Adalberto’s Mexican Food, the Rosecrans Street burrito shop that had been serving San Diegans since 1988, announced that Sunday, May 10, 2026 marked its final day of operation. Signs posted inside the restaurant thanked customers for “all these 38 years” of support while also revealing that a new concept, Chalo’s Taco Shop, will soon take over the space.
“After many years, Adalberto’s Mexican Food will be closing its doors,” one notice read. “Thank you for your support, memories, and loyalty - it has meant everything to us.”
For generations of Point Loma residents, military personnel, fishermen, students and late-night diners, Adalberto’s was more than just another taco shop. Located near Naval Base Point Loma, MCRD San Diego and Point Loma Nazarene University, the restaurant became a neighborhood constant known for oversized burritos, carne asada fries, breakfast burritos, rolled tacos, pickled carrots and its complimentary chips-and-salsa bar.
The closure triggered an emotional response online, with former customers flooding social media with memories spanning decades. Some recalled eating there after boot camp, during lunch breaks at Point Loma High School, after fishing trips around Shelter Island, or while stationed at the nearby submarine base.
“Sad day for an institution in Point Loma,” wrote one longtime customer in a widely shared Facebook post discussing the closure. Others described the shop as their go-to breakfast burrito stop for over 20 years, while several Point Loma Nazarene University alumni joked that Adalberto’s “helped them graduate.”
Community members also praised longtime operators Roberto and Angelica Davila, who are reportedly retiring after decades running the business. According to local posts shared online, the couple frequently supported Point Loma schools, sports teams and community fundraisers through food donations and sponsorships over the years.
As with many legacy San Diego taco shops, however, nostalgia existed alongside criticism. Some commenters argued the restaurant had declined in recent years, citing rising prices, inconsistent quality and increasing competition throughout Point Loma’s crowded Mexican food scene.
One factor frequently mentioned online was the growing popularity of nearby La Perla Cocina Mexicana #3, which over the past several years has developed an almost cult-like following for its California burritos and carne asada. In Reddit discussions comparing taco shops around Point Loma and Ocean Beach, many users described La Perla as their preferred alternative, with some suggesting the newer viral attention around the restaurant may have siphoned customers away from Adalberto’s.
Still, many locals defended Adalberto’s passionately, particularly the Point Loma location itself, which some customers considered significantly better than other “-berto’s” shops around San Diego. Reddit users praised its carnitas burritos, breakfast burritos, salsa bar, carne asada fries and fast service, while others noted it remained one of the few reliable late-night and holiday taco shop options in the neighborhood.
The debate itself reflects San Diego’s deeply ingrained taco shop culture, where arguments over the city’s “best burrito” are practically a civic pastime. In Point Loma alone, locals regularly divide loyalty among spots like Adalberto’s, Ortiz’s Taco Shop, La Perla, Nico’s, Cotijas, Los Panchitos and Mike’s Taco Club.
For many residents, the closure symbolizes more than simply another restaurant turnover. It represents the slow disappearance of a certain era of San Diego taco shop culture - independently operated neighborhood counters that became woven into the routines and memories of generations of locals.
The restaurant’s farewell signs indicate that Chalo’s Taco Shop will soon take over the Rosecrans location, promising to continue the same “quality, care, and excellence” while bringing its own flavors and identity to the space.
Whether the new operator can capture the same longtime loyalty remains to be seen, but for many Point Loma residents, Adalberto’s closing marks the end of a familiar chapter that stretched nearly 40 years.
Originally published on May 11, 2026.
