Sombrero Mexican Food

My girlfriend and I have been eating at Sombreros for years. We’re regular customers at this Main Street, El Cajon location (bimonthly), but have also numerous times ate at the Graves, El Cajon, and Lakeside locations.
It’s just a generic Taco Shop that happens to have a handful of locations. The food is good, the service is good and friendly, the prices are ok. We especially LOVE the salsa.

Must manage your expectations. This is a gut bomb mexi-​restaurant where you can stuff yourself for less than $ 10…
Cali Taco is pretty good, essential to pass on the massive plop of sour cream though.
Bean and cheese burrito for $ 3.79 is huge, tasty tortilla.
Great hot carrots bin, but you will blast your pants off in a couple hours if you eat too many pickled Jalapenos.
Perfect place to stop after a weekend of desert camping.

Came to buy dinner for the family, the dude finishing the food did not have gloves on. Major issue is was playing with his nose while cooking very nasty. I told cashier who did not care another employee came and had food cooked by another employee. Still very nasty, and lack of care from staff.

I drive up to the drive thru menu and sit there for 3 minutes and no one answers. I figured the machine is broken so I drive to the window to see 3 girls behind the register laughing and talking. I honk since the window is closed and when they notice me I politely say that I was waiting at the machine but no one responded. They all look at each other and start laughing. I put my order in for two carne asada burritos (15 dollars btw) and get home to see that both burritos are pretty much just a little bit of meat wrapped in a tortilla with possibly a teaspoon (if that) of guac. Awful. Owners take notice.

The food here was awful. I ordered for little toggle how to pay extra for guacamole and all they did was put one little scoop. And On the carne asada torta there wasn’t any guacamole on it when I specifically asked if it came with it and the girl told me yes. Don’t cheat yourself go somewhere else and treat yourself.

Crappy service! Went inside for ½ order of supreme carne asada fries, waited 15 minutes until one of the THREE people behind the registers FINALLY bagged the togo contain I saw her look into minutes prior… which had been sitting there for 3 – 4 minutes before that! She called my number and when I ask why was it just sitting there for so long she said she didn’t see the ticket under it, then showed me a greasy ticket. I checked inside and it looked like less than a half order. I sighed and said fine, whatever. She half-​heartedly said Sorry.
3 employees walked past my food for 5 minutes while they gave everyone else their food. And the cooks said nothing to them about food just sitting there. DO NOT EAT HERE! BAD SERVICE, POOR FOOD MAKING, AND THE EMPLOYEES OBVIOUSLY DON’T CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS OR THEIR JOB!!!

I’m done with these guys. Third straight time they’ve botched my order in drive-​thru. I rolled in about 10 p.m. and specifically asked if they were still serving breakfast items. They said yes, so I ordered a steak and egg burrito. When I get home (10 minutes later), I have a bean and cheese, and not even the healthy version with whole beans. The last visit, they handed me a bean tostada instead of a fish taco plate and carne asada fries. Had to drive all the way back from my home to resolve the issue. Always seems to be a problem at this place. I also go to the location off Chase and Jamacha and never have a bad experience. Good riddance!

I wish I had a better local taco shop. The food is mediocre at best and prices are at top tier for type of food.
Love the hot sauce though, I could drink it, yummy!

I drive from la Mesa to come here regularly. Today I pulled up to the drive up order screen, and the young woman asked me to wait. (no big even though there was only one car at the pick up window) I waited for a long couple minutes. I placed my order. A carne burrito only cheese. I pulled up and they were all just talking inside. Waited another minute or so (no big) and gave her my card and took my order home. 10 minutes drive.
I get home and see they messed up my order. I decided to go back to get my correct burrito. This is where they really failed. I walked in and told the other young woman about the order and my drive. Her response was why didn’t you go to one closer. Ugh I see how this is going to go. She told me to wait for the cashier who helped me. That woman told me that is what I ordered. I went back and forth with her than told her I didn’t want to argue, just wanted my burrito. She went to the register and talked in Spanish to the male employee about refunding me. I figured I’d get my money back for the hassle. Nope refunded me for the cheese she over charged. She then handed me my new burrito.
The thing that pisses me off the most. Not one damn person said sorry for the inconvenience. Damn happy I got my $.77 for the cheese she over charged me for. Learn to at least apologize it can go a long way.

Well the good did not last long here! Back to medicore food and small portions. Came in today because of Sombrero Clubs email that I got that said free churros all day on Halloween. Came in with wife and kids and ordered $ 28 of food and they gave us ONE mini 3 inch churro for the 4 of us to split, so here’s you 1 star! And worst part my carnitas burrito was barely 2.5 inches wide and 1 inch thick, more like a rolled taco for $ 6. Step up your game Sombrero’s!!!

It’s time me we part ways, Somberos. Once again my order is incorrect and I’m hungry, annoyed, and frustrated. I waited 15 minutes in the drive thru and I’m not going to wait another 15 minutes for you to correctly make my order… I’m sure that it would actually take more like 30 minutes given the horrendous drive thru times you’ve had the past couple of months.
I asked for NO guac on my rolled tacos and instead sour cream. Nope, guac on them. So after I finish my break up letter to you I will scrape as much guac off as I can and eat my sad looking rolled tacos. Plus, no lettuce? Wtf? Do I need to ask for that too?
It’s been fun but your service sucks and I hope the owners read this and improve. Until then I will go one of the other hundred taco shops in El Cajon.

Ridiculous last 3 times we come in wait forever today wait 25 minutes it 2 people not a party get my order and it not even right then my husband’s food is just thrown together we won’t be coming back

I will say one thing… I come here STRICTLY out of convenience. Being that I work driving the city buses and the transit center is right now the street and work is nearby and they are 24 hours this place has been convenient for me quite a few times.
However, it shouldn’t cost $ 9.50 for a Cali burrito and a small drink, that’s ridiculous in my opinion. So yeah, it’s a convenience factor. The food? I’ve had a couple occasions when my burrito sucked. It’s a hit or miss so I guess it depends who’s in the kitchen when you go. Drive thru wait time and wait time inside is always kind of long so don’t come here if you need something really fast.

The food tastes good, but not great Mexican food by any stretch. It especially tastes good late at night when everything else is closed and you are very hungry.
The main problem is the amount of food for the money. When all the other taco shops are charging 5 bucks for a burrito the size of your leg, Sombrero’s is charging 7 bucks for a burrito smaller than one I can get off the dollar menu at Taco Bell.
I’ve given them several chances, even contacting the phone number they post, but last night was the last time I eat at Sombrero’s

Today I had the special burrito it comes with shredded beef seasoned to perfection rice beans lettuce top with enchilada sauce and I got a side of sour cream roughly eight dollars it’s one of the best burritos I’ve ever eaten such a good flavor services reasonably quick

Lately I have been craving carne asada, beef tacos, carnitas. It’s like there is going to be a Mexican food shortage and I am eating it before it runs out. So continuing my Mexican food kick. I come to Sombreros on West Main Street. Open 24 hours and having a drive thru. There hasn’t been a time I have gone to the drive thru and they haven’t been pleasant or greeted me with a smile.
The first thing that comes to mind about the food at Sombrero’s is fresh. The hot carrots are cold and crisp. By the way, they are free. Just ask and they throw the hot carrots in your bag at no charge with their tasty hot sauce. The hot sauce not being overpowering but having a lingering heat. They should bottle that stuff.
This go around I ordered one calamari taco and one carnitas burrito. The calamari taco is like a fish taco on steroids and ten times tastier. Love the crispy and chewy calamari that they use. Just delicious. The carnitas burrito is good sized. I could only finish half but have another half for later. Lucky me.
One of the better taco shops in the San Diego. If you have a late night craving for tacos, etc. this is the spot. Again they are open 24 hours a day. Not sure if it’s everyday. Probably closed on holidays. Everyone needs a break sometime. Eat here. If not, more burritos and tacos for me before the Mexican food shortage.

I have mixed feelings about this place. The service is always good, sometimes a bit slow. Just be prepared for a line. My usual order is the calamari tacos. Delicious fresh calamari strips with cabbage and pico in a tortilla. I love these. The flavor is great and it goes great with their red salsa. I wish they’d put 2 tortillas instead of one because it does tend to fall apart after the first bite. I’ve ordered the carne asada nachos before and I was really disappointed with those. There was no flavor to them. Some jalapeños or some pico or diced red onion would really bring some fresh flavor to the chips. I’ll keep coming back, but only for those calamari tacos.

They have pretty good food but I feel like going into a food coma every time I eat here. It is very filling. Save time and walk in for your food to go. the drive thru during lunch can get long.

One thing I noticed about any franchised Mexican taco shop is depending on the location, it will tell you how good it is. Sombrero is a perfect example, I’ve had a good amount of different items on their menu, and it’s always been the same taste. It’s never been so good like «DAM! that was so good, makes me wanna slap my mama!» One thing I like the most is the carne asada fries. I usually order the half size, and I can finish that all by myself. It’s probably what I order the most.

Never in my life have I had to microwave a burrito when I got home… a mile away! Thing was frozen! Very disappointing. I’m still sad. You could tell they didn’t even attempt to warm up the tortilla. I eat here a lot, but lately they’ve been fairly inconsistent. This experience was for sure one of the worst burritos I’ve had. I knew I shoulda drove to La Posta!
Also, to the customer standing at the salsa bar who was using his hands to grab carrots and dip em in hot sauce… I hope you run out of gas tomorrow.