9 Best Taco Stops in Ensenada Near Downtown and Cruiseport

Feb 16

What is the best fish taco in Ensenada near the cruise port?

Bullos on La Primera has super crispy tacos, outdoor seating, beer, and margarita combos.

Not a food cart, so I enjoy the chance to sit down in nice environment in a walking tourist district.

How to get there, walk or take shuttle to La Primera. It is next to my buddy Dean’s Massage place (the #2 in town after my team). Av. Adolfo López Mateos 725

The have great yelp reviews.

Best Tacos and Food Near Cruiseport

updated September 2024

I live and eat in Ensenada full-time and love to steer travelers to off my favorite hidden spots.

A great travel experience should include great food, and by food, I mean tacos! Ensenada has some superb treats of street tacos and sit-down dining experiences They are a bit hard to find, so massage clients and cruise shore excursion tour groups often ask for my local ex-pat recommendations. Living here for 14 years, I have had a chance to eat soo many delicious treats.

1) Carnitas Riveroll for Pork

Yes, carnitas are pork and when I want carnitas, this is my choice. Just two blocks from cruiseport and near the Rivierea Cultural Center, this street stand is delicious and fresh. There is no great seating, but horchata and jamaica.

Not fancy, but soooo good!

How to get there: Walk out of port to main street, costero blvd. turn right. At the clock tower of Riviera, turn left, walk a block and it is on the left.

22880, Av. Floresta 95, Bahia Ensenada, Ensenada, B.C., Mexico

2) Taqueria La México for Beef

I love this place for a couple of reasons. They have everything fresh and clean well-run place. Ample seating, and open air.

Fortunately, it is near our Spa and old apartment before I moved to Playa Hermosa, so was easy for me to sample the entire menu.

On the days I eat meat, my standard order is two asada, two adobada, a cup of frijoles, cebollines and horchata.

And free refills on horchata or jamaica! It’s on Ruiz and 16th corner. Many groups stop here for tacos between excursion tour and massage.

2) Best Authentic Mexican: Portero Viejo

For travelers wanting Mexican food, this is a great option, just off La Primera in trending Villa Mexican. It is tucked away so not so much traffic and the decor and menu still cater to locals. The prices are great.

I wouldn’t expect a polished tourist experience, but the food and atmosphere are a nice change. Gorditas, birria, many classic Mexican dishes are made with care.

Villa Mexicana is a cool little center of shops and trendy restaurants much more in touch with local life than La Primera Shopping. And it is just a block away from La Primera, so if you have already walked and had drinks on first street, I suggest wandering on over.

Villa Mexicana is just a block from La Primera (It’s between Primera and Segunda) , this is nice quite break from the tourist strip that is La Primera.

Check out great lunch spot with buffet style dishes, and fresh juices. Nice, clean local area experience without the tourist polish and glamor, nor pricing:)

Honorable mention: Hacienda Guadalajara on Ruiz, This place has a cool atmosphere and is known for it’s Birria. There a couple locations and this one is near the spa, at the end of La Primera, so easy to walk back or get a shuttle.

3) Vegetarian Taco Seta Rosa near Cruiseport:

Mojik Vegan has closed sadly, so now Seta Rosa is my pick for vegetarian taco downtown. A quaint place with outdoor seating. Walk between Riviera and CEArte two blocks to Hotel Sa Nicolas, take a right, and it’s on the left.

Vegan Tacos and Vegetarian Tacos in Ensenada Near Cruiseport

Best Vegetarian: Falafel Comida Israeli

Killer fresh, simple, healthy, lovely flavors. Outdoor seating and low prices. On Costero Walkable for cruisers and it’s on my way home from Playa Hermosa, so it’s my go-to post-beach/swim/surf spot.

Next door is a cool local artist and some other local shops, including the money exchange place closest to the boat. I will post more vegetarian/ vegan options soon.

If you are walking from the ship, go to the first main road (costero blvd), and take a left. It is in ugly orange commercial center on the left about two blocks up.

4) Margaritas after Tacos at Bar Andaluz in La Riviera:

Tacos are better digested with a margarita chaser. I field-tested it;)

Of course you can find margaritas in every bar on La Primera, but the atmosphere here makes the experience way better. The other unique margarita experience is in Houssongs Cantina, next to Papas and beer, which is cool in a kind of old west saloon peanuts on the floor way and mariachis playing with weird old animal heads on the wall.

The clean, gardens and grounds of Riveria make this place memorable, fireplace in the corner, and Mexican tile work make a drink and wandering conversation a pleasant experience. And you can get your selfie at the birthplace of the margarita - do I believe it? I like this place with old-school Mexican drinks and a fireplace for the atmosphere.

Tucked inside the La Riviera, it is very close to the cruise port, so easy to start/end a walking journey here. The public gardens are nicely maintained, and there is a small museum in the Rivera cultural center. So drink one, take a walk, drink another?

5) Muelle 3 on Harbor

Ensenada is known for the freshness of the seafood. For sit-down seafood, I gotta go with Mulle 3 for its high quality and prime location on the waterfront. The walk to arrive is nice, sunset on a warm day, and a new art installation there where the small fishing boats depart. There is often a wait, but there is plenty to see and people-watching is great. Other places for Seafood, Bahia Mariscos, La Guerrense, and Takos Mako, and corner street stands.

6) Churros after Tacos: La Primera and Malecon

As I mentioned in my quirky cheap things here, Fresh churros are better - much better - than fresh Krispy Kreme. Get your sugar rush on! Try them stuffed with cajeta - caramel.

I love two places. On La Primera, one block up from El Rey Sol on the same side of street is Churros Rellenos. Seems to only be open on weekends and late afternoons.

Near the Parque Bandera, exit the large flag pole area heading toward town, and on the right is a long line of vendors. I like the guy there as well.

Be sure to ask for them fresh!

7) Vegan Tacos Nopal and Juices

2nd Best Meat Tacos: El Paisa

on 10th and 20 de Noviembre is my local taco hang out and off la Primera, but worth it. I think the thick corn tortillas are the secret to the deliciousness. Always full. Tuesday’s closed. Handy ice cream joint next door for when you want local sweet. When I relax my healthy plant-based food habit, I stop here for a meat bing. I think the secret is the corn tortillas, hand-made.

Also, check out the speed of the taco assembly operation. The carne asada guy is amazing with speed and assembly of tacos. The ladies in the back assemble other elements like onions, radishes, and tortas. Tacos are about $1 each!

8) Best Crispy Fish Tacos

With a cool atmosphere of fun people and sidewalk seating available. Bullo’s Place California Bar Fish B Taco on Primera easy option. It’s got a tourist flair, but it’s well done, great service and clean as a whistle.

Prices are slightly more than El Paisa since it is in La Primera Shopping district. But, with the location, there is no need to wander far. Several beers and taco packages daily to reduce your decision fatigue.

9) Lunch under Magnolia Trees: Huitlacoche Vegan Taco

Enjoy a walk in the park and outdoor dining at Boules with cool ceramic plates made by local artists, an interesting mix of binational people. They have great food and I love the vegetarian options and huitlacoche vegetarian tacos.

The atmosphere is a huge wooden deck with magnolia trees and vines all around. It is located 5 blocks off La Primera, so cruisers don’t stumble in by mistake. This is my favorite place to relax and feel the lively conversation of happy binational people dining.

Pleasant music, a variety of interesting international and vegetarian foods like artichoke heart appetizers. The huitlacoche tacos are totally unique and if you have never had moldy corn treat, it is disgusting and tasty at the same time. Try it.

Tues - Sat 2 pm and after, usually. It is a 6 block walk from La Primera, 4 blocks to La Paisa Meat Tacos listed above.

It is also dog-friendly, and with outdoor sitting, cigar smoking is welcome. It is locally owned by Javi, who is often there to greet folks. The entrance is a door through a wall on 5th, or through the wine store that is adjacent to it. If you want a bottle of local wine, as a souvenir, they have a good selection.

Bonus: Best Ensenada Tacos Castillo and La Guerrerense

I love La Guerrerense, and it is priced for travelers at about 2x local prices, but the quality and diversity of flavors make it worth it. Anthony Bourdain’s visit made it famous, RIP AB. Tacos Fenix never impressed me that much so I am putting Tacos Castillo on my list. They have a new stand and are super hygienic. Fight me!

Bonus food item: Smoked Tuna or Marlin at Mercado Negro

The Mercado Negro fresh fish market along the harbor has tasty smoked tuna and smoked marlin at about 250mn or 13$ a kilo. I love it because the price is budget-friendly and the flavor is awesome! And since it is already cooked and smoked, it doesn’t go bad in the fridge and travels well in a couple of plastic bags. You will have stinky breath, of course.

I mentioned this on my self-waking tour of from the Cruiseport.

Other fresh seafood is fun to look at and has great prices. I sometimes love some white wine garlic sauteed mussels. If you buy, I suggest you cook it the same day since freshness standards vary by the day and vendor. There are a bunch of fish taco places there just above the market. They are all clean and won’t cause stomach issues.

Of the cruise ship, just turn left at the footbridge and walk along the harbor to the end. It’s on the right. A free self guided tour!

Best Fish Taco in Ensenada on Open Flame

Yiyo’s taco cart food stand has awesome fish tacos. It’s a cool place on Beachfront Playa Hermosa, so you can sit in front of the beach and chow down, and take a stroll before or after. Each day he sets up a taco marisco stand. But the fish is not deep-fried, it is on a steel grill with an open flame. Fish is tender and ceviches are fresh. Awesomely, the firewood is plywood cut-outs of guitars, probably harvested from the local Fender factory. It’s a well-run food stand, so very clean, and several employees there. He is a cool guy, almost always there, and has been there since I started visiting 8 years ago, and he keeps the local parking lot semi-clean for local surfers.

The shrimp cocktails are great too, but not unique like his open flame fish taco.

Sadly, Yiyo relocated to his home for covid and hasn’t returned to Playa Hermosa yet post Covid.

Best Tacos At Bufadora Flea Market:

Lidia’s Taco are delicious, clean, and pretty fast. The place is almost alway busy when there is a ship in port. Also, Lidia opened a downtown place in the summer of 2023. The decor looks pretty dead still as of November, but could be same great taco. Give it year to shape up.

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