Sabor Mexican Grill Catering - Lemon Grove, California

Jay K.

Earlier this year, I discovered how much tortillas matter in a taco when I had a "Carnitas Taco" here at Sabor. I was taking my daughter to the nearby Chuck E. Cheese when I realized that I had never eaten a taco in the town of Lemon Grove before, and that this needed to be rectified. Yelp showed Sabor as the highest-rated taqueria in Lemon Grove, but the reviews were mixed among my Yelp friends. I decided to take a chance, and I'm glad I did.

The carnitas in their "Carnitas Taco" were alright. The pieces of pork somewhat resembled the appearance of chopped ham. The meat was flavorful enough and well-seasoned that I went with it, even if I was confused as to what part of the pig I was actually eating. The guacamole was decent and applied with restraint, thankfully. What made this taco special was its magnificent corn tortilla, obviously made on-premises using white masa, with a soft, thick texture and a taste of fresh corn.

Initially, the restaurant was tight-lipped when I probed them about their tortillas, but as I found myself returning for more tacos and other menu items, I got more information. What I can tell you is that Sabor procures their masa from a local supplier in El Cajon that nixtamalizes their own corn in-house, and they believe the key mistake common among tortilla-makers, even professionals, is not using enough water with their masa, resulting in many tortillas being too coarse and dry. And I would say they're right: more moisture results in a heavier, softer, smoother, and more palatable tortilla, as evidenced by the tortillas used with Sabor's tacos.

And, yes, let me be clear: you only get the good tortillas when you order TACOS here. Sabor uses bagged tortillas when served with their non-taco dishes. I suggest anyone who comes here to request their house-made tortillas instead. Better yet, have their fresh tortillas side-by-side with their bagged tortilla and you'll realize how profound of a difference a good corn tortilla makes over the mediocre bagged tortillas.

Sabor's other menu items have been a bit hit-or-miss, which is probably why their Yelp reviews are so mixed -- this is a place where you really need to know what to order. Thankfully, I plan on helping you with that.

The "Bistec Ranchero" is an excellent stew of steak in a spicy tomato sauce with thin strips of crisp onions. Definitely my favorite non-taco item here. The "Torta de Milanesa" is a filling sandwich, and was served on nice toasted bread, though some pieces of beef milanesa were a touch dry. I did not enjoy their "Carne Asada Taco" nearly as much as the Carnitas Taco due to the meat being bland and under-seasoned. Interestingly enough, their "Pollo Asado Plate" is fantastic. I shared it with my daughter, and this was some of the better renditions of pollo asado we've had in San Diego that did not come off my own grill -- the marinade, seasoning, and spices are excellent, and even though the browning is intense, the meat was juicy. Order this instead of the carne asada.

In summary, come to Sabor to experience well-made corn tortillas. Like me, keep coming back for the diversity of their value-oriented menu, of which I plan to continue to work through and appreciate over subsequent visits.

Karen S.

They're still so excellent. But I recently discovered their TAMALES (I've tried chicken, pork, beef), all of which I highly recommend with their creamy house jalapeño salsa.

I could eat this every day.
I would be really fat, but it'd be worth it.

Jennifer N.

Hands down my vote for BEST CALIFORNIA BURRITO in the whole county!! Meat is flavored, cheese melts, and a huge portion! Plus they have the jalapeno green sauce that I dream about when I'm somewhere else... I don't work far so I come at least once a week for lunch.

Sabrina M.

Walked up to there taco stand hoping to try a nice place for tacos and nope just with the bad customer service no thank you from the cooks to the cashier . !

One D. O.

This has been a taco shop for the 35 year I've lived here and this is by far the best one. I haven't found the thing they do better than everyone else. But everything I've had is verry good.

Jerrydine M.

My favorite go to place on Tuesdays or Wednesdays for them yummy mini tacos ☺

Yesenia E.

Awesome service!!! We tried the mini tacos (which were 99 cents on Tuesdays & Wednesdays) they were Amazing! The tortillas are handmade and soft. The flavor of the tacos were just like Mexican street tacos! The service was quick and the staff were super friendly! Definitely recommend the Al Pastor mini tacos! Shout out to Ivan and Miriam for the excellent service!

Robert R.

12/2021: We came here again and we were pleasantly surprised. The inside has been remodeled and now they have tv screens for menus. The food was really good. We'll be back more often!

Sometime in 2017:
This was our go-to Mexican place especially for Taco Tuesday. Unfortunately another place opened up that charges $1 for their tacos every single day. The thing I miss about this place is the friendliness of the owner, and the serve yourself salsas. There is no drive through here though. We do still come here from time to time, to mix it up, but not very often.