Taco Chico

I've been here a number of times and keep coming back for the quesabirria tacos. They are literally legendary and worth a drive even if you're far away. It's also pretty tough to find suadero tacos in the Irvine Tustin area. But this is the place. Totally impressed and the service is excellent and the people are always nice who are working behind the counter.

The inside was very nice and clean. The cashier answered all my questions and helped us order our food. The asada burrito was delicious. It was amazingly juicy. The meat was the best asada I think I have ever had in Orange County. Thick and juicy cooked to perfection. This place is getting a 4 stars for the tacos. The chicken taco lacked in flavor. It wasn’t good at all and the tortilla was very bland. The cashier never said they put guacamole on the tacos and I really didn’t want it on my tacos so I had to scoop it off. If I had known I would have asked for no guacamole. The churros were delicious. And the Carmel dip to go with it just added so much flavor to it. Probably one of the best churros I have had. I would definitely come back for a burrito and churros but not the tacos.

We ordered the taquito plate with chicken and potato filling. Plus a variety of the tacos to try, favorites were asada, chicken and rajas con queso. Everything was very tasty, we plan on returning very soon!

Really solid Mexican food and they get creative with some of their specialty items such as the gobernador shrimp tacos! It's a must try along with their jalapeno salsa. Give it a try - you're welcome! 😁

Ordered their loaded fries, potato and chicken taquito, suadero and carnitas taco, and the cemita birria. $3.85 for a taco is bit expensive compared to other tacos that are usually $2 each. The flavors were just okay and a bit towards the chewier side. Their taquitos were crispy and their avocado crema complimented the flavors well. The cemita birria was just okay but PLEASE TRY THEIR LOADED FRIES. The way they cook their fries is just magical and it’s different. It’s light, crispy, and airy and everybody just went at the fries. If I were to come back, it’d only for their fries. I think getting tacos alone isn’t worth but their combos are reasonably priced. Service: The girl behind the cash register was so patient and friendly. I asked for recommendations and she told me what she liked. Everything was clean as well including the restrooms and their sauce bar.

Clean, friendly, large dinning area, clean bathrooms. First time there, I can eat there all day long. All the tacos we got were delicious, the chorizo taco was amazing, it stands out because it's chunks of sausage instead of ground mixed with egg. I have never had chorizo this way, soooo good 😋👍👍👍👍👍 Unfortunately the picture I took, I had eaten a couple bites, I forgot I should have taken before 🤷🏽‍♀️ The taste of birria brought back memories of the parties and weddings, exactly as I remember it, I have not tasted that flavor in years. Buen apetito😋🤤 I highly recommend Taco Chico.

Birria, carne asada and birria papa were delicious. We arrived around 3pm and the place was empty which was concerning. After one bite we dismissed it as having visited between main mealtimes. My son declared this the best birria he’s ever eaten. He also enjoyed his carne asada tacos and my birria papa was equally delicious. The spicy salsa was spicy. This coming from someone who declares, “it’s not spicy enough unless you’re swearing”. Watermelon Shia Fresca was very good - not overly sweet. Will be back!

We had a wonderful experience at Taco Chico, and wanted to give a special shoutout to their amazing employee, Nora. She was incredibly considerate and attentive to all the customers, especially when we had to wait a bit longer for our food. It seems like everyone decided to dine at the same time for dinner, and they also had a new chef on board. Despite the challenges, Nora's excellent customer service made our dining experience enjoyable and will keep coming to support small businesses like this! Thank you Nora!!

Dude..... so happy I stumbled upon this place. Specifically looking for taquitos and saw they had some. I ordered 3 taquito platter(loaded with crema, pico, lettuce, avocado) with a pina fresca and a carne asada mulita. As I was sitting I saw the chips go out to tables and they looked super fresh and crispy so I went back in line to order a side and their queso and chile. I ate the food so quickly, so no photos... but let me tell you it was delicious! The queso and chile chips were AMAZING starter and addition to the meal. (Medium spice not too bad) Their salsa bar was available to all and the green chile(mild) was amazing, literally want to go and buy a bottle. Reasonably priced, won't break the bank. Go try this when you're in the area!

This spot is pretty legit. Been here about 3 times and I'm a fan. Very clean restaurant and a quick to order, eat and go type of taco spot (which once again I'm a fan)! Ordered: Carne asada loaded fries - awesome and must have for 2-3 people. you try to take this on alone and you'll be sleeping within the hour. Carne asada taco - my daughters love these but I find them to be a little on the dry side for my liking. Flavor is not bad though. Carnitas tacos - prob my favorite as they get the flavors the way I like it done nicely. Birria tacos - not my fave nor a bad taco I just think there are many better options in the local area. Pastor tacos - little on the dry side for my liking but decent flavor like the carne asada. Not a bad taco spot for a quick fix. There are a lot more menu items we may have to try. We'll be back!

My wife and I were craving Mexican food on New Year's Day, and Taco Chico was one of the only places open for dinner. Their shared parking lot has plenty of spaces, so finding a spot was easy. When we arrived, only one family was dining in, and there was no line, so our food came out quickly. The carne asada fries were fantastic, but the real star was the tacos with carne asada. They were double-shelled soft tacos, packed with flavorful meat and paired perfectly with lime. It felt like stepping back into the street taco scene in Mexico--so rich and authentic! We're already planning our next visit!

I'm in love with Taco Chico's loaded fries! The fries are generously loaded with juicy carne asada and aalll the delicious toppings! I especially like the cilantro cream which I don't see as an ingredient often. My husband always orders and enjoys their California burrito. It's a decent size and very filling. We've ordered take out and have also dined in. I like the presentation when dining in - Even their paper plates are nice! The restaurant is spacious with plenty of tables, very clean, and staff members are friendly. Located in a small shopping center with plenty of parking.

They lean more expensive than a traditional taquería but the burritos and tacos are worth it. The loaded fries are dangerously good and big enough to share with 2-4 people depending on how hungry everyone is. I hope they stick around because they've become part of my normal rotation.

Delicious and great customer service. Stopped in on our way back from La Jolla on Sunday for dinner. We will return back when we're in the area again.

Clean place including the restrooms and friendly staff. The food was average. I choose a taco combo. Two chicken tacos served with rice & beans and a drink for $12.50. I went with pineapple Agua Frescas which was really good. It was about a 25 minute drive from Irvine during traffic. Overall it was a good meal for a fair price.

Came here for lunch after a long bike ride. Ordered the breakfast burrito with asada and it was good but I felt like it was better the last time I got it. Green sauce is bomb though. Would come back again since my friends seem to love this place.

So many options, and some that I've never seen anywhere else before! I first wanted to try their carnitas tacos. They're pretty basic, but good. You'll need to add salsas and stuff to these. I should have tried their most unique El Super Papa. It's a baked potato topped with butter, meat, cheese, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. It looks super and filling! Next time for sure!

I've been told about this place and decided to check it out. All the pictures on Yelp and their instagram looked so good, making a decision of what to eat was difficult but i went with the chile relleno burrito and it did not disappoint . I got mine with suadero, and i messed up thinking it was beef but was pork instead but still good. Salsa bar is awesome, very small and to the point. I truly enjoyed the pickled onions with some lime juice and salt, better than the rabanos for sure. Salsas are delicious and hot! Service was great, food was taken to our table, and the cashiers were helpful, telling me about the IG. It's spacious inside, clean and bright. Def will be coming back

We had gone here several months ago when my hubby was wanting some good chilaquiles - which are not easy to find these days. I can't remember if this spot popped up on Social Media or if I saw was going through Yelp, but their Chilaquiles looked pretty good so we gave them a try. I also ordered some chicken and potatoe taquitos (against my better judgement *we have not been real lucky with chicken taquitos - they always seem to lack in flavor. Well, my hubby enjoyed his chilaquiles - they weren't the best that he's had, but they were good. And we would definitely pass on the taquitos next time. There really wasn't much to them - and the chicken definitely needed to be seasoned - it was real bland. Just the other night, we were having a late night snack attack and I felt like having some good solid order of nachos. Since this spot closed late (at 9pm) we decided to call in an order. I couldn't find nachos on their menu, so I just called to ask. The girl that answered told me they did have nachos so I asked what they included. A red flag went up when she mentioned the first ingredient as cheese sauce (minus one additional star for that). What I had in mind was nachos with melted cheddar, some beans and meat with pico de gallo, sour cream and guac. Cheese sauce out of a can does not belong on nachos. I went ahead and ordered nachos - but without the sauce and just shredded cheese and al pastor, and whatever else it came with. Unfortunately, I think they rely on the sauce to melt the cheese because the nachos we got had shredded cheese that was not melted which was kind of a disappointment. The guac was tasty and the toppings would have possibly had more potential if the chips had been warmed and the cheese was melted. So I guess that my quest for a solid order of nachos continues!

A great places for some Mexican food, yum! We got the Taco Chico Burrito with Al Pastor and Torta with Birria. Both were very good and I would definitely get again. There is jalapeño in the Torta, which I wasn't expecting! Just a heads up for those who can't eat spicy. I would probably get 2 additional tacos next time since we were only content with our meal, but could have ate more! Make sure to get the goodies from there bar (salsa, radish, lime, etc.). Service was great! It was a busy night. There was a lot of space to wait inside. There was plenty of parking outside! We will definitely visit again soon!

Hidden gem in Tustin bold flavor tacos that are high in quality and affordable! Taco chico is located in a small mall in Tustin, interior is slightly retro with red interior. They have various meat and fish choices, burrito, taco, and others. I tried the Sonora taco with carne asada ($5) and my Bf got the carne asada and Suadero Taco ($2.95 per taco). They have a self service salsa and condiments bar in the front of the restaurant. Food came out within 10 min. The Sonora taco was packed with beans, guacamole, and crispy cheese on the bottom, a heavy dish so one was enough for me, carne asada was seasoned well. My BFs taco was delicious and seasoned well! The picked onions were a little too vinegary and tortilla isn't the best I've had but for the value it's super dank! Overall very satisfied with the tacos here! Would love to try the other tacos my next visit!

I visited Taco Chico today for the first time in a while. I ordered three asada tacos, an asada quesadilla with extra cheese (I love cheese), and a side of guacamole and chips. The total was $32, which seemed reasonable. The quesadilla was decent but nothing special, and the tacos were just okay. The free salsa tasted bland and watered down, and the guacamole lacked flavor--missing salt or lime, probably made mild to suit most customers. Overall, I'd rate the place 4.3 based on what I tried. I'd go back, but it's not the best Mexican food despite its popularity on Instagram. Oh the workers were really nice!

Taco Chico is a solid taco spot that specializes in street tacos for $3 each ($2.50 on taco Tuesdays). The tacos here are decent with generous servings of meat, but the quality is quite short of the authentic taco trucks/stands around the area. The meat here lacked a punch and flavor that you would normally get at a taco stand, and was on the dryer side. Don't get me wrong, the tacos weren't bad, but just not the best. They have a wide variety of meats -- your normal fixings like polla, carne asada, and al pastor, plus specialty meats like cabeza, buche, saudero, and even birria. They also have an extensive menu of other items like burritos, plates, taquitos, etc. so check their menu online. There is plenty of inside seating and parking. You order at the counter and the food is delivered to your table. You can find better street tacos "on the street" for cheaper, but if you are looking for a safe and friendly environment, Taco Chico will do the trick.

Torta de asada was delicious. The bread was toasted to perfection and all the ingredients went well together. also tried the queso birria taco and the baked potato. Queso birria taco was good but we've tried so many it's hard to choose a fave. Loved the potato concept and everything about it except the jack queso, more of the melted cheese would've been perfect. Aguas frescas were delicious and refreshing. And loved the toppings available for everyone to grab as much as you like. Service was pleasant. But the ambiance was my favorite.. great playlist, loved all the songs I heard while there.. definitely will be back for another potato without the queso

I got the surf n turf burrito with al pastor as the meat option and requested less rice. Overall, good size burrito, flavorful meat, and good proportionate amounts of the different components. I like a good meat to carb to everything else ratio and find that a lot of times there's not enough meat and way too much of everything else, but this burrito was filled so that each bite was satisfyingly meaty and with all the components. I also liked how the cheese was melted onto half the tortilla, so it was kinda like a quesadilla vibe that wrapped the burrito on one side. Something I didn't like however were a few pieces of pork that were unchewable so I had to spit out. I enjoyed that they have a self serve stand for salsas, limes, pickled onions, and radish, giving me the freedom to take as much as I need. My personal favorite is the green (mild) one because of the flavor. The other two, especially the hot one, are much tangier and bitter(?idk if bitters the right word) in flavor. In the end, would definitely come again for this burrito.

Saturday dinner, pretty busy but open seating inside. Got a 2 chicken taco combo, and a few tacos with various meats Taco combo was good value, a lot of chicken on the tacos and rice and beans are pretty standard, comes with a drink. Tacos. I liked the suadero and asada. I thought the cabeza was dry the Al pastor was dripping with grease. Overall pretty good for the area and the restaurant is clean. You may find equal or better tacos from stands/trucks but this is an easy place to grab a quick bite to eat. Saw some Taco Bell employee's buying tacos here so I think they are legit.

Location is clean and neat. The girl that helped me was very helpful. She was pleasant and answered all my questions since it was my first time. I got a variety of food to take and try out with family. I was excited to go home and try all the different foods. Unfortunately, there wasn't any flavor and it was blend. From all the different meats, guacamole, rice and Queso with chile it was not great. Everything needed seasoning and there was not much meat. Lastly meat was dry. We actually end it up tossing the food and order some DoorDash. Maybe it was an off day for the kitchen but I wouldn't recommend this place. The one thing hands down is great service and cleanliness. But the food isn't great.

Bomb , order tacos ( asada, Al pastor ,birria ) all super good, great flavor even without salsa. The guacamole was really nice too with the pick on top. Horchata had the most flavor I've had, most places it's very diluted and milky this was all flavor. Last but not least the street corn not pictured was sooooo good, I asked for it cut off the Cobb and they gladly did ( I don't like it on the cob same with wings on the bone, it's too much work lol ) The restaurant is big so plenty of seating and the customer service was great as well. I'll definitely be back to try everything else they have a big menu with lots of choices. And I can say pretty confidently it's all gonna be very good.

Really kind of a 3.5, but I'll round up because it's probably one of the nicest Taco Tuesdays places we've been to recently and the staff was really friendly. Definitely some good and some ok mixed in. The Taco Tuesday special eligible tacos were ok, but not super special. We had the chorizo, the Al pastor and the chicken. The chicken was actually really not good tasting. I would not recommend that one. The other two were decent and I would get them again. We also got the elote, but that was too much mayo, or something that tasted more mayo-ish than any other elote we've had before. But the tacos that brought it up in rating for me was the tacos gobanador, that we're not part of the Taco Tuesday deal. They were really nicely crispy and the shrimp inside was well seasoned and cheesy. I would 100% get those if you get anything here.

My first visit. I ordered to go. Very friendly service. I loved the Sonora taco, got mine with chicken. Would definitely get again. Street corn absolutely awesome. The beans were excellent. Very tasty. And the churros and excellent way to wrap it up. Looking forward to my next visit.

Food - decent but not winning. Food is good but not to the moon. I've had better genuine Mexican food including birria tacos. They sell tacos, burritos, military, spies, torta, quesadillas, street corn, churros, and a host more including breakfast. I had their birria taco and cabeza taco. You should try and see for yourself but I'm ok. Service - order at the counter and be called. No frills. Ambiance - well lit and spacious. Good seating indoors and a few outdoor seating. They have classic rock music playing. Verdict - give them a shot to support this business pero no 5 stars. Pero 3.5 stars maybe?

This place is pretty good , great service and it felt very clean. Everyone working had gloves on and they kept wiping down tables. The food was a solid 3 parts of my burrito was cold / not sure why but it was still good. Horchata was super thick and both were thrown away after a few sips

Large portions, we loved everything we got. Taquitos were freshly made. Tacos are bomb. The elote was loaded. There's a salsa bar. There's orange BANG! Service was so great. They help you place your order as their menu is so extensive!

Been wanting to try this place for awhile & finally had the chance with my boy...it was pleasantly exactly what I was expecting. Good tasting, big burritos, good salsa, nice staff, & a good taqueria vibe. Got the al pastor California burrito & I loved the flavor of the potatoes & the meat. Good distribution. My boy said the carne asada was awesome too. Can't wait to try more in the menu, thanks guys!

Once again ooops taco Chico did it again! Street tacos at $2.45 each a steal especially when they put a good amount of meat! It's a steal the suadero so delicious and fresh and just hmm hmm the rajas con queso I mean that cheese that raja that grilled onion that fire! Don't stop and the plain carne asada got it for my coworker because I'm gonna make a believer out of him! If you haven't tried this place and you live in Santa Ana I have no idea why because you should have tried it by now! lol look don't take my word for it just go try it for yourself you will see what I am talking about!

Great food! Flavors are on point. Everything was delicious, and serves was fast. We ordered the chilaquiles, bean and cheese burrito- breakfast burrito and corn! Amazing food. The services was great, always checking in and seeing if we needed anything- very friendly. The ambiance was calm, the music was nice and the restaurant was very clean.

If you like shrimp or carne asada or even BOTH. I highly recommend getting the surf and turf Burrito with shrimps and carne asada. I have only tried the burritos here and all of them have been delicious. Carne asada burrito, shrimp burrito, Surf and turf burrito with carne asada and shrimp and surf n turf burrito with al pastor and shrimp. All are super delicious depending on what meat you are craving for. There's also a salsa bar, with green salsa, which isnt too spicy, red Medium salsa which has just the right amount of heat, and the spicy salsa, which is actually pretty spicy. I highly recommend coming to Taco Chico, on Tuesday there are specials for taco, and Wednesday there are special for burrito.

I was quite disappointed with the quality of food. While the presentation was good, taste and texture were unpleasant. Ordered tacos, el super papa (potato with toppings), and a mexican street corn. The carne asada on the tacos was dry and did not have much flavor. The al pastor on the potato was okay, but a bit salty. Not going to lie, I thought the potato would have been bigger for what I've gotten at different places. It was $13 and super underwhelming. The potato tasted old and rubbery. I was really sad with the mexican street corn. The corn was hard and similar to the potato, tasted old. I was surprised to have had a bad experience since the reviews on here is generally good.

My husband and I ordered a Taco Chico burrito, carne asada tacos, and chips. My husband, who's usually easy to impress, thought his burrito was just okay but said the aioli sauce was the highlight. I wasn't a fan of the carne asada tacos--the flavor was too peppery, and the meat was very fatty. However, I did enjoy the chips and salsa, along with the variety of other salsas they offered.

Can you fall in love with a restaurant?? Cause this place just keeps making me fall in love with them more and more. I already love their tacos, but this taco salad OMG! You get the ingredients of a taco + tons of greens in a crunchy tortilla shell. And the dressing LOVE!! I would totally get the dressing to add to my tacos. I didn't know you could get a food coma from a salad until now. PS - photo isn't mine it's Taco Chico's from their IG. We ordered to go, so it didn't look as pretty and wouldn't do this beauty justice.

I give a 2 star because the disposable plates were fancy and the salsa was good. However, the chicken and el pastor tacos were embarrassing. They tasted the exact same(which was like dry tofu). They were cold and definitely resembled my 2 weeks old Thanksgiving leftovers. The hard and uncooked rice that tasted like it was prepared a month ago stayed on my plate after the first bite. The beans were ok. For the price of this food they should be embarrassed to call it Mexican food.

Food was absolutely delicious. I have gone a couple times and tried different menu items and was very pleased with how flavorful everything was. Definitely recommend.

Convenient location on 17th street, east of 55/Yorba; same center as Flame Broiler. Although I don't live in Tustin, I'm there nearly every week. I'm, therefore at Taco Chico nearly every week. All the food is delicious and well prepared. If you're a fan of Taco Bell, this isn't your place. We've ordered quesadilla, tacos, mulitas, loaded fries, burritos, and family style tacos with rice and beans They have a salsa bar with mild, medium and hot salsa, plus lemons, pickled red onions. They have self self drinks, including horchata. You order at the counter, they call your# when food is ready. If they're not too busy, they bring food to your table. Nice, friendly, helpful service. They get busy at lunch time!

This place is so good. I come here for lunch once in a while. Tonight I came I brought my son and mom. They both loved the carne asada tacos. I had the sonora taco. We enjoyed our dinner tonight. I recommend for you to try this place. My son approve his carne asada tacos

One of my fave casual Mexican spots in the area. This was the first place I ever had a Mexican baked potato (el super papa) and it was phenomenal. The other dishes (I usually get burritos) are also great and the salsa bar has some solid heat. Service is fast and friendly.

Food was SO Amazing ... it was fresh and Drinks were very good. Ordered Horchata and Agua de Sandía, Service could be better. We had to ask a lot of questions as far as what to order. We almost ordered the wrong thing and had to refer back to Instagram video. Seemed a little annoyed that we didn't hear our order number and they had to bring it to the table. Ambiance is good... good music and families enjoying their Sunday

yummy tacos, i ordered 2 of carnitas street plain tacos and they were delicious! $2.95 per taco which isn't horrible but could be better. service was nice, one lady was kinda ignoring me but another lady came up and was super sweet. the ambiance could use a little work, cute place but quite boring inside. service took a little while but worth it. thanks!

Friendly, great service and clean environment. The food was delicious with good portions. Bold and authentic flavors with extra sauces as well. Little bit pricey but again portions made it worth it.

I came to Taco Chico around 3:30 pm for a late lunch. I ordered two of the traditional Birria tacos with the consomme, fish taco, guacamole and chips. The food was really good. The fish taco was excellent and the birria tacos were really good with the consomme. Very solid tacos. A solid 4/5. Service was good and the parking was very convenient. We will be back to try the carne asada and shrimp tacos.

Food: 5 stars Service: 5 stars Ambience: 5 stars What a great find! We came with a large group (13 of us) looking for a casual, quick-serve eatery. This place was perfect. The food was so delicious and crave-worthy, and all the employees were so sweet and very attentive. Our group ordered a bunch of different menu items, and all were excellent. They included: carnitas platter, breakfast burrito w carnitas, elote, chicken taquitos, potato taquitos, al pastor tacos, beef birria tacos, pineapple agua fresca, churros with caramel sauce. I'm seriously wanting to go back soon. The place is also situated in a good-sized plaza so parking was plentiful. I highly recommend checking them out!

The Shrimp Ceviche is the best! So hard to come by ceviche like that in OC. The girl that helped me mentioned it's made to order which I appreciated. I really didn't think I'd like it so much but here I am writing a review on how good it is lol my daughter loves the Birria tacos as well. Meat is juicy and tender. Asada tacos and elote are really good too! Love the variety of salsas they have at their salsa bar and also the pickled onions with habanero. Place is clean and service is A+ every time.

recommend: pollo asado , pastor tacos -disappointed that the suadero was a let down.. Sort of lacking in flavor and was very very dry -taco sonora was decent, will get messy =) service was friendly, lots of seating inside

Food was great, service was good. Only complaint was birria does not come with consommé.

As soon as you walk in, the establishment smells amazing! We asked the girls at the cashier what she recommended and she recommended the Mulitas, which are photos I had posted. We did eat there inside the establishment. I liked the art work on the wall and it matched up with the taco wrappings. I had ordered one Mulita with pastor (bbq pork), and the other Mulita I had carne asada (roasted beef). Inside the Mulitas it came with onions, cilantro, and guacamole. Personally I have small hands so to me they were big. I could only eat two. I also had their Agua Fresca in Cucumber lime. Agua Fresca is translated Fresh Water but for some they know it as Spa Water. Anyways, the drink was so refreshing and paired so well with the food. The establishment looks big enough for a family up to 5/6 ppl, but definitely not for a big group. What's also another benefit is that, you can order ahead and it'll be ready for pick up. I am not sure if they have catering, as I didn't scan the menu board, which I forgot to picture, but pretty sure you can call and ask. Overall, I'm DEFINITELY coming back for more food items.

First off the place was very clean! The service was EXCELLENT, the food FANTASTIC! Ambiance was great! I had Carne Asada tacos con Birria just amazing!! So much to eat. 5 stars across the board!

Got a sampler of every meat vary from tacos, tortas, and mulitas. The meat was pretty flavorless all around the only redeeming factor was the cheese used in their torta and queso tacos! I would prob not return unless im craving torta in the area, better off getting the tacos down 5th st.

I love this place. I ordered the sopes and they were super delicious. My husband order a burrito and the portions were super good. The service is always great, super friendly and attentive. The ambiance is great, the place is always clean.