Taqueria Cuernavaca

Mexican restaurant · West Downtown

Taqueria Cuernavaca

Mexican restaurant · West Downtown

2

201 W Carrillo St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

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Taqueria Cuernavaca by Infatuation - Reviews
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Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
Taqueria Cuernavaca by null
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Taqueria Cuernavaca by null

Highlights

Sopes, tortas, tacos, burritos, alambres, & flan.  

Featured in The Infatuation
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201 W Carrillo St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Get directions

taqueriacuernavaca.com

$10–20 · Menu

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201 W Carrillo St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Get directions

+1 805 564 1414
taqueriacuernavaca.com

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 21, 2025

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Where To Eat Outside In Santa Barbara

"This little order-at-the-counter Mexican spot has some of our favorite sopes in the world. Perfectly crisp, yet perfectly doughy, they come in vegetable, chorizo, or chicken tinga. Or, just get all three for $8. Enjoy them all on their new outdoor dining space." - brant cox

https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/santa-barbara-restaurants-outdoor-dining-patios
View Postcard for Taqueria Cuernavaca
@infatuation

Cuernavaca Review - Santa Barbara - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Among a solid roster of tacos, gorditas, and alambres (basically fajitas with lots of melted cheese), this little order-at-the-counter Mexican spot has some of our favorite sopes in the world. Perfectly crisp, yet perfectly doughy. They come filled with sautéed vegetables, chorizo, or chicken tinga. Or, just get all three on one plate." - Brant Cox

https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/reviews/cuernavaca
View Postcard for Taqueria Cuernavaca

Monica Metcalf

Google
Our FAVORITE Mexican place in Santa Barbara. We always stop here for lunch on roadtrips. The tortas are our go-to. I know the pictures don't look like much, but TRUST ME- they're SO good!!! My son had the quesadilla with el pastor and it's- a significant serving. Prices are fair, side salsas are great, facility is clean.

Joseph

Google
Tacos were very good. Had the chorizo and the Tonga (shredded chicken with chipotle sauce). Just solid tacos. Gonna go back and try a burrito sometime. Food was good and quick. Great spot, but more of a take out spot as it is small.

Pancho Villa

Google
I had seen this taqueria before. Today I made the decision to stop and try their tacos, typical small double tortilla taco their sazon was OK, not perfect. I order 5 tacos 2 alpastor it wasn't bad nor good. 2 lengua tacos the meat seemed to be a combination of new and old. The other taco wasn't good at all. They have a self serve salsa bar with shop cilantro white onions rabanos and limes with 4 different salsas they are super spicy a little more than I would like it to be. They made me cry more than that unnamed woman who was unfaithful to me. Over all it was a good experience Thank you to Jeni for coming to my table and clean it .

Manuela Nellie Guerrero

Google
My most favorite place to enjoy authentic, delicious food! I truly recommend their carne asada. The meat is never dry. It's super juicy and flavorful! Tortas, gorditas, sopes,tacos, I could go on and on. Top it off with a good salsa and a refreshing, ice cold squirt!

Sunni Patton

Google
I really slept on this place for a minute, but it’s honestly the best in town. The tacos are sooo good. So simple but flavorful. I haven’t tried much, but the chorizo, suadero, and asado tacos are top notch. They also have a good selection of vegetarian tacos

Victoria Martinez

Google
Ample outdoor seating, but that might have been because we arrived right before the lunch rush. Anyways, the food was pretty good, a little overpriced (we paid 40 bucks for everything pictured here) but the service was excellent. We ordered a variety of tacos (pastor and tripas), one gordita de chicharron/chile verde, one quesadilla of tripas, and one "gringa" (pastor and pineapple quesadilla). The salsas had a ton ot flavor, the tripas were crispy, and the food was just very fresh-tasting overall. I would come here again!

P W

Google
Known for their alambres (sautéed and grilled meats and veg covered in melted cheese and served with corn tortillas) but I prefer their gorditas: crispy fried delight filled with your choice of protein (I chose chicken tinga) and lettuce, crema, queso. Pastor anything is also good (burrito, taco, etc). We also enjoyed the chicken taquito plate with rice and beans. Adequate salsa bar with 4 salsas, radish, cilantro, onion, lemon. Service is fast. Tacos are $2-$3; gorditas $4; burritos around $8; alambres around $12. Small parking lot but there’s plenty of street parking.

REDESIGN ARCHITECTURAL STUDIOS

Google
Absolutely the best value for your dollar and quality of food... I should rated this a1 star so no one comes and there would be lesser lines .. so yeah.. worst food ever don't ever come here and if you see me you should leave right away everyone is awfully cooked to perfection, stay home.. in fact you should go to Mexico for better food... Yea that's the ticket... Forget this review and buy a plane ticket to Mexico!!!😁😁😁😁
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Nguyen T.

Yelp
Delicious tacos!! They had a lot of seating too and there were a lot of customers going in and out
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Manuel F.

Yelp
Food is good price is outrageous is not what people say it is remember I said good not great i go around town and try every restaurant and I will tell the truth 1 to 10 it's a 5 sorry
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Maya M.

Yelp
Decided to stop here for an early dinner on Mother's Day! We all loved it here and the food was great! My mom ordered the sopitos that reminded her of the way my grandma made it. The girl that took our order was so sweet!! Great place in SB and we will be back soon. Lots of good seating options and very clean too :) (The salsa is super yummy too!)
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Crystal S.

Yelp
The food was so good. First time here and so happy I checked it out. You order at the counter, I chose an asada taco and a chicharron gordita. There's a salsa bar to help yourself. Very friendly and fast service. I'll definitely be back anytime I'm in town!
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Rusty D.

Yelp
One of the staples of Mexican food in Santa Barbara. Everything here is delicious! Staff is so nice! Picking up food from the restaurant is easy and if you want to eat there, lovely choice also. I love getting the Torta Cubana there because it's amazing! All the flavors are there and it's great every time. Their avocado salsa is one of my favorite salsas there is! It's got some kick to it! Don't hesitate to go here. Should be the first choice before any other place in town. We will be back!
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Erika V.

Yelp
The employees here are so nice! The place is clean and open and the service is quick as well. I ordered the burrito and to my surprise, they had shredded chicken and I was elated. This burrito was so yummy and the perfect comfort food. Thank you!
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Khristina D.

Yelp
Amazing, delicious, the vegetarian options are also so good! Definitely in my top 3 Mexican food places in Ventura/Oxnard.
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Sunnie R.

Yelp
SUS ASF. Weird cashier didn't give me my receipt until I asked for it. There was a totally RANDOM charge on there for $1.50 and only THEN did she let me know it was for LETTUCE. I think it's a scam and she is keeping the money. That behavior is super sus to me. She didn't let me know lettuce would be extra, let alone that much. It was only until I asked for the receipt that she let me know... SMH. The milanesa was disgusting. The asada is alright. The green salsa has this expired-fridge taste. The only positive thing I can say about this place is the cleanliness. It's relatively clean. I've been here a few times now and will definitely not be coming back. Time to look for a new spot for when we come down to SB.
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Maggie T.

Yelp
This is a pretty authentic Mexican place. The flavor of the Spanish rice and the carne asada hit the spot. The burritos we ordered were delicious. The staff who helped us were friendly. I'm not too keen with the cleanliness of the place though. I'll probably go back for a pick-up and dine from home again. Mobile pay / Apple Pay is available.

Donna C.

Yelp
Great Mexican food. Very authentic. Try the Gordita's with chicken and a few of the tacos. Best in Santa Barbara.

Sandy R.

Yelp
We were expecting better from this place they should be ashamed of their chicken tacos and also the "carne asada tacos" they practically cook the meat in water theres no flavor!!! their is no next time . sad they can do better than this
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Michele S.

Yelp
Love this family owned business..Food is awesome .. serve is great .. salsas are great and home made tortillas are always a winner !

Gerardo G.

Yelp
Real authentic Mexican food. One of the best spots in town. Give them a try. Everything is good

Ruby T.

Yelp
This place is amazing. I always find myself coming back for their asada burritos. Always a fan favorite and recommend it to everyone in town!
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Kimberly R.

Yelp
We ordered the mushroom tacos (vegetarian option), chicken tacos and an horchata. They double up on the tortillas for their tacos so by ordering two I ended up with 4! They were really really good and flavorful, the mushroom tacos are substantial and the cheese layer on top was really good and slightly crispy. The chicken tacos are also loaded and flavorful, they reminded me of chicken enchiladas, my toddler loved them so they're kid approved! (& not spicy). Their horchata was amazingly good, not too sweet and not at all grainy. Definitely coming back on my next SB trip. **tip** their parking lot is pretty small, so I would park across the street and walk, SB is a walkable town after all!
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Oly Q.

Yelp
Personalmente a nosotros nos encanta este lugar según mi gusto lo recomiendo ampliamente y no creo que me equivoque les va a gustar

Daniel A.

Yelp
Phenomenal. We came in starving. Food HIT the spot. We got tacos, burritos, and flan. Will probably be coming back everyday. Flan was so good ordered 5 to go.

Elen Y.

Yelp
Jesus Christ! Everything was perfect. So authentic and delicious. We ordered a second round. OBSESSED 100/100

David H.

Yelp
Food is always consistently good. Never a bad meal. Chile verde chicharones are a must.. this time around I had the chorizo spies which were awesome
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Nick F.

Yelp
Great food! Affordable prices. Nice staff. Right near the fun part of town. I'll definitely come back here sometime.
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Mariana C.

Yelp
Every single item we ordered was perfect. Best food, vibes, service and prices. We will be coming back all the time.
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Dan W.

Yelp
Great tacos here. I was looking for some good Mexican food on the way back from a holiday trip, and a bunch of other restaurants were closed. I got three tacos: carne asada, al pastor, and tripas. They were all fabulous, but I think the tripas was my favorite--it was beautifully crispy and had great flavor. You order at the cashier and it's self seating. Because of COVID, they don't have an open salsa bar, so you just ask them for salsa on the side. Would definitely come back here if I'm ever in the area.
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Nick D.

Yelp
Best Cubana torta in town, wonderful ambiance and service, check it out ! Torta Cubana
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Troy B.

Yelp
Wow. Didn't have many expectations for these tacos, but they were probably some of the best I've had. We were itching for some Mexican food before we headed home, and I'm so glad we opted for this spot. It doesn't look like much, but the food definitely speaks for itself. Love how many meat options they offer, and you really can't go wrong with any of them. I tried the Al Pastor, Lengua and the Tripa. All three were absolutely fantastic, and came with such a smokey, charred flavor. My favorite was probably the Tripa; love how crispy, chewy and gritty the texture was. We also got the rice and a side of grilled peppers, which helped to tie the meal together. The service is quite fast, and though it seems like such a no frills spot, they do a great job overall with very reasonable prices. Also love how there's a large seating area, and it wasn't too crowded when we stopped by.
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Ken F.

Yelp
We were looking for some really good California Mexican tacos and saw this place in a Google maps search so we decided to try it. The food was very, very good. We both had Carne Asada and pork tacos and they were fantastic! They came with a side of beans and rice, which were also very good. Service was fine no complaints. Not much ambience, but we didn't care because the food was excellent and we will come back

T S.

Yelp
Cuernavaca is back. The burritos are what I remembered. The best in SB. Carne is my go too and it didn't disappoint.

Cindy M.

Yelp
After looking for a good Mexican restaurant, I can say this spot was very good. I highly recommend if you are looking for a good delicious Mexican place.
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Jillian P.

Yelp
Huge portions, good prices. Ordered the Cubano for lunch and won't need to eat again until tomorrow! Very generous portions for the price. Yummy meats and quick service. They a covered patio in the parking lot if you're eating on site. Great spot to fill up if you need a quick and hearty meal.
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Harley M.

Yelp
Came here for lunch with a friend and was very pleased with the food! We sat outside under a tent, and our food came out in 5-10 minutes! I got 4 tacos (2 carne asada, 1 carnitas, 1 tongue) and they were all very tasty. Tacos all came with a substantial portion of meat, onions, and cilantro. It also came with two salsas - mild is a creamy green salsa and medium is a pretty spicy green chunkier salsa. My favorite was the carne asada but all were excellent. The bill came out to $10 including tax and tip. Excellent value and quality for the price. I wish I had a lunch place like this near where I live! 10/10 would come back here again.
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Flora H.

Yelp
We stopped by Taqueria Cuernavaca for some quick, authentic Mexican food after a day of wine tasting in the area. The COVID-19 set up with tables in the parking lot is actually quite nice and I preferred eating where we did more than I would have enjoyed indoors during "normal" times. Maybe they can keep some al fresco dining tables post-pandemic but I digress. The food... The tacos were solid. We tried the chicken, al pastor, lengua, and carne asada which each come on two corn tortillas. While quite good, these did not blow me away. The guy working at the counter said that al pastor is the one that "most people like the most" but he personally liked the chicken the best. I agreed with him, my favorite being the chicken, but that is personal preference. All were good, but lengua (tongue) is just not my personal jam. The sopes were outstanding. We tried one of each - chicken, vegetarian, and chorizo. I've never had sopes before so I have nothing to compare them to, but the homemade corn shell that the meat sits on was thick, crispy yet soft, and wonderfully indulgent and delicious. I enjoyed all three equally - the mix of flavors from the meat combined with the corn shell are near perfection.
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Carolyn K.

Yelp
Always excellent tacos Al pastor- the Al pastor is crunchy and flavored so well! I only order this over and over!

Chris G.

Yelp
One of the best burritos I've had in my life and I have had a LOT of great burritos. It's my passion. Amazing
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Patrick H.

Yelp
An asada taco is a really basic but enigmatic thing, and I think Cuernavaca's is the best I've had anywhere. Super fast service, great salsas, and they haven't jacked up their prices like a lot of other places. Highly recommend.

Jon N.

Yelp
I decided to try this place during my last visit to Santa Barbara since the taco place I usually frequent down the street was closed. I'm glad I did! This place has to be a new favorite. The staff were friendly, the place is clean, and the food was great! I tried the Tripa, Al Pastor, Asada, and Lengua tacos. I especially like how crispy the Tripa was. The salsas and pickled vegetables and all other toppings were great for the tacos. Definitely recommend trying this place! There were a few parking spots in their lot but there was still an outdoor seating area. There's available street parking on De La Vina St.

Maxime S.

Yelp
Amazing food I must say in the line of tastiness I think I might give Cuban food as my all time favorite food!
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Raechel W.

Yelp
Delicious taco stop in Santa Barbara! I was really impressed with the lengua especially. It was cooked really well, like the rest of the proteins! Tender, juicy, and flavorful. There's plenty of seating (there's a room in the back) and the staff are very kind and accommodating. Great for groups and plenty of street parking. Would recommend!
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Areial R.

Yelp
Doesn't look like much when you pass, but this place is incredibly delicious. True authentic Mexican food in the heart of Santa Barbara! I love this place and will continue to comeback and bring my friends!
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Christy R.

Yelp
Excellent selection of food and drinks. The service is always on point. Their hours are very accommodating. The tacos, enchiladas, and licuados are tasty. The staff is nice and always offers salsas, utensils, and has online orders organized and ready to pick up promptly. A big plus, is that their delicious meals are responsibly priced.
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Ted Y.

Yelp
I like the food. It's real street food to me but I'm a Jap so what do I know The tacos were great and not expensive The restaurant is awkward inside and doesn't feel super clean. Otherwise I highly recommend.

Yazmin V.

Yelp
Giving this place 3 stars, it was decent. I had the asada torta and a chicken gordita! Didn't hate it but didn't love it!
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Alma M.

Yelp
Not a fan of bad reviews. But as a new customer I was very aggrivated at how I was treated by the cashier right now. She said : how can I help you as she smacked the counter, and when I walked to the counter she immediately turned around and shouted someone else's order. When she came back to the window I asked if the NORMAL ALAMBRE came with rice and beans and she yelled: no no no no! And I responded okay I was just asking and left. Not coming back here again if the cashiers are so disrespectful. Most combinations at restaurants come with rice and beans, and it was just a simple question. No need to shout or be disrespectful. We are paying customers.
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Magally P.

Yelp
Chicharrón gordita are very good!!! First time coming and was satisfied. Parking was a little small but can park outside streets. Close to many little shops.
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Nijole T.

Yelp
The tacos were tasty and the service was great! Prices are fair, so are the portions. The food was made to order quickly, everything was fresh. I enjoy their salsa as well as the tacos. Worth checking out.
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Kaitlyn C.

Yelp
This restaurant is quite clean and I recommend ordering on the phone just so you can avoid the line and wait for the food. My family and I ordered 12 tacos: al pastor, carne asada, chorizo, suadero, pollo, and lengua. They were all delicious! We also got a bunch of salsa and they gave us the onions and cilantro on the side which we didn't mind at all. That way we can put as much as we wanted on our tacos. We swung by just to get a quick bite for lunch and it was a good stop. My mom even wanted to come back again. For me personally, my favorite tacos were the al pastor and chorizo. I heard that the al pastor is the one people like the most which I can agree with. If you want some quick authentic Mexican food, I recommend coming here!
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Victoria M.

Yelp
Totally awesome Mexican joint! The whole menu looks delicious, but I ordered the corn tamale and carne asada burrito. The tortilla was soft and fresh and the carne asada had a great grill flavor. It was overall a very satisfying meal. You can smell the food cooking from a block away. I would recommend going after the lunch rush as there was a long line, but the food still came out pretty quickly.
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Judith H.

Yelp
THE BESSSSST TACOOOOS!! And pretty affordable considering some places charge up to $7 per taco I think the range is $2.50 for like chicken or steak up to $4 for a shrimp etc. I usually order ahead of time and take my tacos to go! I could eat here every day honestly
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Rick S.

Yelp
One of my favorite Taco and Burrito spots in Santa Barbara. Their Lengua and Tripa tacos are delicious. Very easy to order and your food is ready right away. Great place to visit for your work lunches. Overall. A top quality and authentic Mexican restaurant.

Anonymous R.

Yelp
Not the best parking situation & pretty expensive but I LOVE their potato tacos. Favorite tacos in the area.
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Marc P.

Yelp
I had the carne asada and the chicken taco on their outside patio. The tacos were authentic Tijuana style, but the taste wasn't as good as the ones I've had in TJ. For me, it is 3 stars... but my wife liked the place much more: she said the veggie tacos were incredibly good. If I find myself back in SB, I'd definitely give it another shot..trying the veggie taco and the al pastor next time.