique spin on the classic tacos.
I got three tacos for $ 12. I got a fried cod, duck carnitas, and pork belly taco.
Fried Cod: This taco was by far the best out of the ones that I got and on the menu, it stated that this was their most popular. After going to university for 4 years in San Diego, I’ve had my fair share of fish tacos. This one tasted very good and comparable to the ones that I’ve had. The cod was crispy and the sauce they put on top complimented it well. I also enjoyed the cilantro and lettuce/​carrot slaw they put on it.
Pork Belly: This taco was average. It was very hard to actually taste the pork belly because the pineapple salsa and red jalapeños were pretty overpowering.
Duck Carnitas: Unlike the pork belly taco, the only thing I could taste on this taco were the duck carnitas. It was very filling however it lacked a depth of flavor.
All of the tacos were fully filled and the plate came with a little container of salsa and tortilla chips. Out of the three tacos that I got, I would probably only get the fried cod taco again.

Wait time was okay– 10 minutes. Prices are typical for San Jose downtown –12 $ for a lunch size portion. expect to spend more if you order drinks and extras. I had the fried plantains which were AMAZING. I shared them with coworkers and everyone kept asking where they came from. I got two tacos, one salmon one quinoa, both were fresh and tasted great. I’ll definitely return to try the many other taco varieties they had to offer. (I believe they had about 10 different kinds to choose from)

Don’t expect authentic Mexican tacos. These fancy tacos are a bit pricey. The bright red chips look like Doritos nacho cheese flavored but they were just regular chips. We ordered chicken, chipotle shrimp and fried cod. Since it was a Lent Friday, I only had the shrimp and cod. The fried cod is far superior. The flavor of the aioli was good. The texture was alright but it wasn’t as crispy as Rubio’s fish tacos.

I’ve been here three times and won’t be back as I’ve been invariably disappointed every time.
The tacos *sound* great on the menu, but execution is very poor. «Crispy pork belly» was not crispy and hardly any of the fatty layers of pork belly. Duck was dry and even tough, surprising since it was shredded. Chipotle shrimp didn’t taste fresh.
The fried pickles are pretty good, but only by themselves as they are way too greasy and filling to be a side to anything.
Prices not justified by either portion size, quality of ingredients, or flavor. I’d rather get my «fancy» taco fix at the likes of Zona Rosa — twice the price but at least the substance is there.

The best catering. Fancy & flavor tacos !!! The Fish & Shrimp fajitas, lamb, chicken, and the mango salsa were fantastic at my party! Everyone enjoyed the fantastic food.

Best tacos ever made by Nary. Ask for something special so he can make you a masterpiece taco.

Pros: situated in a trendy spot. Offers some unconventional meats tk choose from– korean bbq short ribs and duck for example
Cons: some what of a long line. Pricing quite high. Tacos tasted average… No side condiments available. :\
To be quite frank, this is a hip restaurant with mediocre tasting food.

I love fancy tacos. And judging by the prices of this place, «fancy» is what I was expecting. The menu includes a myriad of unique and exotic flavor combinations; I got the 3 tacos for $ 12 combo, which came with chips and salsa on the side. My two friends and I also got a plate of the plantains to share, which we couldn’t finish because we were all SUPER full by the end, more so than any of us were expecting.
A good lunch spot if you’re in the area and craving some none-​traditional fusion tacos, but still a little pricey for what you’re getting in my opinion.

The tacos were delicious and they make them quickly. It is also awesome that they let you mix and match, since there are so many different specialty tacos on the menu. The fried rock cod one with chipotle aioli and cabbage was the best fish taco that I have had in a while!

I love the tacos here. One of my go to spots at SPS.
Love that you can «mix and match,» and I’ve never had a bad pick. I’ve had duck, pork belly, portabello (vegetarian), chicken, and carnitas. All have been good, all with complimentary toppings and salsa.

Ayer comí unos tacos increíbles y la salsa estuvo deliciosa que el cocinero preparo muy ricos probaré un ítem poco a poco hasta probar todo el menú. Recomendado lotería tacobar

Came by for lunch the other day and it was a mediocre experience. The line prior to the lunch rush was minimal.
Cod soft taco was the highlight of the meal as it came out warm and the sauce had a nice kick to it.
The carne asada taco came out dry and wasn’t too flavorful…
The chips were decent although the salsa came from the fridge and tasted like it had been there for a little too long…
Service was okay.
~$ 8.5+ tax for 2 tacos including chips and salsa.
They do take credit cards.

This is not my first choice of food at San Pedro Market (I usually eat at CaliDog and the pizza place), but sometimes I like to change it up a bit.
I’m a vegetarian so I haven’t tried a variety of the tacos which most people seem to order but I did have the vegetarian taco once, I believe it was quinoa and black bean but the taco was very bland and left much to be desired. I didn’t even finish it which is saying a lot because I almost always finish my food. I had the yucca fries that same visit though and they were delicious. I would definitely suggest ordering those.
The last time I went I got the Market Vegetable quesadilla which was very tasty. It had peppers and mushrooms in it. I really liked how it came with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole on the side. The quesadilla cost $ 9 which seems pricey but it was a large portion.

I’ve frequent San Pedro square from time to time to get some grub and also to interact with the fans and sign autographs.
So one day I decided to try Loteria.
They didn’t have the ahi tuna that day, to my disappointment
So the mango habanero chicken and carnitas tacos were the alternatives. There was plenty of heat with the habanero but the tacos were otherwise bland. Same went for the carnitas. The rice, beans n chips were screaming for salt n pepper.
The food left a lot to be desired, like an 8 with the skills of a 4.

Viendo la final de la champions y ke mejor unos ricos y deliciosos tacos de loteria taco bar, personal muy amigable, se los recomiendo, los nachos estan buenisimos y los tacos ni ke se diga

I’m a huge fan of San Pedro Market, and Loteria Taco bar is one of my (new) favorites. I just love the tacos here, and I have been a frequent visitor. I would say that something is clearly good when there are so many options but you keep coming back to the tacos. They’re just like authentic street tacos, but with a little fusion. I also think it’s a relatively good deal for tacos and beans. My most recent trip, I tried the fried pickles, and I did not think that they were that great. I loved the dipping sauce that was served with them, but felt there was much too much breading on the pickle itself. I was anticipating large pickle slices from the size, and it turned out they were little slices, just a ton of breading.
Overall, I’ll skip the fried pickles and come back for the tacos!

They had such a good pastor taco topped with pineapple salsa! Soooooo good. Will definitely be coming back for more of those.
The salsa for the chips could’ve been a little more tasteful. Ok, just blander than I’d prefer.

Both the duck carnitas taco and the pork taco al pastor had lots of meat but were very bland. Both meats tasted boiled or steamed. The garnishes didn’t seem to add anything to the food except visual appeal. Chips were stale.
The only thing I really enjoyed were the fried plantains. They were cut on the bias and deep fried. Interesting addition of dried cranberries and some crema for dipping.
Presentation was striking but I’d rather have flavorful food. Too bad because Loteria Taco Bar uses quality ingredients but they need more skilled or consistent cooks in the kitchen to showcase that quality. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing.
I really liked San Pedro Square so I’ll try LTB again, but only after I’ve tried the other food booths.

Cod Fish taco: 4 stars
Carne Asada taco: 3.5 stars
Shrimp taco: 3 stars
This place is kinda pricey for tacos, however, it is located in San Pedro Square so can’t complain. It’s a much better deal to get more tacos, 3 for $ 11 as one taco is $ 4. The tacos come with chips and salsa. Add some guacamole on the side and you’ll have a super filling lunch!
The cod fish tacos are their most popular and I can see why. They are delicious. Good hefty piece of fish, not too much batter and really good sauce on it. Fresh veggies (purple cabbage, tomatoes).
The Carne Asada taco was tasty. They actually add guacamole too it too which is awesome. It does make it a little hard to eat though and can get quite messy.
Shrimp taco was just medocre to me. Nothing too special about the shrimp. They were a bit on the smaller side and not very plentiful so it felt like I was eating a tortilla taco filled with sauce and purple cabbage haha. Sauce was good. My boyfriend did like this one the best though.
Their Guacamole is really good too. Not to over seasoned like the ones at Chipotle.
I’d definitely come back here again and just get 3 cod fish tacos. YUM!

3.5 stars!
Loteria taco bar is located inside San Pedro Square Market and it’s all about TACOS. they offer a ton of taco options — pork, beef, seafood, vegetarian, chicken, and even duck! In addition to tacos, they also offer fried plantains, garlic yucca fries, quesadillas, and churros! The giant menu in the front of their space is very enticing.
I was really craving fish tacos and they have two on their regular menu and they also had two on their specials menu: spicy tilapia and mahi mahi. I ordered the two fish tacos on the specials menu and the fried cod taco (the menu says it’s their most popular taco). I also ordered the garlic yucca fries. I think my tacos took about 6 – 7 minutes and there had been maybe two parties ahead of me. My yucca fries took a little longer cuz they fried it when I ordered it. They call out your name when the order is ready so you have to stick around the taco bar. Thank goodness it’s right next to the bar.
The fish tacos were good. The ingredients were fresh. The spicy tilapia definitely had a spicy kick to it. But I kind of felt like some of the ingredients and flavors overpowered the fish, which should’ve been the stars. My plate of tres tacos came with tortilla chips and salsa. I rounded up cuz I thought the yucca fries were pretty tasty. Yummy garlicky flavor and the two sauces that it came with went well with the fries. The yucca wasn’t dried out at all — and it was fried perfectly. My friend ordered the housemade churros that came with a chocolate sauce. They fry these up when you order them and they tasted pretty good too! I love to eat tacos so I’ll come back to try out the beef and pork tacos. And maybe their quesadillas too.

Ahi tuna taco was dry and pretty meh.
Veggie quinoa taco was sloppy and pretty good.
(Definitely thought it would’ve been the other way around with the taco sitch.)
The horchata was served from an open plastic barrel with a ladle and like pretty much every horchata ever: Flawless.
Located at a counter-​service stand within San Pedro Square, the menu is mucho enticing and the foodies come out hella quick, but the end product doesn’t leave me wanting more. The girl at the counter was super friendly, especially for a person who’s probably cooped up in that tiny kiosk space all day.
I was a fan of their spicy salsa, which goes much bolder on the heat than any other casual, sorta-​meant-​for-​the-​masses resto I’ve ever been to. I liked that my taco meal came with tortilla chips, even if they were a tad on the stale side.
It seemed like there was no shortage of options as far as tacos and this area are concerned, so I’d likely shop around before heading back — though, to be fair, I only sampled a very small portion of their non-​mammal meat menu so maybe their beef, chicken, pork, and other tacos are where it’s at.