El Gordo Mexican Food
Big, colorful drive-thru taco shop on the corner of Convoy by the car dealerships, open from 6am on weekdays. A huge picture menu, handmade corn tortillas and a seven-salsa bar — go for the quesabirria, cabeza or carnitas, and skip the carne asada.
- Birria & tacos $7–19.99
- Parking: Medium: usually fine at breakfast and lunch; the drive-thru skips parking entirely, but the lane is tight and runs against traffic
- Details checked Oct 2026.
4768 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111
El Gordo Mexican Food is an inexpensive Mexican spot on Convoy Street in San Diego's Kearny Mesa. Regulars order the Quesabirria tacos with consomme for dipping and the Cabeza or carnitas taco on handmade corn tortillas. Parking is medium.
Parking
Medium- Fills up: Thu–Fri 11am–1pm · Easiest: weekdays 8–10pm
Corner lot shared with Sweet Vibe and Hidden Fish — usually fine at breakfast and lunch; the drive-thru skips parking entirely, but the lane is tight and runs against traffic.
Park once, walk to
- Hidden Fish Sushi · 1 min
- Sweet Vibe Boba · 1 min
- Midnight Skewer Chinese · 3 min
- Bobos Karaoke Karaoke · 4 min
- Carriage House Cocktails & Karaoke Karaoke · 4 min
- China Max Dumpling House Dumplings · 4 min
Fill times estimated from Google's Popular Times for the spots in this lot. Walk times are estimates.
Happy hour
$3 fish tacos and $3 beer (reported in 2026).
Every happy hour and lunch special on Convoy
Deals change often — confirm with El Gordo Mexican Food before you go.
Good to know before you go
Cost & paying
- A 3% surcharge on card payments has been reported
- Happy hour: $3 fish tacos and $3 beer (reported in 2026)
Waits & timing
- Everything is made to order, so drive-thru and call-ahead orders can run slow — check your bag before you leave
At the table
- Not affiliated with the Tacos El Gordo chain — the owner says so, and the tacos here are full-size, not TJ-style minis
- Drive-thru opens at 6am on weekdays, which makes it a breakfast-burrito stop on the way to work
- Salsa bar with about seven salsas plus pickled carrots and cucumbers — even the mild runs hot
- Reviews split hard: birria, cabeza and carnitas get the praise, while the carne asada and burritos draw complaints about bland meat and too much rice
- Roomy dining room and a dog-friendly patio; the restrooms get poor marks
Dessert or tea after El Gordo Mexican Food
- Sweet Vibe Get: Mango pomelo slush — real mango, the most-reviewed drink
- KOLI Bar Get: Strawberry Bear — strawberry kakigori with syrup on the side and ice cream inside
- 3CAT Handcrafted Beverage Get: Mochi Mango — the signature; order it less sweet
El Gordo Mexican Food vs other Convoy mexican
| Spot | Order | Price | Latest close | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Gordo Mexican Food | Quesabirria tacos with consomme for dipping | $ | 10pm | Medium |
| Lolita's Mexican Food | Carne asada fries | $ | 9pm | Easy |
| The Taco Stand | Al pastor tacos or the California burrito | $ | midnight | Brutal |
| Brother's 3 Mexican Food | Hash brown or chorizo breakfast burrito | $ | 8pm | Easy |
El Gordo Mexican Food: quick answers
What should I order at El Gordo Mexican Food?
Regulars order the Quesabirria tacos with consomme for dipping (combo $19.99), Cabeza or carnitas taco on handmade corn tortillas ($7, full-size), Birria quesadilla ($17.99).
Is parking easy at El Gordo Mexican Food?
Parking is rated Medium for this lot at peak times. Corner lot shared with Sweet Vibe and Hidden Fish — usually fine at breakfast and lunch; the drive-thru skips parking entirely, but the lane is tight and runs against traffic.
What should I know before going to El Gordo Mexican Food?
Not affiliated with the Tacos El Gordo chain — the owner says so, and the tacos here are full-size, not TJ-style minis. Drive-thru opens at 6am on weekdays, which makes it a breakfast-burrito stop on the way to work. Salsa bar with about seven salsas plus pickled carrots and cucumbers — even the mild runs hot.
Where can I get dessert or boba near El Gordo Mexican Food?
Sweet Vibe (boba, 1 min walk, open until 11pm (midnight Fri–Sat)); KOLI Bar (shaved ice, 4 min walk, open until 10pm); 3CAT Handcrafted Beverage (boba, 4 min walk, open until 10pm).
Does El Gordo Mexican Food have a happy hour?
Happy hour: $3 fish tacos and $3 beer (reported in 2026).
What payment does El Gordo Mexican Food take?
A 3% surcharge on card payments has been reported.
El Gordo Mexican Food hours
| Mon | 6am–10pm |
| Tue | 6am–10pm |
| Wed | 6am–10pm |
| Thu | 6am–10pm |
| Fri | 6am–10pm |
| Sat | 7am–10pm |
| Sun | 9am–10pm |
How to find it
Details checked October 2026. Wrong hours, closed, or changed? Report a problem