Pavlos Tacos on South El Camino Real in Encinitas occupies the same counter-serve kitchen that previously operated as Rico's Taco Shop for over two decades, maintaining the original location's menu infrastructure. The protein rotation runs standard carne asada, carnitas, and pollo alongside a gyro taco built with seasoned lamb — a Greek-Mexican crossover rarely found on San Diego taqueria menus, distinguishing the kitchen from single-tradition birria specialists like Agave Birrieria. Daily specials cycle through a fixed weekly schedule: rolled tacos with guacamole, shredded beef or chicken burritos, tostadas, and shrimp tacos on sequential days. Fish tacos, California burritos, and chile relleno combo plates anchor the regular menu, with a chicken soup built from scratch that competes with the broth-forward health-food programs at Nectarine Grove and other Encinitas wellness-oriented kitchens. San Diego County Environmental Health lists the South El Camino Real kitchen at a 99-out-of-100 inspection score, the highest among Mexican counter-serve operations in the 92024 ZIP code.