Restaurant · Imperial Beach, CA · reviewed since 2021
iHow the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 64%56+35.6Reliability 28%37+10.4Replies to reviews 8%72+5.9Momentum penalty60−4Experts Score= 48Not enough data for value; its weight is shared by the others.Grade C: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews.48SCORE
CGradeiLetter from the Experts Score: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39, F = under 20.
#35 of 42 food trucksiPosition by Experts Score among all companies we track in this category. · better than 17%
4.6★★★★★221 Google reviews · 24 photos
82%five-star reviews
4.36★last 12 monthsiAverage stars on reviews from the last 12 months only.
13.6%1–2★ in 2 yearsiShare of 1–2★ reviews in the last 24 months — or the 20 newest reviews when the company had fewer than 20 in that time.
Google reviewers rate Birriería La Lotería 4.6 out of 5 based on 221 reviews, with the owner responding to 54% of them. Customers frequently praise the fresh, flavorful birria dishes, affordable pricing, and convenient location near the freeway. However, recurring complaints highlight slow service, incorrect takeout orders, and staff disputes regarding billing for mistakes, alongside isolated reports of hygiene issues.
Google rating: 4.6 out of 5 from 221 reviews (82% five-star).
Reviews on this page: 221 Google reviews (143 with written comments, 26 with photos).
Owner responses: the business replied to 54% of reviews.
Most recent review: October 17, 2026.
Service: Food Truck serving Imperial Beach, California.
Data from Google, last updated October 28, 2026.
Score profile vs other food trucks
Score per factor (100 = best)iEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (star average, share of 1–2★ reviews, price verdicts…); standing within the category can only raise it, never lower it.. Strongest: replies to reviews and momentum; weakest: reliability.
Birriería La LoteríaFood Trucks median0 = centre, 100 = best
SatisfactioniSatisfaction · 54% of the scoreRecency-weighted star average (2-year half-life), shrunk toward the category mean by review volume; the company’s own lifetime average as the prior; absolute: 4.0★ = 0, 5★ = 100.Birriería La Lotería: 56/100 on this factor. Category median: 76.C
56
ReliabilityiReliability · 24% of the scoreHow rarely jobs go badly: share of 1–2★ reviews — 60% the last 24 months (or the 20 newest if fewer), 40% all-time; 0% = 100, 15%+ = 0; the category percentile can only raise it.Birriería La Lotería: 37/100 on this factor. Category median: 73.D
37
Craft & serviceiCraft & service · penalty only, up to −10 pointsGoogle review highlights: Quality, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Punctuality — how rarely reviewers flag them as a negative, per review since highlights began; 0% = 100, 5%+ = 0. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in — clean highlights are the norm, not a bonus.Not enough reviews for this factor yet. Category median: 100.–
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ValueiValue · 14% of the scoreCustomers’ own price verdicts (Great / Reasonable vs Overpriced) and Value highlights; 65% absolute (all “reasonable” ≈ 80, “great” = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.Not enough reviews for this factor yet. Category median: 83.–
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MomentumiMomentum · penalty only, up to −10 pointsPenalises only a real slide: last-12-month average below lifetime (−0.5★ = 0). Still 4.8★+ over the last year, or steady/improving = 100. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in.Birriería La Lotería: 60/100 on this factor. Category median: 100.B
60
Replies to reviewsiReplies to reviews · 7% of the scoreHow often the owner publicly replies to reviews under 5★ (1–4★). Needs 3+ such reviews, otherwise not counted; 65% absolute (80%+ replied = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.Birriería La Lotería: 72/100 on this factor. Category median: 35.B
72
Bar = this company · dark tick = category median.
Star ratings
221 Google reviews we collected
4.6of 5
5 stars18182%
4 stars2110%
3 stars63%
2 stars21%
1 star115%
Praise vs complaints
Phrases our text analysis found in 143 written reviews
88%praise
Praise7788%
Complaints1113%
Topic share
How often each topic comes up in the written reviews
6topics
Staff & attitude3338%
Would recommend1820%
Price & value1719%
Quality & results1011%
Speed & response67%
Honesty & trust45%
What customers talk about
We read 143 written reviews and marked every phrase about these topics. The same colors are highlighted in the reviews.
“Absolutely incredible food—the kind of meal you finish and immediately want to tell everyone about!”
“…evious incident alone was sufficient but I also thought it incredibly rude and unprofessional that we were quoted a 45 min wait, which we were ok with…”
“Highly recommend the grilled cheese and the tacos dorados.”
“The food was affordable as well and the freeway was right down the street, so it was easy to get to.”
“But No meat NOT FAIR .”
“Top notch Birria dishes and my Favorite food truck in the city.”
“Hands down, the worst food I’ve had in a long time.”
“Two of us had birria before, and this was some of the best birria we’ve had, and the other two were sold on it quick.”
“Genuinely so sad bc the tacos were good but yeah service ruined it for me.”
People customers mention
Birria10 reviews
Diego8 reviews
Mexican4 reviews
praise complaint · found by our text analysis, Google review wording unchanged.
Recent reviews
SSusan4 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · a month ago★★★★★
Absolutely incredible food—the kind of meal you finish and immediately want to tell everyone about! I had the grilled cheese, while my husband tried the quesadilla, and both were amazing. The birria was easily the best I’ve ever had, packed with unforgettable flavor.
CCindyLocal Guide · 17 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · a month ago★★★★★
The birria torta is delicious, the bread is nice and crispy and the birria sauce is tasty. Good size portion.
NNikiLocal Guide · 36 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · a month ago★★★★★
Food is great. Fresh, hot, even though we got there 30 minutes before closing. The food was affordable as well and the freeway was right down the street, so it was easy to get to.
VVero2 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · a month ago★★★★★
Recomendados👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻😋🔥🌮 🌮🌮mejor que los 664😅🤭☺️👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻y los nachos con birria uff🔥😋muy amables
Hasta las cebollitas😋
BBlueADAScalibrations2 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · a month ago★
Foos is ok. Some people are rude. And be aware the do not open at 9am. They open when ever they want!!!!!!!! Not professional at all!!!
AAna3 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 7 months ago★
Terrible customer service. The second time they forget the broth, and they said it was our fault. Called and said you can come pick it up like if my food would not get cold. What a horrible experience.
Absolutely incredible food—the kind of meal you finish and immediately want to tell everyone about! I had the grilled cheese, while my husband tried the quesadilla, and both were amazing. The birria was easily the best I’ve ever had, packed with unforgettable flavor.
Order type: Dine in
C
Cindy AlbarezLocal Guide · 17 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Cindy has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Food is great. Fresh, hot, even though we got there 30 minutes before closing. The food was affordable as well and the freeway was right down the street, so it was easy to get to.
C
Cristina Fonseca6 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Cristina has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Food was good, service not so much. They WILL charge you full price of they make a mistake.
I ordered one thing, got another one. Instead of admittimg their mistake, cashier was set on that it was me who ordered the wrong thing even though what i ordered and received have completely different names. I reordered, so that i could get my order right, i was willing to pay the difference, they refused, said i had to pay the whole thing even though it was their mistake.
Genuinely so sad bc the tacos were good but yeah service ruined it for me.
Edit
I just wanted to reply bc I feel like maybe you misunderstood my original review . First I want to thank you for taking the time to reply to my review.
I’d like to clarify that I never said you refused me service. What I said was that you refused to let me pay only the price difference to correct what I believe was a mistake. Instead, I was told I had to pay full price for a second order, even though I received an item I did not order, which from my perspective felt unfair bc not only did I not receive what I wanted, I also had to pay for it on top of what I DID want.
I understand you mentioned the order was confirmed before payment. However, your cashier confirmed twice, the first time she confirmed it was wrong on the amount and the second time she confirmed the amount, which was correct. I ordered 2 tacos and one quesabirria, was given a quest taco. Your cashier never asked if I wanted flour or corn tortilla and I never thought I had to clarify because on the menu the quesabirria is listed as having a flour tortilla so when she repeated the order everything seemed fine. However when I received my order I was given what is under your menu as a quesataco, a corn tortilla taco. I was willing to reorder because dude i genuinely just wanted a quesabirria. I wasn't asking for free food, I was more than willing to pay the difference to receive what I originally wanted, I also offered to give back the quesataco because i genuinely didn’t want that. what I was not willing to do however was pay for something I did not order and then 16 dollars more to fix this mistake.
I didn’t mention this in the original review bc i felt that mentioning the previous incident alone was sufficient but I also thought it incredibly rude and unprofessional that we were quoted a 45 min wait, which we were ok with bc we weren’t in a rush but when we came back 30 min after we ordered we were told that our food was probably soggy because it has been out for 15 minutes. I understand that these things can be a little unpredictable, but a 30 minute difference from quoted time to time of delivery is just inconsiderate to your costumers.
As I said in my original review, I actually enjoyed the food. My review was never at all about the quality of the tacos, it was about the service and how the situation was handled. Not only were we handed soggy tacos but it was also not the right order and when we tried to fix it we were repeatedly blamed for the mistake by your cashier, she was very adamant that we had ordered the wrong thing.
The review is not about the food it’s about the service, and genuinely I still stand by it.
Even if it had been sitting out, the food was good, which is why this experience was so disappointing. Better customer service and a willingness to work with customers when mistakes happen would have made all the difference.
Response from the owner · 3 months ago
Hi, I’m sorry you feel this way but glad you thought our food was good! As for the issue at hand your order was confirmed twice before payment, here would be the time to correct any errors that were made when ordering but considering you did make a confirmation twice before payment we prepaid the food that was ordered. By the time your order had came out we were closed for the day but we did offer to let you add to your order as it had already came out. At first you said yes but later denied while the additional food was already being made. I’m not sure where the refusal of service was. Again thank you for your purchase!
R
Ricardo Martín Del Campo11 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Ricardo has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Terrible customer service. The second time they forget the broth, and they said it was our fault. Called and said you can come pick it up like if my food would not get cold. What a horrible experience.
Order type: Take out
Price per person: $10–20
Wait time: 10-30 min
P
Pro_ТракиLocal Guide · 24 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Pro_Траки has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.