Taqueria El Bajio

We just had the pleasure of meeting the Guzman family and enjoying their wonderful food so obviously made with love. 30 years in business and the attention to detail and quality is extraordinary. No deep fryer, no squirt bottles, no institutional salsa and no pureed beans. Exceptional quality, family style service in a simple setting. We can't believe it took us so long to find it.

A wonderful hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant that serves THE BEST chiles rellenos in SB. Not overly breaded, not too mild, the perfect sauce and of course the perfect Mexican cheese. They opened 30 years ago in the same year I came to SB.

The best carnitas torta I have ever had in my life, by far. Well worth the $18

Not one to write reviews but this place was delicious! I ordered a sope, expecting round sope but it was long like a gurrache. I also got a delicious catnitas taco, but was full with sope. Still good after eating in evening. Auga fresca watermelon was delicious and not too sweet. As to other folks stating it's over priced. What do you expect your in Beautiful Santa Barbara! Location, location. Location! So yes pricey but Authentic and home made tortillas, sopes etc. Gladly pay higher price for the quality food. Beautiful scenery looking towards the mountains. Parking is small and difficult; your better off driving down the street to park.

Authentic made mexican food the flour tortillas on a warm bed of rice beans that bring you back to grandma days when the tacos are all ready topped with loads of ambiance such as pico and carrots Salasa Fresca y jalapeños the more spice the marry. Great place to feel the taste of Mexico 🇲🇽 😋

I have to be honest—when I first came here in 2022, this place was always packed. I remember having to wait outside just to get a table, and even local workers would stop by for a meal because the prices were reasonable. Fast forward to 2025, and I was shocked by how much the prices have skyrocketed. Today, I ordered a sope for $15.99—yes, $15.99—and it was the size of a small hand. Absolutely not worth the price. The restaurant was empty, and now I understand why. While the food and service are still good, the prices are outrageous. Sadly, I won’t be coming back.

Everything tasted fresh, right down to the refried beans. I had a chicharron gordita, and it took longer to cook but was worth the wait. There was enough food that I couldn't finish. She had a decent pork taco and an asada taco that was another five stars all by itself. It was so good I'll have to order something asada next time. The prices didn't seem out of line at all and the service was great. We've been searching out more small independent places lately and this has moved high on the list of great Mexican food for us.

stopped in on a whim, as this is a 5 minute walk from me. ordered the chile relleno after it was recommended and it was delicious! the batter was so fresh and filling but not too greasy or heavy. the beans, rice, and ranchera sauce were yummy and full of flavor. the red salsa was spicy and flavorful as well. i love chile relleno and definitely recommend!

Excellent tacos!!!! Hand made corn tortillas are so good! The asada taco is delicious. I wish I lived here. I would eat them every day!

Quite pricey and food just okay. Fish tacos were not terribly authentic -topped with lots of bland veggies and soggy, couldn't even pick it up with your hands. My friends had other tacos from the selection menu. Just okay and Too many other places nearby that offer similar, but cheaper.

Absolutely amazing!! I got carne asada sope, rice and beans, and goat Birria and the taste was just chefs kiss Service was great- I had it to go but you can tell they are so friendly and happy! 10/10

The food was not delicious. With inflation, this place doesn't seem that expensive, but really it was not that delicious. The tortilla was hard and dry. I ordered a chicken mole. There was like fabric crumbs in the me source and it was sticking into my teeth. Only one chicken thigh. Maybe you will get full for the plate cost you $16 or so. A lot of nearby workers come here for lunch during weekdays, so expect slow service.

It is impossible to top Master Guillermo del Toro's review: https://twitter.com/RealGDT/status/1494084044547837953?t=fi4xqIwYBSHufSA4EqUN6Q&s=19 "If it was legal to marry a dish, I would be wed to the Gordita de Adobada. El Bajio en Santa Barbara @yelp https://t.co/56i55I35Oi"

Veggie Taco, Chicken taco, chips and beer. Very filling, great flavor. Highly recommended

Phenomenal family-run homemade authentic Mexican food with amazing service and prices. My taste buds and belly were quite satisfied. YUM!!! Very clean, too. I was pleasantly surprised with the cleanliness of el baño!

Very high prices for what you get. Shame on me for giving this place another chance. As other reviewers mention, there is another Mexican restaurant up the street in which the food quality matches the price with free chips and amazing salsa bar! Taqueria El Bajio used to have a nice salsa bar. No more. We ordered a burrito and two tacos and received one half filled tiny container of salsa. The lime included was gross. See photo. The staff isn't particularly friendly. You are made to feel like you are imposing on them. Too many other choices. Would be surprised if this place lasts.

Tried it once while in town for visit. Even if I was local, I will not be coming back. Waaay over priced for what is offered. Looks like the owner, who is the cashier, is trying to recoup for the remodel. But the quality and quantity for their $17 burrito was NOT worth it. Plus, it looks like they removed / don't have open salsa bar. BIG sign. Save your $$ and appetite and try that other place just down the block.

Everything tasted fresh, right down to the refried beans. I had a chicharron gordita, and it took longer to cook but was worth the wait. There was enough food that I couldn't finish. She had a decent pork taco and an asada taco that was another five stars all by itself. It was so good I'll have to order something asada next time. The prices didn't seem out of line at all and the service was great. We've been searching out more small independent places lately and this has moved high on the list of great Mexican food for us.

IYKYK !!! This place is the bomb! The pricing is comparable to the area, pay these people what they are worth! Better than grandma's, sorry granny.

The best chicken soup in town! Ok, maybe your first thought when craving chicken soup, or trying to eat back a cold, isn't a Mexican restaurant on lower Milpas, but if you try the Caldos Pollo at Taqueria El Bajio, you'll start thinking that way. This is a meal in unto itself! The broth is incredibly flavorful and clearly cooked over time. Added to that are two boiled chicken thighs, large chunks of fresh vegetables including potatoes, cabbage, carrots, fresh herbs, and rice. Served with handmade tortillas and salsa, this will fill you for the night!

What a disappointment. Wanting to support local businesses during Fiestas I went to El Bajio expecting a spirited time. What I experienced was a flat attitude by the person taking the order and even more of a let down when the food arrived. I ordered Huevos Rancheros. My plate consisted of theee burned around the edges fried eggs on top of each other with a small spoonfol of the table salsa no garnish just a heap of beans and rice. Come on El Bajio you can do better.

I suppose this place would be ok if you are waiting for your car to be repaired across the street and needed something to eat. Then again, it's on a busy four lane road, and there are other restaurant options available. We're visiting Santa Barbara and I researched places I want to eat on Yelp!. This place didn't make my list, but my wife waved me off my first choice and called an audible with this place. Yelp reviews were strong, so we decided to try it. We went on a weeknight and there wasn't much activity at the restaurant. Another red flag, but we thought it likely that they do most of their business at lunch. As several other reviewers noted, the shop looked clean, which was very encouraging. They have a long menu and prices are kinda high, but that's because they run a clean restaurant and the ingredients are high quality and fresh, right? We ordered asada, pollo, and carnitas tacos as well as adobada fajitas. (I got excited and put some salsa on my asada and pollo tacos before I took my photos.) The food was ok. Definitely nothing special, though my daughter said her abobada fajitas were good. The food was filling, but none of us would describe it as delicious. Some of the photos people posted of their food look pretty good.

If you are hankering for authentic Huevos Ranchero's, this is your breakfast spot. The little restaurant is spotless. Service friendly and efficient. The food was delicious, and I felt, reasonably priced compared to other breakfast places in the area. They are taking covid seriously. Although the dine in is opened, there are also some tables on the sidewalk. It can be a bit noisy with traffic, but we all should be use to that after so many restaurants provide outdoor seating next to the street to accommodate customers who want to eat outdoors.

One of a handful of great Mexican food establishments along Milpas. It's been many years since my last stop here and I'm so happy I made it back. They have the usual Mexican fare but seem to always have an item or two that's not found at most other taquerias. They are doing their best with their covid set up. No inside dining and the self service salsa bar is not a current option. I sure hope it's back in place next visit. I had the birria deep chivo plate and a taco de chicharrón. Both were delicious. The goat was seasoned and stewed to perfection and had some very deep layers of flavor. Im hungry for another round as I type this review. The taco de chicharrón was a real treat. Soaked in a red sauce it was so tender and bursting With flavor. Certainly something g I would not hesitate to order on my next visit. So why only 4 stars and not 5? These two items along with a Diet Coke with a burrito and a beer came to $49. Certainly more than I expected. Fortunately the food was so good I'd pay the price again next visit with just a little hesitation.

Stopped by randomly because their was parking and I was hungry. The food is overpriced for what they offer. Paid $13.04 for a ham and egg breakfast burrito and it was the tiniest and thinnest burrito I've ever had. Quality was like 6/10. Beans and rice were mushy and had no consistency.

Great spot, just North of 101 and 5 minutes to beach. Fresh authentic Mexican food. Great selection, though a bit pricey. 2 fish tacos $12.99!!!! Carnitas plate $12.99. Anyway, deserving of your business.

This is the most disappointing nachos I have ever had and I have ordered nachos in Somalia!!! They come with a Cuban communist rations of guacamole with no taste and sound cream. I couldn't even find beans in this muthafucka and I ordered in Spanish!!! Wtf?? Maybe change the name Bajío to el bajó!

I stop here for a chorizo-egg burrito anytime I'm on my way to visit my sister in the central coast! It is so good and so are their homemade salsas! Their food is authentic and it's so tasty! You must stop by and try their food.

Decent food but not worth the price. I usually don't eat here but I was craving taquitos dorados de papa. They were okay but not worth the 17.99. It's just tortilla, potato, rice and beans. You can get a similar meal and quality anywhere else in town. Probably won't be back to eat here again

I'll never go to this place again. It's already the most expensive Mexican restaurant in town. Apparently that's not enough as they're now charging $1 for salsa. JOKE! Go to Monys and get the real deal Mexican food at a reasonable price and they give you salsa and chips.

This place was alright, but man they nickel and dime you on everything! The prices, Omg the prices They're what we in Mexican culture call "guerro prices" meaning, they're gouging you, or assume you're a tourist. It's crazy. Be warned, you have to pay for chips, which may be the only Mexican place in SB that does this. AND if you want more than one little plastic cup of salsa, they charge you a dollar each! ( I gave them two stars for the audacity ) I'm not sure how they compete with super Rica, Cesars, and Los Agaves down the street, I really don't. But hey, spend that dinero, as you're definitely going to need it to eat here!

The special was the same price as on the menu. Fish tacos were mostly vegies. Too pricey for me.

Absolutely delicious food and incredible service. I wish I lived closer, I would be here all the time. Looking forward to returning!

El Bajio gets my vote for the best carne asada torta in Santa Barbara. It's got mayo, avocado, lettuce, tomato, beautifully toasted torta bread, a little spice, but I hit it with the red salsa for a bite, green salsa for a bite, just keeps my taste buds FIRING!! I was having a long day, worked hard , tired, and needed to treat myself, so I got a torta and a watermelon aqua fresca. I left a happy man, filled with joy, and ready to take on the world...or my bed for a nap! That's a 5 star TORTA YOU gotta TRY.

I used to go regularly, I hadn't gone in last 2 Covid years. When I opened my container I thought someone ate it and left me the scraps. Huge disappointment I won't return. Birria platter $16.95 to go with a side of 4 flour tortillas. One spoon of beans, birria dripping in oil and two spoons of rice, no chips. Tiny little portion and only got one tortilla. As hungry as I was I tossed it. I really wanted my dinner to be good and it was far from it.

This place was way too expensive and I didn't even get what I ordered. I wanted a breakfast burrito but instead I got a weird platter with small tortillas on the side. I said this isn't what I want and they said "this is it" and walked away. My boyfriends regular burrito was flavorless we needed to smother it in salsa. Too bad they charge you $1.50 for an extra small ramekin of salsa. Just way to expensive and disappointing, would not be coming back.

I think there is a more "famous" taqueria around the area but this place had hands down the best asada torta ever. The bread is soft and sturdy enough not to disintegrate on contact with the juices from the asada and other sandwich toppings. You have the option to add salsas and onions/ habeneros from the salsa bar inside. This place is worth the line if there is one so I would recommend the wait and enjoying the luxurious torta. Prices are kind of more expensive than you'd expect but parking is easy and the portions are pretty generous so I would def go. Even though I was only in SB for an extended weekend we went back twice for the torta. Yelp did not lead me astray with this one !! Very satisfied with my visit!

Have been meaning to eat here for years and finally did. Have to say, it was a huge disappointment. Why? The food (chiles rellenos plate and shrimp caldo) was just average, and yet each dish cost $14.99! The shrimp were small and lackluster, the chiles greasy and bland. The beans and rice were afterthoughts. The atmosphere? Outdoor tables next to sidewalk and Milpas traffic. I mean, all of that is fine and acceptable for casual order at counter food, but the prices don't reflect that. For the cost, I'd expect really delicious and carefully prepared food and better setting and service. Service was just, whatever, without a smile or warmth from both the cashier and the cook who brought out food. I would never return. Instead, I'd go to Lito's, Los Agaves, Cuernavaca, even La Super Rica for goodness sake.

Homemade Tortillas, meats, and salsa. You can't really get much fresher than that at El Bajio. It's definitely one of the better Taquerias in town,with their Tacos being about double the size of what you'd get at Lily's. I got the Chicarron and Pollo Tacos.i noticed that the order took a little longer because they made the tortillas fresh. But still came out in less than 5 minutes. The Chicharron (Pork Rinds) were fresh with a very soft texture. The Chicken Taco was some fine, quality meat full of flavor. Oh yeah, the salsa verde is super hot but super good. That's their best salsa out of the 5 other options. Being next to work, getting here is easy...but for most of y'all, parking is a 90 minute anxiety test. I'd say go if you're downing Milpas because it's worth checking out their menu of other items.

Went to breakfast with my tio and brother, spent over 100$just to get yelled at from using the bathroom because I didn't have a mask on, after seeing multiple people use it without a mask. The old man didn't even have a mask on when he told me. Been coming for years, not anymore. Good food tho, you just don't play with my bladder

Milpas is known for their literal dozens of Mexican restaurants. El Bajio, in my opinion, is in the top 3. This is a very clean restaurant. It may be part of the "hole in the wall" category, but certainly doesn't feel like it. The place just smells clean as you walk in and has been immaculately tidy during each of my visits. Even the bathroom is impressively clean. If this restaurant can go through the trouble of sanitizing their customer areas, then I have no doubt their kitchen is the same way. The restaurant is located on lower Milpas, and I'm not sure that there is a private parking lot. My recommendation would be to park on the side street. The dining room is small but there's always a table available. I enjoy dining on their front patio and taking in the mild ocean breeze. I've ordered a variety of entrees here and all have been delicious. My favorite item is their fresh tortillas. Seriously, so good and served warm. They rival the ones at Super Rica just up the street. This place is not a drive-by; it's a must try!

Wow ! Absolutely Great Food Here ,The Queso Birria was Fantastic with the little cup of Consommé. Best to phone in orders otherwise you have to wait 15-20min during Lunch Time . Huge amounts of Catered Food being picked when I was there @2pm ,Make sure to ask where the order line is when you get there ! Enjoy

El Bajio is a solid option for those not wanting to wait in a long line for good food. Yes, the prices are on the higher end, but then again, so is portion size. Two tacos are plenty for most folks. Finishing an entire burrito in a single sitting would be challenging for most. The true is the salsa bar. All options are great and most have a pretty nice little kick to them.

Awesome food ! Great service and delicious restaurant. Bring the family & friend's! The place is friendly family owned top notch

Ample patio seating, amazing food, kind staff. I ordered the goat birria plate with agua fresca de melon. This place is authentic homemade Mexican food, highly recommended.

El Bajio has finally priced itself out of our consideration set. It is no doubt great taqueria food but a kid's quesadilla that costs $12 and is just a big tortilla folded in half with some cheese has finally done us in. Two tacos, a sandwich and kids quesadilla set us back $47. Good food, just not that good.

Really good but prices are getting ridiculous and you guys have burned my meat twice burned me taste awful. Best torta and tacos in town

I've spent 3 full days over the past year-ish exploring Santa Barbara's tacos, and this is one of my favorites (probably my #1 favorite with El Sitio being a close second). The meats are so flavorful, and their tacos are put together with the perfect filling-to-tortilla ratio. Their tacos are so simple & so perfect as the essence of what tacos are supposed to be. They have the usual self-serve toppings available - chopped onions, a variety of delicious salsas, etc. I also appreciate that they have a few outdoor tables, so I can bring my dog with me. It's surprising how few places in Santa Barbara have outside seating. And last but certainly not least, my idol Mario Batali just visited! https://instagram.com/p/7ks3Z4hRNh/

This place is a hidden gem, love coming here once a month when I drive from LA to Santa Barbara. Highly recommend, everything is delicious and authentic, to me it makes it worth the price!

Wow! A new favorite. I like authentic and this fits the bill! Amazing móle, shrimp cocktail (spicy), homemade tortillas, lots of salsas, aguas frescas, and a friendly clean and enjoyable place to eat. Prices are fairly reasonable. Our whole family enjoyed our lunch. I left full, content, and ready for a siesta!

Food is very good. BUT, so over priced! (extra for cheese on a burrito is just insulting) Staff takes your order as if they are doing you a favor! They seem to want to cater to folks who don't care about price, but not repeat customers. Bizarre. Good food, bad attitudes and prices.

I can't say enough good things about El Bajio, so I'm posting another well-deserved review. I was in Santa Barbara for a week of work and could have eaten here every day. They still have the best chips, and salsa. Where others consider chips an afterthought, here they are elevated to art: warm, fresh, and done in clean oil. And while the tacos are amazing, I sadly only have one stomach and had to try the soup with swordfish, with slices of avocado, the right amount of heat, and fresh tortillas on the side. Was so sad when I turned up my last day for a goodbye meal, and forgot they were closed Mondays. Left me wanting more. Until next time...

Used to be my go to place but the portions have gotten miniscule! For $11.00 you get a bean toastada, not a tostada salad like they used to have with pickled carrots, extra tortillas, sauce. NO, now you get a regular sized tortilla with a few beans smeared on it a bit of cheese, lettuce thats it. No sauce! Not worth eleven dollars, sorry this is happening.

Everything is seasoned very well. Just don't order anything with asada. They use the cheap cuts of meat and it is always full of gristle.I mean come on, for $15 a burrito I shouldn't be spitting half of it out!

Incredible place. Taqueria El Bajio is the beginning of a string of taquerias as you make your way up Milpas. I would strongly recommend this place for a few reasons: excellence (fast) service, amazing tacos and a wide variety of drinks. The asada is perfect, by far the best part of the asada taco I had. The tortilla is fresh but it's not the best. It tastes way too similar to something you can find at a grocery store. Thankfully, the tacos do not suffer from this. The salsa bar is solid, plenty of options. The red salsa is very smoky but not very hot. It complements tacos very well.

Extremely clean Great tortillas u can get butter on them Had chille rellenos .enough for 2 Sauce so fresh and tasty I cannot begin to tell how great Onions and potatoes in sauce. Someone in the kitchen is innovative Yikes Cannot wait to come back when they have mole sauce Even beans and rice were savory

I went to El Bajio yesterday and ordered to go. They packed the costillas in a flimsy paper container. When I got home they had seeped out of the bag and the juice was all over the seat of my car. When I phoned to let them know what happened their risponse was, "did you drive like a maniac?" !!!!!!! They'll never see me there again!