Tacos El Franc – National City (Plaza Bonita)

Reviews

• MR

  Marissa Robles

  6 days ago
  1.0
  I've been coming to Tacos El Franc for quite some time now, and it's always been one of my go-to spots. l've recommended it to friends and family and genuinely enjoyed the atmosphere and food in the past. l've noticed quite a few new faces working here recently, and while I understand that staffing changes happen, today's experience completely changed my perspective. From the moment we were greeted, the service felt off. Our waitress had one of the worst attitudes l've ever experienced while dining out. It honestly felt like we were inconveniencing her just by being there. Every time we politely asked for something whether it was a missing item, a refill, or clarification on part of the order, she responded with visible irritation. facial expressions, and a tone that suggested we were asking for something unreasonable made the entire experience uncomfortable. As customers, we don't expect perfection. We understand that restaurants get busy (mind you it was not busy at all) and that working in food service can be stressful. But basic courtesy and professionalism should always be a given. No guest should feel like they're being blamed or judged for simply requesting what they ordered or paid for. It's disappointing because this isn't the experience l've had here before. That's what makes it worse. When you're a loyal customer and consistently support a business, you expect a certain standard.Today's visit felt like that standard was completely gone. Management seriously needs to reevaluate the hiring process and ensure staff are trained not just in taking orders, but in customer service and attitude. A single bad experience like this can outweigh many good ones, and unfortunately, this one was enough for me. After today, you've lost my business. I truly hope changes are made, because this place used to be somewhere I enjoyed coming to.
• DS

  Dalila S

  Feb 22, 2026
  3.0
  I was very disappointed to find there was no carne asada, guacamole, or horchata available, which significantly impacted our experience. More concerning was the lack of communication or any effort from management to address the issue. When staple items are unavailable, there should at least be transparency and some form of accommodation. Offering a discount for incomplete menu items would be reasonable; otherwise, it may be better to pause service rather than serve a product that does not meet your usual standard. The two tacos we received were extremely small — essentially the size of one regular taco — with only a few small pieces of meat, which felt misleading and not reflective of the price. As a returning customer, I noticed a clear difference in portion size and overall value. Consistency matters, especially for guests who return expecting the same quality. I also felt for the servers, whose tips are impacted when customers leave disappointed. In fact, we ended up going to another taco restaurant because we did not feel we received fair value. As a Michelin-starred establishment, expectations are understandably high. That recognition carries responsibility for consistency, transparency, and customer satisfaction. I hope this feedback is received constructively and helps improve the experience for future guests.
• JN

  Jaime Nyugen

  Feb 16, 2026
  1.0
  I visited Tacos El Frank on a Sunday afternoon with my family. Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing. Our waitress was extremely unfriendly from the start. We were missing a few items from our order, and when I brought it up, she insisted she had already put them in and questioned whether I had eaten them. That felt very unprofessional and honestly upsetting. On top of that, I was bummed to find out my favorite server, Arlet, no longer works here. She was one of the main reasons my family and I kept coming back, especially since the food quality hasn't been the same as when this place first opened. We come here about once a week, so it's disappointing to see the decline in both service and food. I really hope management takes this feedback seriously because we used to truly enjoy coming here.
• AM

  Andrea Martino

  Feb 16, 2026
  3.0
  If you’re a tj taco lover, this place might piss you off lol. Tacos are smaller than your average, overpriced (for what you get), and sadly not great. My taco de asada barely had any meat!! Felt criminal to pay $5 for that. I took one bite where the meat was visible and then was left with a tortilla con aguacate, cebolla and a sliver of salsa (oh and a handful of dry beans they throw in there just to make it feel like the tj version but they kept rolling out of the taco). Ugh. Their salsas are super mid too, btw. My suadero taco was dry and flavorless. The tortillas they used for these were tiny and mine were a bit hard and chewy. Like they had been sitting out for a while. The adobada taco was the only one with a decent amount of meat but it tasted like chipotle? It wasn’t bad but just kinda weird. They also use the regular, unseasoned aguacate on the adobada which totally mutes down any of the adobada flavor. The cherry on top? They charge the same as a taco for the usually complimentary grilled onions/chile. 😂 Idk why a lot of people hate on tacos del Gordo. I have a new appreciation for their focus on tacos bien servidos, and less on the venue/ tj taco culture mimics (costs that usually end up falling on the consumer at the end of the day).
• AL

  Adrian Lopez

  Feb 15, 2026
  1.0
  Pedí tacos por Uber Eats y debo confesar que, al abrir el paquete, pensé que había ocurrido un error logístico. No fue así. Eran tacos… solo que en versión minimalista extrema, casi conceptual. El tamaño es tan reducido que uno se pregunta si la intención es degustación simbólica o si el taco fue diseñado para evocar la idea platónica del taco, no su existencia material. Harina o maíz, da lo mismo: no hay diferencia perceptible, salvo quizá en la textura de la decepción. Pedí taco con todo. Lo que llegó fue un experimento filosófico sobre la ausencia: sin salsa, sin aguacate y sin limones. Una propuesta audaz que invita al comensal a reflexionar sobre qué significa realmente “todo” en esta taquería. El precio —más de 5 dólares por unidad— añade un giro irónico admirable: pagar tarifa premium por una experiencia donde el sabor nunca aparece en escena. No es que sea malo; es que no existe, como un actor anunciado que jamás entra al escenario. El resultado final es una experiencia gastronómica coherente consigo misma: pequeña, cara, desprovista de carácter y sorprendentemente segura de que eso basta. Estoy decepcionado, sí, pero también agradecido: no todos los días una taquería deja tan claro que jamás aspirará a estar entre las mejores de San Diego. Conclusión: El Franc ofrece tacos que no ofenden… porque no alcanzan a hacerlo. Y yo, por mi parte, nunca volveré a comer aquí. Ni por error. Ni por nostalgia. Ni por ironía. Pedí tacos por Uber Eats y debo confesar que, al abrir el paquete, pensé que había ocurrido un error logístico. No fue así. Eran tacos… solo que en versión minimalista extrema, casi conceptual. El tamaño es tan reducido que uno se pregunta si la intención es degustación simbólica o si el taco fue diseñado para evocar la idea platónica del taco, no su existencia material. Harina o maíz, da lo mismo: no hay diferencia perceptible, salvo quizá en la textura de la decepción.