Calafia Taqueria

We went here and got hard taco and tostada. Total out the door with tax and tip was $15. The meat selection is decent - I went with the shredded chicken on the taco and the grilled chicken on the tostado. Both were good, but nothing to go crazy over.

The salsa selection is really good. They have about a half dozen different salsa options.

Love the outdoor seating.

I've come here twice now and both experiences have been okay - nothing special.

Food:
- The chips are good as they aren't frail and fragile. They hold their own.
- The crispy tacos are good for this reason as well - they don't fall apart at one bite.
- The pollo asado tacos and the enchiladas were a little disappointing and lacked flavor. The theme seems to be the chicken that is not seasoned well and comes across as bland.
- Salsa bar: the salsa bar is good - variety of salsas, cucumbers, spicy carrots, etc. available
- They have fridges for bottled beer and soft drinks. They also have horchata in a big jug

Miscellaneous:
- Parking is available via street parking
- Order at the counter and they will call your number to come pick up your food
- Indoor and outdoor dining available

Super burrito: 2/10
Tostadas: 4/10

This was our go to restaurant but coming here again today and last time, is pure disappointment. 2 in a row with bad experience.

Bought a burrito and tostada. And the burrito was undercook, idk if the tortilla is not cook all the way or it was just old. When I order they were limited with the meat. They didn't have steak and Al pastor Plus the burrito was filled with more rice beans and barely any meat. and tostada was tasteless. Differently not coming back here again. I'll just go to La Penca Azul or Fruitvale. Service is very friendly and the place is clean.



Quick update: I got food poison, never going here again.

I met a buddy here to brainstorm some ideas over lunch. The building interior is very interesting with high ceilings and red brick in parts. It feels very unique and somehow old world.

Service is friendly which adds to the welcoming atmosphere. We were greeted with a smile and a helpful attitude.

The salsa bar is not what I would call attractive, but it does get the job done and offers variety. Four types of salsa, carrots, pickled onion... good stuff.

The back patio is a wonderful feature. It's a quiet oasis with a very peaceful vibe. There is some clutter around in a haphazard way, but the space is comfortable and inviting.

The best part- The Chips. I'm big on tortilla chip quality. Nothing disappoints me more than a taqueria using Costco chips. These guys did not do that. Great chips with good flavor, crispy crunch, and just the right amount of oil and salt. Well done.

Now the bad part, and it is a biggie. I ordered two chicken tacos. I'm sorry. They were bland. Very bland. They had no flavor at all. I ended up dumping a bunch of salsa on them just to taste something. That's really a tragedy.

So, will I return? I have to give it a maybe. My buddy loves the burritos so maybe I will try that.

I got diarrhea on their salsa. Stay away from their salsa.

The yellow rice with onions in it was delicious, then they stopped making it and use the basic Mexican red rice, boring.

I live close to this biz and so wish they'd listened to me re: over salting their food. (I tried 3 times!) The wait is not bad, the atmosphere is so-so as it's right next to Webster which has been ruined by street "improvements" that cause slow traffic, irate drivers, and increased red light running (not much improvement in other words though not the restaurant's fault). Recently, a close neighbor walked over to get something for dinner. She said they are still over-salting their food.

Not only does this undermine flavor and enjoyment of the food - it is a health issue. For the meantime, I will continue to skip this restaurant.

[disclaimer: tried the food truck's pop up tent at almanac on alameda]
Disappointed. That's all I can say. I ordered 3 street tacos with Steak, Chicken, and Carnitas. All meats were sub par. The carnitas in particular was very dry. Nearly every bite was ruined with undercooked tortilla. 3 street tacos for $15?! Such a waste of money.

Spacious taqueria with outdoor seating. Free chis and salsa bar. The food is ok if you've got the drunk munchies from the Fireside next door. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there otherwise.

Today is Mexican Independence Day.

Before heading to Crown Bay Nursing and Rehab Center, I decided to stop in at Calafia. The sandwich board's special (right outside the entrance) listed 3 tamales for $9.95. Okay, I can go for that deal.

It has been many years since I had their pork tamales. It used to cost 3 for $6.00. That was when they first opened about 20 years ago.

I always enjoy their fish tacos, but at $5.25 each, I decided to forgo the fish tacos at this time. I do miss the barrels of the agua frescas. Yet they still have the Jamaica and horchata in the refrigerator. The salsa bar is still there, which is a good thing.

My husband always order the carne asada super burrito, which is enough to feed the both of us. Most of the time we order the food to go since we don't live too far from Calafia.

Today they were busy taking care of customers who arrived before I did. The wait wasn't that long. I got my order about a minute before the #20 AC bus arrived. Perfect timing.

Calafia is one of the Mexican restaurants I patronize in town.

I really like to food here and the staff is awesome! This time around John helped me out and he's a super funny young man who is learning Spanish! He said working here is his school and I love it! No better way to learn Spanish than to just jump right in and be surrounded by it all day long.

Food is pretty tasty the best refried beans I've found in the area thus far. I'm gonna have to come back for a bean and cheese burrito. Also they have a super cool little hole in the wall feel to it. I love a good hole in the wall. I will be back soon and I appreciate John for his great customer service and hospitable disposition!