Kennedy’s Karne

We wanted some quick Mexican food and this place didn’t disappoint! So cool that the restaurant is inside a carnicera. Carne Asada plate was amazing. Rice and beans tasted great very authentic. They have so many salsas to choose from. Must try their pollo asada tacos and jalapeño cheese dip. We go through a pint of that stuff in one day!

Don’t waste your time, literally. Can’t get the Unilocal discount because it’s a holiday. Doesn’t say that in the Unilocal offer. Wanted one chicken taco (soft) and 2 carnitas hard shell. Can’t get hard shell because it’s busy. Ok, no problem, I’ll leave. Glad I did and didn’t waste my time.

We stumbled upon this place and it was worth it. The flap meat was probably one of the best I’ve ever had. It was so good I had to take some to go.

HORRIBLE!!! Worse carne Assad burrito ever! Guac was sour!!! Yuck never again
I heard a lot about this place but very very dissapointed

+1 star: fresh homemade jalapeño cheese dip. It’s perfect for dipping tortilla chips, or add it on tacos. There’s plenty of jalapeño chunks inside but the sauce is mild and not spicy at all.
+1 star: fresh made tortilla chips. Warm and crispy. Not oily at all.
–1 star: food takes awhile to come out.
–1 star: chicken tacos. Flavoring is good for the chicken, but it was undercooked in the middle. But burned black on the outside.
–1 star: beef tacos. The beef was tasteless, very chewy and tough. The cut of the beef was not good quality.

I liked this place because I saw the review on Unilocal and it exceeded it’s expectations. I like their carne sada burrito because of the quality meat and the portion size the give you is spot on!
This place is excellent because you can tell everyone their takes pride in what they do! From the cash resister girl to the cook making your food.
I think it’s smart as their business model which is buy only quality products and sell it for a reasonable price to keep not only the same customers but to get more.
Keep up the good work guys I am very impressed!

Wow! What a great carniceria (Spanish for meat shop)! The prices are a little higher than the average Mexican market but the quality of the meats are pretty good!
The kitchen serves delicious food like tacos ($ 2.99 each but only $ 1 with the Unilocal check-​in deal), burritos, and they even have a breakfast section! I love the tacos. They don’t skimp and the carne asada is one of the best I’ve ever had!
This market is a great place if you need to buy some tortillas ($ 3 – 4), freshly made salsas ($ 5), drinks, etc. for taco night!
I highly recommend the carne asada tacos from the kitchen!
I will be back soon!

Bottom Line: Quality meat, random location!
This place is in a BUTCHER SHOP, so you know the meat’s gotta be pretty good! And it is! It’s not too salty or anything. just the taste of good meat, which is unlike those other cheap 24hr Mexican places.
Staff is pretty FRIENDLY too, which always gives extra points in my ratings!
They have a huge selection of SALSA to purchase! We wanted to try them all but we went with the mango salsa and garlic salsa for now. both are delicious! Just don’t eat the mango before the garlic or else it will taste really garlic-​y. Mango salsa has both sweet and spice to it, very unique!
Used the 5 tacos for $ 1 promo on Unilocal and the cook did not disappoint! All 5 tacos were overflowing with quality carne asada and he made them look presentable (see photo)! We also got carne asada burritos to take home and those were just as delicious! Just depends on your mood because they were equally tasty!
CONS: It’s located very deep in Escondido. so it’s not a con if you live close by, but even from Poway it was a decent trip. Also, the shop itself seems to be located in the middle of a parking lot. it’s kind of like a hole in the wall. but there’s no wall, haha. Just sort of random, it’s almost sketchy.
I still gave 5 stars because their food is delicious, they have such an extensive salsa selection, it’s almost worth the drive!

I would like to echo my friend Greg b whom recommended this place on Unilocal.You walk in and are surprised by how clean and orderly the place is in relation to the outside. It’s funny in Escondido how you can find such great restaurants that are hole in the wall spots. As soon as I walked in one of the staff offered up their help to me and ensured I understood how to get what I want. Then as I was ordering they ensured I was well taken care of and even gave me a discount. The staff behind the counter in the kitchen are also very friendly and present a clean and professional appearance. One patron dropped some sauce on the ground and I was surprised how fast the staff rushed over to help her! It was truly great customer service.
Other than ordering ready made food you can also purchase raw meat and can even call it in and have it prepared before you arrive. If you are in a rush you can also pick up beer and chips and other party delights!
Overall great place, highly recommended!

We stopped by on the way back from the Safari Park with my in-​laws. We knew we wanted tacos, and after researching ahead of time, it was either this place or Mi Rancho Market. Ultimately decided on this place because of the seemingly wider array of menu options (my mother-​in-​law wanted a quesadilla).
We ended up ordering a ton of stuff — my father-​in-​law got the al pastor burrito, my mother-​in-​law got a chicken quesadilla, and my wife and I split carne asada fries and several different street tacos (per the Unilocal check-​in offer). And of course the obligatory Mexican cola :)
They missed the filling on one of my tacos, and when I pointed it out they apologized and brought one out (slightly skimpy portions though). The cheese on the asada fries wasn’t fully melted either, which was a slight disappointment. Overall portion sizes were good though, and we were pretty satisfied. The carne asada was pretty tasty too. I also picked up their award-​winning creamy cilantro dip as well a Oaxaca queso dip. Those turned out to be really great heated up and poured over chips at home. Not as good cold, IMHO.
It didn’t take us very long to get our food, but probably because there was nobody in front of us when we got there. As we were eating, I noticed about 4 – 5 ppl standing and waiting for their food. Judging by other reviews, it seems there can be a bottleneck with the food queue.
The other interesting thing to note is that because this is primarily a market, you order your food at the checkout register. So if you are looking at buying meat from the butcher shop in the back, dips/​salsas, chips, etc, make sure you pick those up before placing the order. Especially if it’s busy.

There are real misleading reviews here compared to the food we received. We ordered several things — mexican pizza, crispy tacos, fried quesadilla & pastor fries. There was only one guy in the kitchen so our order took more than 20 minutes. At that point, my expectations were just over the roof — I’m sitting at a table outside, it’s getting dark, it’s almost 8pm and my food is still not done.
Anyways, long story short — food was only ok. Salsa was not good anymore, DH had to ask to get it swapped for something else. And even then it still didn’t taste right. Crispy tacos w/​barbacoa was ok — meat had good flavor but I was expecting freshly fried tacos. Nope. Fried quesadilla looked like an empanada but it’s just that, fried quesadilla. Nothing spectacular. Pastor fries was the biggest let down. Fries were soggy and there’s not that much meat. The mexican pizza was a gigantic quesadilla but with onions, bell peppers and refried beans. It wasn’t bad.
To make it even worse, we both got tummy aches!!! We will definitely NOT be back.

I’m in carne asada heaven in this meat shop! It’s a cute shop. Theres outside seating area if you want to eat there.
I first heard of Kennedy’s Karne at one of the Unilocal parties and they are now my favorite taco shop here in Escondido. The salsa is delicious! They won the salsa contest during the Unilocal party. My go to is usually the carne asada fries. I’ve had the carne asada tacos as well. Both are soo good. I’m craving some now.
Definitely a great spot in Escondido for Mexican food.

Headed back to Orange County from Wild Animal Park and I needed to get a decent California burrito for my boyfriend to try since he’s not from SD and never had one before. Found this place on Unilocal and looked pretty good based off the pictures and reviews.
Take it for what it is. Firstly, it’s a small grocery store/​butcher shop. What do they specialize in? Mexican groceries. You can find asadas, salsas, tortillas, cebollas, etc. It just so happens that they have a kitchen right by the entrance that offers a wide variety of Mexican food. Know when to optimize these opportunities because unlike your usual/​typical taco stands, you can customize your meats. For example. That carne asada too chewy for you? No problem, substitute that for ground beef instead! Want a better cut of meat in your burrito? You’re the boss, order some of that prime stuff and just pay the man the difference!
How was the California burrito? Well, it was just like the rating I gave them. The flavor was on point, large portion and the burrito was hot and made fresh to order! However, I was disappointed that the fries were so soggy they basically melded with the carne asada and condiments inside the burrito. I wish the fries were crispier! But my boyfriend got the idea and we both enjoyed the burritos in the end.

You are doing yourself a disservice to not buy your meat here!
The Garlic Chicken Breast, the carne asada, the adobada all delicious!
Check for their various specials during the week!

This place is amazing. Got a habanero shredded beef buritto. I’m currently sick so I asked for extra hot sauce to help me «sweat it out.» The guy (glasses, have’nt gotten his name yet, awesome dude) responded with «I see what you’re doing, let me hook it up with some habanero sauce, it’ll do the trick.» It was an awesome and personal gesture. The people here are stupendous.
The first time there I had mentioned to the cashier, who is an awesome guy as well, that it was my first time… The cook, «glasses» must have overheard me because as I was waiting for my food he hands me a «sample» platter explaining all that was on it. Regular rice, lime/​cilantro rice, jalapeño cheese… Threw some chips on there. It was awesome. I love this place. Lived in Esco almost my entire life and I’ve never known about it. Damn.

Based on the reviews, I was expecting to be blown away, but what I got was an average breakfast burrito — warmish bland flour tortilla, some kind of American-​cheddar-​tasting cheese mix — with above average chorizo. I’ll say too that it was mixed very well. As in, every bite contained every ingredient.
I think its meat deserves better companions.

Finally. I have the opportunity to provide the review to Kenndy’s Karne. Thanks to Unilocal,I was connected to this business at the 2015 Dia de los Muertos Unilocal event in Escondido (see review:
). Doubt I would have ever come across them without Unilocal’s help! At the Dia de los Muertos event, Kennedy’s Karne offered delicious and generous bites; won the salsa competition; and offered coupons (specifically 15% off party trays). They have a great website that convinced me to host my next football party with their party trays (and to make use of the coupon).
The actual store front is very humble. It’s located pretty far into old Escondido (close to where the Dia de los Muertos event was held — around the museums), tucked between a couple of old strip malls, with plenty of parking in front. It looks like a pretty old establishment but there was enough signage to identify the business. As you walk in, it’s a mix of a mini market, small kitchen on the right, and carneceria toward the back. They have a pretty decent selection of seasoned and unseasoned meats. so I would consider coming back to grab meat for our grill. The gentleman working the register was super kind and was very helpful to provide suggestions.
We ordered in advance Package #4: 3 lbs USDA Choice Carne Asada; 3 lbs Pollo Asado; Corn/​Flour Tortilla mix; 2 Qts beans; 2 Qts Rice; 2 Qts Salsa; 1 Qt Guac; and 1 Bag of House Chips fro $ 99.99 + tax. We had a party of approximately 10 – 15 folks… the package suggests that it would feed 20 people. I recommend that you order more than the suggested. We easily went through the food– with people having 4ths and 5ths… it’s just that good.
They have a wall of salsa. The winning salsa is a white cilantro sauce which is MUST BUY. It really is freaking delicious. Tomatillo salsa was okay. Looks like it would be spicy cuz of the dark color and lots of seeds– but it was kind of neutral. The Serrano Salsa was my favorite. it’s your standard restaurant salsa but definitely has a kick. The Salsa Habanera. no joke. is habanero chillis. and will make you sweat. Lots of fun.
They also have a wall of chips. lots to chose from. but you really can’t go wrong with the restaurant style chips. The guy at the register suggested a particular brand that was tasty.
We paid and then picked up the food that was well-​packaged and ready to go. Everyone who attended our party loved the food. Most seemed to prefer the chicken over the asada but both were gone by the end of the football game. The beans were refried and rich. but still tasty. the rice was delicious. I would recommend maybe having some extra tortillas on hand because it’s easy to go through the provided amount. but as mentioned above. we had no problem consuming all the food for less than the suggested number of folks the package said it would feed. Order more than you think you would need.
Convenient, tasty, delicious salsa. and definitely recommended. I am thrilled with this find and imagine returning to host future parties through this establishment. Hope to see them again at the next Unilocal event! Yum!

Seriously, if you have not been here you are missing out. This is THE go to place to buy carne asada and chicken. Their Garlic Chicken Breasts are ridiculous. Kennedy’s is what makes your back yard BBQ successful.
They are always super friendly here!

Seriously, this is a taco wonderland! I went in to get some carne asada to make tacos at home later in the day, and walked out with two shopping bags full of stuff!
I had heard about Kennedy’s from a couple other Unilocalers, but never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Today, I decided I had to try it.
This place usually has a line, and I’m not surprised. They have a huge selection of tortilla chips, everything from house made, local, name brand, and gourmet. They have beer, wine, sodas, tortillas, hot sauces, produce, and even a few cookies.
Going to a party? Get catering orders from a few people to a whole office or classroom. Going to the beach to BBQ? They have uncooked meat and charcoal.
The main draw is the meat. I had the flap carne asada, the more premium cut. Cooked, 1 lb is $ 14.99. Damn, it was good. It was spiced like a steak at a fancy restaurant, full of flavor! I also tried samples of the carnitas, barbacoa, and chicken, all tasty. The chicken was actually flame-​grilled on a BBQ grill, as they set up out front in the parking lot many days.
The other star are the sauces. House made guac, salsas (there must be at least 12 kinds, ranging from mild to What-​the-​HELL-​did-​I-​just-​EAT!), cheese sauce, and pickled vegetables, plus rice & beans. You can try the salsas out before you buy, to make sure you get the right one.
Mark, el Patron, was super friendly, helping me decide which meats & salsas would be right for what I was making. The staff was all very friendly, saying hi to everyone and greeting some regulars by name. Big order or small, it didn’t matter, you can tell it’s like a family!

Hey Carne Asada Fries fans! If you love that dish like we do, check out Kennedy’s Karne!
The location isn’t as central as I thought it might be, within a strip mall, but their large sign makes it easy to spot and there is ample parking surrounding the space.
We came for the the Unilocal check-​in offer: $ 3.99 for Carne Asada Fries, large sized. What a deal! The portion was definitely big enough for two people. Along with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream, was a tasty melted, gooey cheese coat over the top, and sizzling meat and fries underneath. The cuts of meat were thick, as well as the fries, so each bite takes a few bites. We also found ourselves needing to devour the plate swiftly before the fries got soggy under all the toppings. Nonetheless, it was a good, satisfying plate to enjoy on the patio.
The staff was super nice and efficient with our order (you pay at the main register and they send the order over to the kitchen). The space doubles as a small grocery store/​meat market and restaurant, so if you need to pick up some stuff for your own grill, this would be the place to go. They have daily specials that looked worth a try for next time. However, I may bring a few more people over so we can challenge the Tsunami burrito together!