Maiz Picante Taqueria

Ler me to begin by commenting the food and its exceptional quality. Having frequented numerous taco and burrito establishments, I must say that the meat quality and overall food quality are truly outstanding. I cannot stress enough how impressed I am with the cuisine as far as the food quality. However, regarding the service, it did not quite meet my expectations. Furthermore, the atmosphere within the dining area wasn't particularly pleasant. I would certainly recommend this place for takeout or catering, but I wouldn't necessarily suggest dining in. I highly recommend opting for pickup as the dining area is very small and not meant to be for dining.

Super fast service and very clean. Not busy at all at 3:30pm on a Saturday. Guac is nice and fresh and the chips are thick and crunchy. The tacos are also all great especially the quespbirria

Fantastic tacos! Pastor is the best. Sauces were amazing! I read another review of someone who did not like the chicken taco. Maybe a description of the tacos might make it more clear, but I think the chicken taco is made simply on purpose, for those with food allergies or those who like their food less spicy. There is always at least one person at our table who needs something like this.

Absolutely fantastic tacos. The sauces are flavorful and fresh. The tacos themselves are an explosion of taste. Great drinks, too, which we did not expect. Will become a regular stop when we are in town. I'm still thinking about the birria taco with its crisp cheese skirt and juicy meat.

This is the 3rd time I’ve been to an event catered by Maíz Picante- every single time they’ve knocked it out of the park- the birria tacos were my favorite- even the condiments were outstanding. Thank you for another great event!

The sirloin taco in my opinion did not need the mashed potatoes. Other than that the tacos and hot sauce are great! Well priced too. My boyfriend had a Modelo negra which he enjoyed. I loved the guacamole 🥑 they give you a lot of chips with it and they threw two random whole dried tortillas with the chips. The bathrooms were very clean.

Absolutely love this place! The pastor tacos are delicious. Love the salsa options. The kids burrito is the best in town, and they also have good music and good vibes every time!

We ordered birria tacos and mulitas. Very good. Then, we ordered sirloin and chicken tacos to go. What a disappointment. Look at this photo.... a piece of chicken, not even cut, and a thin slice of meat. Nothing seasoned... why????? So sad the we were far away when we discover this, otherwise we would go back to get a refund...

Got the chicken and a chamorro taco today. Wow! Flavors are more that you can expect from tacos. Will be back to explore more of this delicious food

Recently on Reddit, I saw someone call Maíz Picante one of the underrated taco shops in SB. My mom and I were in the area and decided to stop by for dinner! To start, I got a tamarind jarrito to drink -- good ole reliable! To eat, I ordered a chicken taco as well as a crispy vallarta taco. My mom and I took a seat by the window while we waited for the food to come. While we were waiting, a little plate was brought with a variety of salsas and some toppings for the tacos! It was a nice little spread since it included red and green salsa. After 5 minutes, our food arrived. We dug in right away! Everything was very delicious. The chicken taco surprised me as I was worried it may be kind of bland. However, the chicken was moist and delicious while the potato was creamy and added a nice balance. With some grilled onions and salsa on top, it was perfect! The crispy vallarta taco had a nice balance of textures as well and was everything I wanted! Overall, my mom and I were very happy with our experience at maiz picante. Her and I have been back since this first visit and will continue to return!

My favorite place for tacos in Santa Barbara. Delicious meats, salsas, tortillas, and all for such a reasonable price. They have seafood as well but I really think you are doing yourself a disservice but not focusing on their various meat offerings. I genuinely believe that their lengua is the best in town. It's so tender and flavorful, and instead of cubes, they slice it. They use great cuts and their combinations are all extremely flavorful. I also enjoy the crispy carnitas. They also have other dishes like burritos, enchiladas, and papa rellena but really, the tacos are where it's at. They also have great margaritas and aguas frescas. I always eat at the restaurant but I generally see most people order take out. I do think getting to eat the tacos right off the grill is the best way to experience it.

Delicious food and great service. We had enchiladas and carnitas tacos. Came with refried beans. Authentic taste and beautiful presentation. Love the garnish plate with marinated veggies and four different salsas. The grilled onions are outstanding! Best Mexican food in SB

So good! Would totally come back. Loved the guac on the tacos. I wasn't a fan of the carne taco itself but everything else was great.

Best tacos in town. Highly recommend!!! The crispy quesa birria taco was GOATED. Defo coming again!

Hands down the best Mexican food around, and that's saying something because there are a lot of great places to eat in Santa Barbara!! All the tacos, the guacamole, the quesadillas, the salsas. Get it all! Cute space and easy parking.

I love this place. Quick service, but super quality food. I've tried a lot of their tacos, but my go-to is the enchiladas with pastor. They are cheese enchiladas with the tastiest verde cream sauce I've ever had. They then pile on really tender and flavorful pastor meat. Served with yummy beans and the usual fixings on the side. I crave these every couple weeks and have to have them.

Saw the 5 star rating on Yelp so I had to come check this place out and I'm so happy that I did! If your looking for GREAT authentic Mexican food, don't look any further. Small resteraunt with about 15 tables, can get busy around lunch time so just a heads up. However, once you order, the food is out within 10 minutes. Ordered two tacos to try. Went with an al pastor taco and a taco of asada Tijuana style and they were both so good! Handmade tortillas, bold flavors, great salsas, these tacos hit every note for me. Would highly reccomend that you check both portions out! The Al Pastor is Trompo style (vertical rotisserie) so that was a huge win in my book. Overall would define my come back and eat here again. Thanks Miaz Picante for the great lunch. Till next time.

Great Tacos, amazing Specials! My taste buds left Happy Memories! Great Place to pack & hang at pool, or Beach!

While attending the Santa Barbara Film Festival, my husband and I needed something quick before our screening--enter Maiz Picante. With a 5-star rating, expectations were high, and I'm happy to say it delivered a solid, satisfying meal that was exactly what we needed. The food was fresh, flavorful, and well-seasoned, making it a great option for a casual bite. It wasn't one of those "I'll be dreaming about this for weeks" meals, but for a quick stop, it more than did its job. Service was friendly and efficient, the atmosphere was relaxed, and everything came out fast--perfect when you're on a schedule. If you're in Santa Barbara and want something quick, delicious, and hassle-free, this place is definitely worth checking out. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. If you're in the area and craving Mexican food, Maiz Picante is a great go-to.

A friend recommended this spot as a meet-up for lunch during the work day and it was perfect! Great location and tons of seating inside. We were able to order our food and snag a table right away. You order at the counter and then food is brought to your table. They also bring you a selection of salsas and taco toppings- delish! I loved the taco options and ended up ordering the pastor camaron and a grilled chicken taco. Both were incredible. Everything tasted fresh and made to order. Plus, it's inexpensive! Definitely a great taqueria. Highly recommend and I'll be back :) I noticed they have parking in the back after I already found street parking. But plan ahead for that!

The best find during our weekend in Santa Barbara. Maíz Picante is a taqueria serving Mexican street food including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, and enchiladas. They also offer margaritas, cocktails, and aguas frescas. We were pleased with all the tacos we tried. My favorite tacos were taco tijuana topped with guacamole, quesa birria, and sirloin steak topped with potatoes. I appreciated the salsa sampler they provided that ranged from mild to habanero. Service was quick. You order and pay at cashier then find a seat. Our food was served quickly during both of our visits, despite the restaurant being busy. Highly recommend stopping by Maíz Picante. You won't be disappointed! Pro tip: Check in to Yelp before ordering to use the 25% discount offer.

The birria taco paired with the creamy red salsa will change your life. It's truly one of (if not the) best birria tacos I've ever had. I got it with no cheese, but I'm sure the cheese addition would only make it even better. I also had the carnitas taco and the al pastor taco. They were both good; the carnitas taco had an amazing amount of meat in it and was perfectly salty. The al pastor taco was maybe a little dry? But I loved the pineapple on top. I will seriously be thinking about that birria taco for weeks to come. Good thing I don't live in SB or I'd be in this place every day.

Meh! I got one taco to try this place out for the first time. I chose the $4.25 sirloin steak/potato taco. It took around 15 minutes to get my taco. Loud music playing while waiting that I didn't like. A look at my taco and I was disappointed to find a thin slice of tough overcooked beef that appeared and tasted to have been reheated rather than freshly made.

I want to start out by saying that the Customer service was really great. I ordered a carne asada taco, and it was exactly like how it taste in Mexico. They had a variety of salsas with cilantro and onions and pickled radish. Their horchata is amazing. Everything blew me away. I would come back again I drove all the way from orange CA and had a great experience they took me back to Mexico with a simple taco .. the esquites cooked in epazote forget it ! That amazed me even more ... the table is being picked up as you finish that is top tier service overall 10/10 wait until you try out the plan that is some of the best flan I've had and it's made from scratch

Second time here. We came back here because the first time was such a pleasant experience. It did not disappoint and I would say the service is consistently great. The gentleman working today (Jan. 1st 2025) was so friendly and nice. He was able to accommodate everything we requested. He was patient and kindly put in our order no questions asked. Gave us water, plates, etc. The food came out at a reasonable time. It came out hot and very presentable. We ordered it togo but ended up dining in when a table became available. It was busy and the restaurant was a full house. Despite the busy day, the gentleman bussed the tables, helped the customers, served the food, and took in phone orders all by himself. He welcomed people when they walked in, and he also made sure to let customers know it will take a minute or asked if it's okay to put them on hold over the phone when I called in prior. I am big on customer service. All these little details matter and didn't go unnoticed. It makes a big difference in customer retention. Other establishments should take note. Food was great! Ate it so fast, we were hungry. We don't live in the area but will definitely be back when we're in town. More blessings to them for the new year.

Seriously excellent food! Our new go-to spot for the best tacos and burritos! And great prices too!

Worth the little temporary street construction! Don't miss the beyond tacos if your vegan...even prepped pastor style. Burrito is amazing, kind great staff super high quality and consistent

Really delicious and well prepared Mexican food with some unique flavors. All the salsa were delicious. It's a walk up window and then food is brought to your table. I only tried a few items, but all were exceptional.

I am vegetarian. But, I love meat. I tried the enchiladas with Beyond Steak, and they were wonderful. Honestly a great recipe, that could be improved on by using another faux-meat brand. Kudos for effort, but Beyond products are not the best out there, flavor wise. Service was excellent, and the ambiance is fine for lunch with kids. Nothing fancy, but it doesn't need to be. I'd definitely return.

Came in on a Friday evening and service was quick. This is a small taco shop with lots of options. We liked the birria and steak options the best. A few salsas and radish are brought out to pair with your food. Be careful not to order too much! Next time we want to try the enchiladas. Only problem is parking on street, but maybe you get lucky with a spot in front.

4.5 stars! Visited here before my coffee at handlebar and I was not disappointed. Everything was very flavorful and very fresh. The presentation of the food was so beautiful. The place itself is very clean and well kept, minimal and organized. My .5 short of the 5 rating is the chips - they were okay just not homemade or anything special to remember. Either way i will be returning! This place is a true hidden gem with quality tacos and food.

We went here last night with a large group of people. We paid for our food upfront and left a very generous tip. They brought out our food but brought my father the wrong order. It was hard to get anyone's attention so my father started eating the wrong order, not wanting to make a big deal. He was about halfway through his taco when my cousin got someone's attention and explained he got the wrong order. They brought out the correct taco, then at the end of our meal brought out a bill for the order THEY messed up!! We paid but everyone in my party was pretty blown away by the lack of professionalism and customer service. Making a customer pay for YOUR mistake is wild. Really wish we could take back the tip we gave because they don't deserve a cent. Food was not good either, 2/10.

I had planned on a taco crawl in SB since there's so many good taco places there. This was our first stop. You order at the counter and they bring it out to you. It felt really warm inside (took 1 star off for that) when we were there even though it was only 11am. We tried the sirloin, the Tijuana and the pastor. They bring out the salsas to you so there's no salsa bar like other taco restaurants. I loved the pickled radish that they served with the salsas! Tacos were very tasty! We will definitely be back to try more.

Food is good but owner has an attitude for some reason. i used to bring friends here all the time. came in one time before 45 mins before close and got refused service. not supporting anymore. food is good tho ‍

I love this place!! They have great selection with some of my fav tacos with mash potatoes and guacamole in them! They also have yummy juice drinks and fruit drink/deserts/snack! Always a great vibe and always nice service! Now I gotta go get me some tacos

This restaurant was a quick stop on our little road trip to the Santa Barbara area. We stopped by just wanting a quick bite and ended up being pleasantly surprised with the quality and taste of these tacos! They came out quick and were extremely delicious. Really loved that they serve different salsas/sauces with their tacos so you can customize it

Wow. Life changing. 10/10. I couldn't stop talking about how good the food was. I ordered the vegan steak, vegan al pastor, and vegan al pastor premium tacos. My boyfriend ordered the los cabos, crispy vallarta, and pastor camarón. We also ordered a mango margarita which was sooooo good. Both were exceptionally good, especially with the affordable prices. You order at the counter and you can either dine in or take out. Limited seating. Great customer service. I wish they had more seating arrangements, but the food was worth the price! God, I wish I had a taco spot like this in my city.

amazing tacos!!! I just wish I can finish all my orders...it was a hot day so I couldn't take to go.. highly recommend this place! Also service is great, people are nice to customers! restaurant is not big but well maintained and organized ~!

Came here on a Friday afternoon after work and the place wasn't too busy at all, which is something I don't mind at all. It's a small, but comfortable eatery with a menu that has everything you'd want for tacos. I ended up ordering the Mulita and Torito Sirloin tacos, based on the recommendations of the host at the counter. Every order of tacos apparently comes with a side plate of salsas, cilantro, onions, and radishes (perfect). Each taco was a big enough size for my appetite, so I'm glad I only ordered two! Definitely will be back someday again, great place!

The food was really good--the Mulita was my favorite. The staff was also super friendly. I'll definitely be back!

Wonderful restaurant! The staff is super friendly. The restaurant is clean. The food is great! They offer a wide variety of street tacos. They do a great job at catering events. Parking is on the street.

I have found the holy grail of vegan tacos. Not simply vegetable or mushrooms or tofu as vegetarian options, but mouth watering, extremely flavorful plant based steak and pastor! Yes, their vegan beyond steak taco is absolutely delicious, but let me tell you that when I had the vegan beyond pastor, I immediately thought they had messed up my order with real pork. It was that tasty! (And for the record, they did not!) Within two weekends, I had this place 4 times and my go to has been the Vegan Beyond Pastor and Vegan Crispy (with Beyond Pastor instead of beyond steak). And yes, of course their real meat tacos and burritos are also amazing (according to everyone else who I've come with!) Plenty of seating, clean, and quick but friendly service. This place is easily a go to for me when I'm spending a few days in Santa Barbara!

Great vegan options even though it's more about the meat here. Salsa's were spicy and authentic. Guacamole was really good. Chips were ok. Loved the onion, cilantro, and pickled radish they give you. They have interesting margarita options. I chose not to partake in.

My favorite Al pastor, along with many other great options. Gets me hard just thinking about it.

Fantastic tacos and other Mexican specialties at a reasonable price. Everything always tastes fresh, the portions are substantial, and the service is excellent. Plus they're open late night which is rare in Santa Barbara, and the food tastes healthier than most other Mexican places. Absolutely 5 stars.

Best Vegan tacos in SB. I got one Beyond Steak and one Beyond al Pastor taco. It comes with all the fixings. Make sure to get the crispy taco option.

Friendly service but a little slow at the end of the night - very good specialty tacos! I wish they cut the lengua into smaller pieces so they would get melt-in-your-mouth level soft; but overall very good! The place is very clean and classy looking inside as well!

Tried it for lunch when I first got into town. Came back again that night for dinner! It was THAT good. I tried almost every taco in the menu and think the Al pastor was my favorite. So flavorful and juicy. You order at the counter and they bring it out to you at your table. Fast and friendly service. I brought tacos in to the nurses at the local hospital and they loved them too! Plenty of tables and seating. Parking in the back then walk abound the building to the Main Street.

Honestly I thought it was gonna be too expensive for tacos, but to my surprise! It was like really good. The seasoning was spot on, I didn't expect it but it the meat was so tender and you could taste the salt particles. Usually three tacos dont fill me up, but it really did and its like that satisfying full. Salsas were pretty good too, but they were the pretty much the basic ones. Lengua wasnt chopped up like normal, but I enjoyed it. Chorizo was actually decent, mightve been my favorite one. Pastor was really good too.

I visited twice last week. I had a birria taco, an al pastor taco and an order of chips and guacamole. Everything was very tasty. I like that they give you a salsa sampler with each order. The place is very clean, especially the bathroom. It was a bit hot inside the seating area and there were flies and even a few bees inside. Overall, the place is nice and the food was good. I would happily visit again next time I am in Santa Barbara.

Goodness the food here is great. This place seems pretty new, only 150 Yelp reviews or so and it has 5 solid stars for their rating which is very uncommon to see on Yelp nowadays unless the business is particularly newer. I figured who not check it out. (I'm not sure how long this place has been in business but this is just my assumption.) I ordered three of their specialty tacos and they are pretty stuffed with meat and cheese. Good size. I can eat a lot and 3 tacos had me very full. It also comes with salsas and onion selections, etc. most of their salsas were pretty spicy and I love food that is very spicy. The meats were extremely flavorful. Absolutely delicious. I give this place 5 starts because it lives up to its hype!! Also I judge food places off of their food, not their service. If I am being nitpicky I'd say they limes weren't juicy at all l, kinda dry actually.. and the person who I ordered from seemed like he was really in a rush. lol. But other than that this place is the place to be! 100% also will be back whenever I am in SB.

On my drive from SLO to LA, I needed to stop for gas and a little nourishment in Santa Barbara. I'm vegan, so I often use Yelp to find options in new places. Maiz Picante isn't strictly vegan, but they offer exceptional vegan food that was off the chart delicious. I got the Crispy Vegan taco and the Al Pastor vegan taco. I loved both of them and couldn't save even a bite for my husband back in LA. If I ever go through Santa Barbara again, I am stopping at Maiz Picante. The food is delicious, the staff is courteous, and the restaurant is pleasant for indoor dining. Highly recommended for my fellow vegans.

Food is really good service always whit really great Actitud if you want to have a good taste of Mexican Food Maíz Picante is The right place

Some of the best tacos I've ever had - so good that I dug right in and forgot to get a picture. The inside is super clean and aesthetically pleasing. Bathroom was also clean. You order at the counter then sit and they bring your food to you. We ordered the queso birria taco, the chicken taco, carnitas taco, steak taco. All were fantastic. All of the salsas they provided were BOMB although my husband thought they were a little spicy, I thought they were perfect! If we visit Santa Monica again, we will definitely be back.

Great food and service. My beyond pastor burrito was huge and had a lot of meat. Very flavorful and hefty. Loved the grilled onions on the side too. It was so big I saved some for breakfast in the morning and it was still delicious. I would go elsewhere for any alcoholic drinks here as I feel the price was way too high for the small drinks here. Little liquid to ice ratio. My friend had about 80 percent ice in his drink and in one sip the drink was gone. Kinda disappointed with my drink too as I don't think there was any liquor in mine at all. Took a star out for that. Other than that I totally recommend, for food and none alcoholic drinks!

This restaurant is pretty hot and stuffy. My husband picked up his two tacos, Pastor Tijuana and Pastor Costrada. The Costrada had a piece of pineapple and melted cheese and that was his favorite. The tacos came with two different sauces and one onions/cilantro. This has got to be one of the best tacos around the area. Very tasty.

I saw this restaurant on yelp. It had five stars. I thought to myself, their family must really love their cooking and did most of their reviews. I tried a variety of tacos: sirloin lengua, birria and Crispy Carnitas. It was to die for. The lengua was the most amazing... soft and juicy. I live in Oahu and I wanted to get some really special Mexican food while is was here in Santa Barbara. I will not eat any more Mexican food while I'm here, because I do not want to diminish my experience here at Maíz Picante. Ohana from Oahu, if you come to Santa Barbara, you have to come to Maiz Picante!