Ortega Shell

This clerk «John» older guy I kept repeating excuse me over 5 times literally ignoring me. I had to wave my hand in front of his face to cancel a cash transaction instead so I can pay card. He says out loud I don’t have time for this. I’m like can you please just cancel her cash transaction so I can pay 30 in card for gas. He seemed annoyed by my request literally what a jerk off. 3:56 pm June 15^th.

I am a customer with these gas station for almost 3 years never go anywhere else. I am driving from Oceanside to Irvine, this is the best gas station (Ortega Shell) for me to stop. Never stop anywhere else. It has the best location, driving between 5 freeway and Ortega highways. Also, I hear the same thing from my other co-​workers who are driving from Oceanside to Long Beach. Moreover, It has the biggest convenience store you ever seen so many different choices for snacks, drinks, fountain drink machine, and all type of coffee and whatever you need for refreshment, even lunch. They have wine and all kind of beers, also have flowers shop. Nice employee, I had conversation with the manager (Saeed) he is so gentleman and freindly. He said that he try and sure all customers are happy, satisfied and meet their needs. I would have to add, the car wash is the best. Price of the gas is so reasonable and cheapest in the area. Their employees always willing to help if you want to put the oil in your car, any type of help you need.

I live locally… waited in line, then told to step aside so attendant could ring up other customers… neither employee spoke English while I was there… I understand Spanish, but when I ask a question in English and both employees respond «no entiende.» …I have to draw the line…
Will NEVER go there again… FYI…gas is more expensive in San Juan… fill up in San Clemente or Mission Viejo…

We stopped by this gas station en route to Baja. Since there was a lot of traffic on the Camp Pendleton portion of the 5 south, I decided to fill up with gas here.
The place is kept pretty clean. The restrooms were not disgusting to use, which is great for a gas station that was very busy that day. The selection of snacks and refreshments isn’t bad here. The gas prices were comparable to the prices in LA county. Parking was not an issue either.
They have a selection of wines, and they also have a dry cleaners attached.

Expensive gas prices but the place is always filled with friendly staff and it’s always clean and well organized.

Stopped by to get some gas driving back from San Diego to LA and I went inside to use the restroom and the guy said that their restrooms are all out of order, so explain to me what he uses while he is there for 8 hours working? Does he wear depends?!

This is my go to car wash! I never really put gas here, but the location and convenience of what they offer is worth the stop. I just always try to go after the traffic settles, Ortega construction is crazy at the moment. I love the drive thru car wash!

John is the best attendant ever! If I could adopt him as an extra grandpa, I would. He’s so sweet.
Also, the bathrooms here are SO CLEAN and the toilet paper is nice and plush! I normally dread having to pull off at a gas station en route to LA, but this was the most pleasant fill up and pee experience I have ever had. If you put «Ortega Shell» into your iPhone maps once you hit the Mission Viejo area, it’ll pop up. Hooray for this discovery!

Very nice food mart with specialty products. The food mart carries wine incase you need to pick up a bottle for a last minute dinner. The place is always clean and stocked.

Above avg price gas. Screen at pump advertised free water or coffee with car wash purchase, went in to redeem and they said «we aren’t doing that anymore, sorry» hahahha, way to lose a customer over 10 cents. Good pita sandwich, too bad I won’t go back.

A great station. This is a massive complex that at one time had a convenience store, a yogurt shop, and a dry cleaner. The yogurt shop went out of business. The store has everything you could want. They have a car wash. They have diesel. They have vacuums. They have propane.

Pretty typical gas station. There is a lot of construction happening right next to this gas station which causes delays leaving the station. Difficult to get in and out of during the construction.

last minute stop on way home from san diego the location was great, just off of the freeway and onramp back on is very convenient. the service was good, line was short, offered a lot of pumps to prevent a build up of cars which is a plus. SIDE NOTE they do offer a dry cleaning service incase you are local, just something random inside the Shell. Over all it was a clean gas station, restrooms were clean, quick service, & and great location on and off of the free way onramp if you are just passing by or on the way home/​work.
5 stars

It will be more convenient once they fix the Ortega on/​off ramp from I5. This one has a great quick convenient car wash. I liked the snack shack too as it has caffeine free diet coke. This shell is Always a stop coming from Temecula, lake Elsinore, etc. for the last min potty breaks and fill ups.

I had the worst experience ever and encountered a horrible man, John, who claimed to be the shift manger at the Shell.
Upon returning from Sea World as a volunteer for my sons YMCA summer camp we encountered some pretty heavy traffic on our way back to Aliso Viejo and many of the children from K-​6 had to go to the bathroom pretty bad. One of which was my seven year old son who held it so long he was crying. We pulled over and the first place we encountered was this Shell station. Which I have stopped at before to put about $ 75 in gas in my empty tank. Never again! Anyway, this old wretched man walks up to 3 young girls (The Y Staff) myself and 16 children and says, «How many of them are there?»…“Are you gona buy anything?” That was the first offense.
After my son came out we went and got back on the bus. He walked up to the bus stuck his head in and said that we were a hazard and that we needed to back up. The bus driver had gotten off and was in the store. Two of the Y staffers told John that we would move when the driver got back. John, kept on at the two girls. That’s when I walked down the steps of the bus and looked John in the face and said that when the drive comes back we will move. Every time he opened his mouth I spoke over him saying we will move when the driver gets back.
The driver comes back but buy that time the kids were all out and ready to get on the bus. John comes over again and starts pounding on the door to the bus and tells the bus driver to move backward. There really was nowhere backwards to go, so he moved forward.
In the meantime John was on his way back to the kids and the Y Staffers to tell them that the restrooms are for paying customers only and to carry on back and forth with them. I jumped off the bus and ran over to tell him that if he would just leave us alone we would be leaving. He continued on and on and I repeatedly told him we would be leaving if he would just leave us alone.
I will be contacting the manager of this store on Monday to enter a complaint about John.
This is my first Unilocal post, unfortunately it’s so negative. This man was just a bad person. Who would treat young children this way.

Conveniently located off the 5 and the 74, (south of the 73 toll road entrance.)
Lots of pumps and clean indoor single restroom.
It’s got an indoor market that’s pretty large and it’s busy so I feel safe getting gas any time day or night unlike other gas locations.
There is a lot of construction on the 74/​Ortega Hwy, but the folks respect the «keep aisle clear» area, so you can turn into the station without issue.

Yes it’s right off the freeway and it’s fast and easy to get to.
12 pumps so you don’t have to wait…

Just another place on my «Ode to Jim» gasoline tour. From the outside this place looks like a regular shell station, your typical seashell billboard, gas pumps galore but that is where the normalcy stops.
Once you step inside the premises, it’s as though Aladdin jumped your $*** and started singing A Whole New World. This place seems to dabble in everything there is to master.
Need a lighter? Well they have em. Not only do they have lighters but they come in all shapes and sizes. One shaped like a gun, one shaped like a bullet, of course the standard lighter plus many other offering to choose from. I really lost count because I was overwhelmed but the number and selection of lighters. Most places would have a few of each. Well not the Ortega Shell, they have gross loads of every light possible. I don’t smoke however after looking at the entire lighter selection, it is a strong possibility that I’m missing out on something.
Need a little stuffed kitten toy for your child? Well I didn’t either but I can guarantee that there is someone out there who does and if they need it Ortega Shell has it.
Snack selection. Well I never knew that there were 15,000 different kind of packaged cinnamon snacks alone. If you’re looking to satisfy your cinnamon craving, this is your place.
Did I mention that they have basically a wine cellar. No, I’m not joking. Of course it’s not a cellar but they have a rack set up in the back of the store that makes some wine shops jealous.
What is better than picking up a lighter, a stuffed cat, a cinnamon snack and a bottle of wine? Of course, that would be getting your dry cleaning. Yep, they have that too! So when you’re wearing your favorite shirt and you burn a hole it in from the lighter, get $*** on it from the stuffed cat because I’m sure the cat has realistic qualities, stain it from all the cinnamon snacks or accidentally spill your wine, well you can take it off right there and get it cleaned! Hot DAMN!!!
Oh yeah, they have other snacks and drinks too.

What happened to customer service?!
I stopped by here today on my way home from Irvine… bought a monster drink and some doritos… and I needed to use the restroom…
Someone was already in the restroom so I waited outside patiently… well, I was doing the pee-​pee dance a lil bit… but not too much… it would’ve prolly only gotten me 1-​star on Dance Central…
After a few minutes, the guy walked out of the restroom and it was an employee… all he tells me is «Sorry, the restrooms are closed for cleaning.» And that was it… I was like, WTF? Really? I really have to use the restroom and that’s all you’re gonna tell me?
Luckily, I was able to hold it till I got to Aliso Creek… but sh*t… if it wasn’t illegal… I would’ve just golden showered his floor. F*ck that sh*t!
Anyways… still one of my fav places to stop on the drive… but damn, what the hell happened to customer service?!
also, I think that froyo place is closed for good?! I haven’t seen it open during any time of day (or night) that I’ve been here…

This is a great location to have a pit stop. In fact, this is one of my pit stops on the way back to San Diego from Orange County (It’s 22 miles away from the Aliso Creek Rest Area, if you’re heading southbound on the 5 freeway). If duty calls during your drive, then this is a great place to stop because the bathrooms are clean.
My first impression was that this place was the cleanest gas station that I’ve ever seen. The people are friendly and it seems like they stock up on those useful energy drinks for the long drive. Not once have I seen my favorite energy drink out of stock here. The gas station is open 24 hours, but I’m not sure about the dry cleaners or the other services they offer here since I’ve only been here late at night.
This gas station is four-​star quality. Very clean, well stocked and employ a friendly staff.