Tacos & Co

Mexican food with a variety of both authentic and gringo options. Eating area is somewhat messy and not particularly inviting.
They sell street tacos (i.e. soft tacos with double tortillas and meat, cilantro, and onions) which is nice. Not exactly many options for street tacos around here. I tried the carnitas, chicken, and al pastor street tacos. Al pastor was the clear winner, and I thought it was surprisingly nicely seasoned. Carnitas was kinda salty when I tried a bit of it on its own but it’s not as noticeable when you eat it with the tortilla. Chicken was ok but not as flavorful as the al pastor. They are standard street taco sized, which is to say rather small. The tortilla is the main thing holding the taco back though. It’s pretty unremarkable, dry (probably because it’s not greasy like other places) and likely store bought, though I’ve had worse tortillas and I tend to put a lot of salsa on my tacos anyways.
The food comes with a few tortilla chips. The salsa bar isn’t bad, and I think the green verde salsa is the best, though I haven’t tried the most mild salsa. The spiciest salsa isn’t too good though.
I’ve tried the enchiladas, and they’re fine if unremarkable.
However, the biggest factor preventing me from coming back frequently are the prices. I think it’s a tad too pricey for what you get even if the area is expensive. They have taco tuesday which brings the taco prices down to a more acceptable 1.50 (though carne asada is a 25 cents more, and I did not try them), but I wouldn’t get them on a normal day. It tends to end up slightly under 10 bucks, and I don’t consider that cheap.
It’s more of a 3.5 than a 4 for me, but because the place is better than I thought it would be based on reading reviews, and since they’re probably the only option nearby for street tacos, I bumped the rating up.

Tacos & Co seems to get a bad rap on Unilocal,which I really don’t understand. I’ve been to Tacos & Co numerous times for lunch and dinner and have been satisfied with each visit. It is almost next to impossible to find an authentic Mexican food place in Irvine and I want to say that Tacos & Co is probably the only authentic Mexican food place in all of Irvine. My first visit here was with a co-​worker during lunch and I have came back numerous times ever since.
The Service:
It seems like people have had bad service at Tacos & Co, but I have never been treated rudely. In fact I have only experienced nice and friendly service from all of the staff here. It can get busy during lunch, but the staff does a great job of taking your order and cooking your food in a timely manner.
The food:
The menu at Tacos & Co features what most Mexican food places in SoCal feature. The food is delicious and filling. I have eaten at many Mexican food places and would rate the taste at Tacos & Co to be slightly above average, which is definitely not a bad thing. The best thing about Tacos & Co is their generous salsa bar, which features many different types of salsa, jalapenos, onions, and cilantro.
Tacos & Co is a great option if you’re looking for authentic Mexican food in Irvine.

I’ve only ever ordered to go here but the foods not very good.
It’s all fried and greasy which doesn’t have to be a bad thing, but here it is.
I’d rather go to Taco Bell for better Americanized Mexican food

They are so helpful here! I had to order 12 tacos and they were very nice and patient about it. They catered to my needs and even gave me my own container of salsa and limes. Their service was efficient and fast! Gracias!

The 3 stars on Unilocal for Tacos & Co. doesn’t do it any justice. It deserves 5…
I am a hard core fan of tacos (or Mexican food in general) and this is the only great place to get authentic Mexican food in OC.
Service is great– staff is nice and friendly. They cook your food instantly and right in front of you so you know it’s fresh. Menu is vast– they have literally everything and combination plates make it easy for you to try multiple things. Chicken taquitos, asada and chicken tacos, burritos el gordo, and the nachos are perhaps my go to favorites at Tacos & Co. And can I say prices are totally worth it– like $ 6 for an authentic burrito that’ll leave you full and satisfied is pleasing to me. Just think about Chipotle being like $ 8 and not authentic.
Fresh salsa bar, all their salsas are amazing, they have cilantro and onions as well.
Don’t forget to try their Horchata! It just completes the meal and raises it to a whole other level.
And check out their happy hour for cheaper prices!

BEWARE! CAUTION! STAY AWAY! AVOID! RUN!
I visited here on December 10 for a dinner. It was raining, windy, and cold outside and I was looking forward to eating inside. I ordered my food at 8:35pm and received my food 10 minutes later, but it was NOT how I ordered it. When I took the food back to have it fixed, I had to wait another 10 minutes and when I received the food back, they gave me a very small portion of meat compared to the mistake version. And then the young punk cashier (Nicolas) kicked everyone out at 9pm, because he wanted to clean up and close the restaurant! Nicolas kicked out «5» customers, including me. I told him that I had just got my food and I wanted to enjoy it in doors, because it was raining, windy, and cold outside… he did not care, but kicked me out!
I called the owner (Francisco) up through the business card and explained the matter; at which he informed me he would investigate it through the video tapes AND get back to me. Francisco told me that it is NOT the policy of the restaurant to throw people out at 9pm, when they close, but to allow the customers a chance to eat their food. However, Francisco never got back with me; even after I left a follow up voicemail and text.
I will never be back to a place that treats their customers with such disrespect and disgust! Why should a customer eat at a place that does not give the customer what he orders and throws the customer out exactly when they close?
I also wrote the BBB, the District Attorney of California, Consumer Affairs and all complaints went unanswered by Taco’s & Co and Francisco!

I have been to Tacos & Co countless times over my first two years at UCI. I have to say I don’t know how I’d satisfy my cravings for authentic Mexican food without them (there aren’t too many places like this in Irvine). Their food is phenomenal and the staff is friendly. I love the self-​serve salsa bar and how they give a bit of free chips on the side with their entrées. I don’t see a future without Tacos & Co in my life.

Today I placed a phone order with this place (first time here) when I got there about 15 minutes later and told the cashier my name and order I placed, he was looking for the receipt and talking to the cook in Spanish. I assumed he forgot my order because he tells me it’s going to be a few minutes. Doesn’t apologize for the inconvenience and rings my order up. I was disappointed in the service and food because the cashier seemed out of it and not personable. The food was also mediocre and non authentic tasting.

Can I please give 0 stars?
Me and my co-​workers ordered a few items off of their menu with specific instructions and they completely f***ed it up. We spent over $ 20 on food we could not eat or enjoy due to their cooks/​staff not taking simple specific orders. Be warned that if you have specific instructions they will not listen to you and give you what they see fit…

Tacos & Co has authentic tasting Mexican food, however they lack integrity.
Be careful, if you plan on using this restaurant to cater your event. For example, I ordered 2 dozen tamales and some other sides to be catered for an event. I called over 1 week in advance and I was informed the order would be ready upon my arrival. When I went to pick up the food, the order was not even prepared and they scrambled to put it together. I heard the cashier inform the staff in Spanish that she didn’t have my order, but she told me they had it in english (I don’t think she knew I understood Spanish).
When I returned home, I discovered that i only had 18 tamales (instead of 24) and half of the tamales were the wrong type. I don’t mind if they were sold out or if they didn’t have enough tamales to complete my order, however I wish they informed me of this as the store instead of letting me figure it out later.
A few days after my event, I went back to the store and informed the same cashier about what occurred. At first, she pretended not to recognize me, until I showed her some of the wrong tamales that were sold to me. I negotiated a minor refund.
On other occasions at this restaurant, I had an okay experience having tried tacos. The food tasted authentic, but also more on the heavy/​fried Mexican side.
It’s an okay spot to grab a taco/​quick lunch, but be careful if you plan on using them to cater your next big event.

The meat in three tacos are pretty good. The carne asada was probably my favorite. The tacos were pretty small too. Taco Tuesday ($ 1.50/taco) deals are only 3pm-​6pm. Service is nice and fast. You get a handful of tortilla strips that you can pair with the salsa and spaces in the bar.
The ambiance feels a little old and outdated. Felt like I wasn’t in Irvine. Craving cheap tacos but not willing to drive, this is the place.

I called 30 minutes before hand to see if I could get the student discount on top of the happy hour discount. They informed me yes. I waited till Happy hour. When I got my check, they charged my tacos the regular price. I asked what happened to my happy hour price and they said their system can’t do both discounts… The cashier took forever when entering my order which made me check receipt. Won’t be coming here again. Next time please don’t misinform your customers.

Really good food and so friendly. I love Mexican food and this… this is just bomb I’m so satisfied with they’re food and the service

I am so glad Tacos and Company is back! The food is affordable, and delicious. Happy hour is 3 – 6 every day! Free chips and salsa with beer purchase during happy hour as well.
The al pastor is good, as are the nachos. I haven’t had anything that was bad here, and I’ve tried a lot. The only negative is the unpredictability of opening hours, sometimes they are on time, others they are not.

Felt like it was a bit over priced but I ordered anyway. The burrito I received was not as big as anticipated.
Overall, I was hungry and it met my needs to fill my stomach.

Man, this place is so great! I had a chicken and steak taco with a beer. All for 6 bucks! This happy hour is awesome. The workers all seem to get along and talk and laugh while working and that’s something I love. I think it’s great for the employees to have fun while working. Soccer game playing, nice air conditioning, very clean. They don’t skimp out on the meat for the happy hot tacos which is AWESOME. So much flavor. Oh! The chips are slightly seasoned. They taste like the Julio’s chips if you’ve ever had those. Awesome. Another thing I love is that the salsa bar labels which sauces are hot and which ones are mild. I love a good kick and they’re hottest sauce made my nose run and my eyes water in a good way! Very satisfied with my visit. Will be brining my friends next time. :)

Service was standard, the seating and tables have a little wear and tear. But I was disappointed with my shrimp burrito, they over cooked the shrimp to the point where some of the shrimp were brunt. I ordered a Med drink and the cashier gives me a small white Styrofoam cup. I even asked to double check that this was a Med and she said yes. I won’t be coming back.

Tacos and co on campus has been «temporarily» closed since a fire that occurred in jan 2015. I’m not sure when it will reopen but here are updates:
–Only get the fish taco. The other tacos aren’t worth too much of your time anymore…
–Guac and chips are still great!!! However, the Guac may taste off sometimes
–salsa tastes like it was poured from a can from WalMart
— happy hour still makes everyone happy, so why not!

Been here a couple of times. I had the nachos since it said it came with a cheese sauce instead of just plain melted cheese. Nachos were ok. Not the most authentic Mexican spot in my opinion but very convenient in this food court.

I had the pleasure of visiting this place while I The food was good. Service was good. However, overall it’s JUST good. Not going to knock your socks off by any means but it wasn’t gross either. I enjoyed it. A little pricey tho. I know some mom and pop shop places that’ll blow this place outta the water for less $$!! Oh and I had to ask for limes. This is Mexican food, should those be sitting out next to the salsas?