Reviews Taquiero Taco Patio

Few taquerias have impressed me, but Taquiero Taco has left a special place in my heart. Now the typical OC resident will tell you that in order to get good tacos you’ve gotta go to Santa Ana or another city like SD or LA, but Taquiero Taco holds its own as a top contender for best tacos in OC. * SEATING & WAIT TIMES * It’s a fast casual restaurant where you order at the front and receive a buzzer until your food is ready. It’s self seating and there are larger tables on the patio. On a busy night, expect to share the tables with other guests. The wait time for me was less than 10 minutes and the food was made to order. * FOOD * TACOS - $3.50ea. - there’s actually quite a small selection of taco meat but I highly recommend the al pastor because of how much time is taken into the cutting, marinating, and cooking process that renders such an amazing blast of flavor with each bite. Yes, the prices are higher than most but you have to remember that you’re in Irvine AND they stuff the taco to the brim. A good two to three tacos will fill anyone up quickly and unlike other taquerias, they only wrap it with one (slightly thicker) corn tortilla that is actually house-made. MULITAS - $6.75ea. - if you’ve never had a mulita before, it’s kind of like taco sandwiched between two corn tortillas with fried cheese. This is definitely worth trying out but beware, one mulita alone will fill you up! One thing I love about the mulita is that though it has pineapple bits in it, it doesn’t overpower the rest of the dish and all the ingredients complement each other. Per the owner’s recommendation, the salsa macha goes so well with everything, but I recommend it with the mulita for that extra kick of flavor and slight spice. CARNE ASADA FRIES - $10ea. - you don’t know what great fries taste like until you try it here. Aside from the meat being extremely juicy and thick, they have a generous serving of toppings abed the most toasted, crispy fries. What makes an absolutely phenomenal order of fries is, well, the fries themselves. No one likes a soggy batch and Taquiero has it toasted in such a way that you’ll find yourself actually eating the fries instead of primarily focusing on the toppings. * DRINKS * There is a wide array of Mexican craft beers at Taquiero so anyone that’s serious about their beers will certainly enjoy it here. My boyfriend is a huge IPA fan and loved Perversa for the taste and the 7% ABV. There’s also a delicious IPA-Pale ale fusion beer whose name escapes me but is definitely worth trying out. The great thing about this place is that if you’re unsure of a specific beer, they’ll allow you to try a sample of it so you make the right decision. I personally loved their alcoholic kombucha and iced margarita with the salt rims. Their micheladas are also rimmed with tamarind as compared to just tajin like other bars and restaurants will do. On my next visit, though, I definitely plan on trying out their bottled sangria! * SOME EXTRA THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT* - Complimentary Mexican candy station at the front features so many types of tamarind candy, mazapan, and chicle. - $2 off beer on Taco Tuesday - Live mariachi every Tuesday - Self serve station includes more than just like and salsas but also AVOCADO!!!!!!! - Shuffleboard game on the patio — Overall, Taquiero greatly exceeded my expectations and I plan to come back here over and over again due to the amazing menu, alcohol selection, and service. One can argue that if they wanted slightly more upscale Mexican food they could just go to Javier’s, but I would argue that Taquiero packs just as much quality at a fraction of the cost. There is seriously some thought and passion that is evident in their menu, beer selection, and offerings that I would consider them to be the equivalent to Din Tai Fung when it comes to fulfilling their standards. Plus, it’s definitely got an A+ in the aesthetics department!

Very cool place. The interior is nice as is the food. The al pastor is great and is done very well. They have a huge assortment of different salsas. The guacamole is great. They do give you a candy at the end and they are interesting Mexican candies. The corn tortillas are great and are hand pressed and hand grilled right there.

Gluten free menu: No, but I was told by the cashier that all tacos are gluten free What I ordered: 2 pollo asado tacos, 1 marinated chicken taco, with chips and guacamole. Gluten free options: 4/5 Not a huge menu, but they are known for their tacos, which are all gluten free. Food: 4/5 Food wasn't as hot as it should have been. Flavors were spot on though. The tacos were so large and the tortillas are handmade with non GMO corn flour. Guacamole was creamy. The chicken was tender and I loved the grilled flavor; simple yet delicious. Service: 3/5 Friendly people here. Wish they did a better job explaining where to get your drinks. I ordered Jamaica but wasn't told to get it from the bar. Had to figure that out on my own. We came here in Cinco de Mayo, so I wasn't expecting the food to be delivered fast. Took about 30 minutes during their lunch rush hour. Location: 2/5 Parking in this center isn't great. A lot of popular eateries here without ample parking. It doesn't help that this is one the main food centers for the students at UCI. Ambiance: 4/5 Casual and breezy. They also have a Mexican candy display and you can take as much as you’d like. Overall score: 4/5

I will never stop talking about this place. I stopped here today to finally try the brunch menu. It did not disappoint. I ordered the chilaquiles and they were INCREDIBLE. It is literally a giant lunch tray of food. I would say more suitable for 2 people. You choose the meat, with or without eggs, toppings on the side; whatever you want. I also ordered a michelada and it was probably one of the best ones I’ve ever had in my life. This is my favorite taco spot in Southern California.

A wonderful taco place. Their hyper focus on making quality tacos really shows. They have quality meats that are seasoned wonderfully. The carne asada is flavorful (though a little dry) and the Al pastor was great (could go heavier on the acidic ingredients to draw out more of that flavor). The corn tortillas have a unique flavor to them, and I really liked it though others in my party did not. The guac was spot on and so was the rice, some of the best rice I've ever had. The beans were top notch too. The chips were good. The salsa bar was a massive stand out. YOU HAVE TO TRY THE SALSA MACHA. It's so dark, rich, smokey, and delicious. It does have peanuts so watch for that. Overall, though it's not perfect and there is room for improvement, I think they deserve all the good things coming to them and warrant a visit from you!

These tacos are fantastic!! My family and I ordered steak, pastor, and chicken. The pastor tacos were fire!! Great taste, flavor, and seasoning was on point. The kicker were the handmade tortillas!! Steak tacos were awesome too. Meat was tender and juicy!! Horchata and Jamaica waters were so good!! Highly recommend this spot!! A bit pricey but WELL WORTH it! Great ambiance, clean, and top notch service!! Cannot go wrong with Taquiero Taco Patio