Recently visited a friend in SJ, and had to hit up one of our go-to spots! I got 3 big crispy tacos (asada, pollo, and pastor). The tacos had such a nice crunch to them & were stacked with meat and toppings. The sauce had a nice kick to it & made the tacos so addicting to eat. Service was really friendly and quick. Food was even better than I remembered and can't wait to come back :) read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Big Crispy Taco - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Solid Mexican spot in San Jose. They have two locations, and this one also has a late-night food truck (after concerts/raves it can get VERY crowded). They have so many different things on their menu, including burritos, crispy tacos, and plates. They also serve alcohol and have giant margaritas (serves like 5+ people). My favorite thing to get is their crispy tacos (3 for $15) with carne asada, and also their ceviche tacos with shrimp + fish. They used to only take cash/venmo, but I heard they might take card now. read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Ceviche Tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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The food here was affordable and delicious as a staple of SJSU! tacos were nicely seasoned and came out quick when we ordered. Service was nice and fast as well. Al Pastor is one of my favorite proteins in Mexican cuisine and this Al Pastor really hit the spot. Sauces were fun to experiment with as well! Fries were crispy and fluffy. The music was catchy and vibey but LOUD, luckily they turned it down after a while. Overall great value, bring cash, and have a drink alongside your food! read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Al Pastor Cali Tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants and a must-visit every time I'm in San Jose! I've been here multiple times, and the food is consistently delicious. The portions are generous, the prices are very reasonable. My absolute favorites are the quesabirria and the carne asada fries--both are packed with flavor and always hit the spot. If you're craving Mexican food, this place is definitely worth checking out! read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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I used to love this place when it was Iguana's, so I came at the recommendation of my friends. Overall, I think the experience was underwhelming because the waitress tried to gaslight me about my order. I ordered the asada burrito bowl with fajitas and asada crispy tacos. She gave me the bowl with fajitas and no asada and when I asked for clarification she brought it out on the side and charged an extra $8. She had a bit of an attitude and seemed really annoyed that I asked for asada. The manager was really nice and refunded the $8, but it was more about the principle than the money. I think if there's a miscommunication it's important to be patient, I wish I tipped the manager instead of the waitress. I won't be back. read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Asada crispy tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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This place is one of the few places that deserve 6 stars in my book. Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen is the definition of comfort food at a fair price. I've been coming here for 2 years and I have never once had a bad experience with the food. The service is pretty great with servers being extremely efficient with any needs. This location also features a Salsa bar which has onions, cilantro, limes, and a few other items. During this meal, I ordered the: -Chips and Salsa -Steak Fajitas -Cali Burrito with Asada (MY FAVORITE) -Crispy Tacos 3x with Asada -32oz Horchata The seasonings for their meat is extremely noticeable and doesn't overpower the flavor. The same can be said for the seasoning on the chips; it's extremely delicious. My biggest positive for this place is the portion sizes; they don't skimp out on the proteins! Their horchata tastes better than the ones I personally had in Mexico. When comparing this place to establishments like Chipotle, this place easily wins in terms of food quality/freshness and pricing. Overall, I do recommend coming in after the lunch rush just because parking is a minor issue here. But overall, this is possibly the best Mexican restaurant in Silicon Valley. I'm a regular here so I'll be coming back again! read more

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SO AMAZING, no notes!!! Pescado nachos are so fire and comes in a generous portion that is easily 2 servings for $15, what a steal. I always come back here when i'm in SJ. The strawberry horchata is also super yummy!! read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - tilapia nachos - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

This is definitely the spot whether you are a student or a working professional. This location units all walks of life. Situated at a street with awful parking options and suspect corners, a shining beacon of queso hope lies on 10th street. This place gets so busy that you hope the wait is worth it. I would say it is if you have been out all night or have had a long day. Inside the restaurant is a jam packed taqueria scene with available outdoor seating. The horchata here is kind of disappointing and so are the other drinks. If you come here, get the quesabirria tacos with the consume. read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - super quesabirria - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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Not only is this place nostalgic, it also hits every time. I've had Cali Spartan/Spartan Tacos so many as a go-to meal, and it never misses - cheap, delicious, and great service. I always get the little crispy tacos, lengua, suadero, and pastor. We usually get chips and salsa but today we got a side of fries and they were sooooo good. Piping hot and perfectly crunchy. They also take card now so no need to stock up on cash before you go. It's super casual inside with festive decorations and fun music playing. Love to get pickled onions at the salsa bar and don't forget to ask for mango salsa! read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Fries - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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Authentic Mexican food, very tasty and made with fresh ingredients. Friendly staff...if you can get their attention. The dining area has limited seating. This place is very busy, so take any table you can get or order to go. The food is very good, always made fresh daily. One complaint I have is the music is WAY TOO LOUD!!!! It's an unbearable level that eliminates all the enjoyment of eating in. Better to order to go. read more

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Cali Spartan never fails to blow me away. It's delicious and reliable, and it's always a good spot to take visitors to or dine at with friends. I've been to all of the locations multiple times and they are all fantastic. The parking lot is pretty small for this downtown SJ location compared to the other Cali Spartan locations in the suburbs. They have indoor and outdoor (under tent) seating available. The music is usually pretty loud and sometimes it can get pretty hard to hear people when seated inside. I always get the big crispy tacos here, and I've tried their carne asada, al pastor, fish, shrimp, chicken, cabeza, etc. and all have been delicious! My favorites are probably the carne asada, shrimp, and al pastor. Their regular fries are tasty and crispy, and the loaded Cali fries are amazing too. Their food is just loaded with so many toppings and bursts of flavor. Always a good time eating here. One time I did try their super burrito though and I wasn't a fan of it. It was super plain and seemed to skimp in almost all of the ingredients and had mostly just rice and lettuce. It even had some tiny shredded carrots which was interesting because it looked like a salad mix type and was not the move for a burrito. Wasn't up my alley but I'll continue ordering and loving the big crispy tacos and Cali fries! read more

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Came here for lunch on my quest of trying all locations for Cali Spartan; 2/3 so far. This is the original location and it did not disappoint! 5/5 stars had a wonderful experience! Servers were attentive and were ready to take our order immediately. The interior decorations are very beautiful, but it is a bit smaller than the blossom hill location. Parking can be difficult during peak hours so keep that in mind. The food was delicious and HIT the spot. The quality of their food is very consistent and is jam packed full of flavor & fresh! Al Pastor Fajitas 10/10 Carne Asada Fajitas 9.5/10 Chips and Guac 9/10 Tried some new items on the menu instead of what's usually ordered and it did not disappoint! Their sauce bar and mango salsa/condiment availability is better than the blossom hill location. Both the Al Pastor and Carne Asada were scrumptious, they were cooked to perfection and had some crunchy pieces too! Flavor was superb, but the Al Pastor did taste better than the Carne Asada. Chips and Guac was excellent, and they also do have the chip seasoning to boost the flavor! Overall the fupa is very happy with this experience and only have 1 more location to try! Big Back Tip: Extremely satisfied with this order because the sheer amount of protein you get for the price point has got to be better than any other item. Will definitely return to indulge on this again. read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Carne Asada Fajitas (Sizzling Plate) Al Pastor Fajitas (Sizzling Plate) Chips and Guac - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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These tacos are addicting - every time I think about this place, I start getting hungry. I ordered on the phone prior to pick-up on a Wednesday night, and thank goodness I did because it was so busy. There is extremely limited parking, so be prepared to circle a couple times before you find a spot. The actual store is quite small but has a nice patio area. There's a whole bar dedicated to toppings, ranging from pickled onions to lime wedges. I ordered a bunch of crispy tacos maybe fifteen minutes before arriving and waited an additional fifteen minutes in the restaurant. This was understandable given the crowd. I can't get over how delicious the crispy tacos were. The crunchy shell was the cherry on top of a fantastic, filled taco. I highly recommend al pastor and lengua for the filling. It was a flavor explosion, with savory meat, fresh vegetables, a smoky sauce, and a perfect crisp. The crispy taco is definitely not cheap, but for the amount of food you get, it's worth the price. I devoured all of my tacos and immediately started craving more. I'm looking forward to my next visit! read more

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DONT LISTEN TO EVERYONE - this is the same as the taco truck that is located across the street. Skip the line and eat here LOL! Also there is guaranteed seating, its the parking that is difficult! My go to is always the big crispy tacos or the quesabirria! We love coming here! Its great food for a low price! I also always see people oreering their giant drinks here... maybe one day i will order it! Seems like the spot for college students. read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Big crispy tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Very disappointing experience. We waited over 30 minutes for just four tacos and a side of refried beans, which is completely unacceptable for such a small order. What made the experience even worse was the service. We felt ignored the entire time--no one acknowledged the long wait, checked in on us, or offered any explanation. We were left waiting while it seemed like no one cared. Good customer service is just as important as good food, and unfortunately, this place fell short on both the wait time and the overall experience. Because of the poor service alone, we won't be returning. I hope they take customer service and wait times more seriously in the future. read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Carne Asada tacos, side of refried beans. Horchata - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Really solid taco spot located right next to the SJSU campus in downtown San Jose. Came in on a warm day to get some tacos before heading to the Sharks game. To my surprise, this is actually a sit-down establishment as opposed to a taqueria style counter order. The menu was very extensive and had so much variety in food and drinks. Service was nice and we got our food fast, as it wasn't too crowded when we came in on a Thursday around 6pm. There is also a self-service salsa bar with all the taco fixings. Big Crispy Tacos: one of their best sellers, basically a tostada with a heaping mound of taco meat, cheese, pico de gallo, and sour cream. We got pastor and lengua and both were great! Quesabirria Tacos: served in a set of 3 tacos and these were also great! I actually preferred them over the big crispy tacos, but I'm just a sucker for quesabirria I think. read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Big crispy tacos and Quesabirria tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Still a regular at this location and still on support of all the great things you read about their crispy tacos. But back to share something new that I haven't seen anyone mention yet; their tamarindo flavored chamoy rims! Yes you probably heard mention of it but did you know it's their OWN recipe?! I LOVE their chavelas. It's actually the first place I tried it and no wonder I've never liked them anywhere else. Their IN HOUSE CHAMOY rim blends with Pacifico beer, lime and tajin in a way no other location can do and I finally got tired of wondering what brand chamoy they used to I asked and discovered it's their own recipe which leaves me only being able to have it here. I don't mind! But do hope they'll consider selling it! Would be cool to have some Cali spartan merch besides shirts. Wait for food is hit or miss these days. Some days, service is fast! Others it's notable slower. They still have their own parking lot but since this place is so popular, you can't count on always finding a spot. This does lead to people double parking or parking in ways that could block you. Employees will take a picture of cars and go around asking whose it belongs to and if they can be moved. Parking is hard in downtown but the people make it work for their tacos! I don't mind any of this. I'm a certified fan read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Chavela and michelada - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

We came here on a Monday night and got sat down for service. The food here is really good, I have not been here for years and it was better than I remembered. I love all the toppings and the sauces they have and everything tasted so good! I would definitely come back, they have a large variety of foods and drinks here. I recommend this place, I know they have food truck down the street that serves food as well. read more

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Checked out a different Cali Spartan kitchen and was impressed again! Unfortunately they do not have the guacamole salsa at this location, but they still had amazing service otherwise. The atmosphere is lively but still cozy as it is smaller than their other location, but service was just as fast! The Al pastor and tripa meats are super delicious. Seasoned very well and not too salty. Each component of the taco doesn't overwhelm the other ingredients and you are welcome to add as much onion or cilantro from their toppings bar! read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Interior - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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Have always been a 5/5 for me, but recently noticed you are not allowed to drink outdoors anymore. Had to wait extra time for space to open up inside, but still loved it as usual. I have dreams about the little crispy tacos and nothing will satiate it than here or the food truck. Also the orange sauce... gimmie dat. Ceviche was a huge service for a good price point and I loved the micheladas. Can't go wrong. read more

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I've been here twice now with my brother and the crispy tacos are EXCELLENT! We were fortunate both times to find parking in the lot out back, but during peak dining hours I'm sure it's harder to find. I've tried the little and big crispy tacos now, their wide selection of meat is excellent and what other spot lets you pick different meats for a set of 3?? Feels rare! The pastor is solid, and cabeza is really tender. I'm curious about their braised beef next time! I also had a large strawberry/horchata agua fresca (32oz!) for only $8, what a steal! I'm not local anymore and this hit the spot so well that I'm considering picking some up next time I fly into SJC. read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Big crispy tacos (pastor and cabeza) - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Needed a California Mexican food fix while in San Jose. Found this promising remedy on Yelp. Small place with both inside and outside seating. Chose an inside table which was nice because they've done a good job decorating for Christmas. Fun, cool vibe with music playing inside. Waitress was quick and good. They have a lunch special with three tacos and a drink for $10. You pick the type and I went with pastor. We also ordered some chips and salsa to hold us over. Good portions and flavor, A+. Tacos were street style and good, not great. Would try something different next time. Would also like to try some of their cocktails too next time too. read more

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It took us long enough to finally try this place! There is a parking spot, as well as street parking. As soon as you walk in, you can either sit down and enjoy or order to go. The service is great, quick and attentive! We ordered a few items - they came out probably 15-20 minutes after we ordered but food came out tasting delicious. There is seating both inside and outside. read more

Everything was amazing from ambiance to food to service. We came in around late lunchtime where there was plenty of outdoor seating. We got our food in a quick time given the amount that we ordered. Staff were attentive and checked in with us frequently. Cali fries - SO good and such a large portion for what you pay for! Definitely worth the price and recommend trying this! Torta-birria - Very filling and loaded to the brim! Regular quesabirria - Also very tasty! read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Regular quesabirria (bottom), cali fries (center), torta-birria (top) - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

There's a reason this place is famous in the bay. love the lively, colorful, decorations, and loud atmosphere families friends, the diversity, that comes here to enjoy saucy, flavorful, Mexican food food. Famous for its super Cali crispy tacos, the crunchy shell with creamy avocado, fat fries, and the superior orange sauce. Insane best quesadilla I've ever had as well, so fat it was like a burrito, good meat, saucey like I like it! Waitresses can be a bit slow because they're constantly overworked. read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Super cali crispy tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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How did I not know about this place sooner? Small lot, friendly service, and excellent food! Got the Cali Crispy Tacos--they have a variety of protein you can choose from. I got the fish, shrimp, and pastor--all delicious! My friends got the lingua and cabeza and also liked what they got. Their horchata is sweet and dairy free. I can't wait to go back! read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Cali Crispy Tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Mermaid burrito 4/5 - this was decent but nothing amazing. Good amount of protein but I would get a different meat next time. The burrito is huge and good for two people I think Chips and guac were really good. They took a really long time to bring our food out. But the workers are really nice read more

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Needless to say, I LOVE Sparco's crispy tacos and orange sauce. It's very unique, and they consistently provide the best flavor and texture for tacos. Sad we can't find it anywhere else tho. read more

It's a solid choice for food and drink. It's not the best I've ever had, but I could see myself craving this place once in a while, and I know I'll be back at some point. Everyone talks about the "orange sauce;" I just want to be clear, it doesn't taste like oranges, haha! It is an orange-colored sauce that some find a little spicy, but I didn't feel that it was spicy at all. I do love spicy food though. The mango tajin lemonade came in a huge, glass stein (you do kind of pay for the amount though, since I felt it was expensive for a drink). The parking can be tough sometimes, but it is an off-street lot that's free, so I appreciated that. Overall, would recommend! read more

Oh this was so good!! My husband and I went for lunch and while the restaurant is a bit small, we were able to sit down immediately. Our waitress was kind and showed up to take our order within minutes. Once the food arrived the flavors were immaculate. Everything we had was seasoned well. I can't wait to come back to go back. My favorite was the super tacos! read more

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You can never go wrong with spartan tacos! It definitely gets super busy late at night as this is a late night spot for many people in the area. Keep in mind they only accept cash so bring cash!! Be sure to try their crispy tacos so good! read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Living in San Jose, there are a lot of Mexican restaurants, and I've been to most of them. I always wondered why they're all so disappointing. It really bothered me, every single restaurant, every single taco truck, is terrible in San Jose. Then I discovered Cali Spartan, that's when everything changed. This place is amazing, so amazing that even little issues are easily overlooked by me. The food is delicious, it tastes like Mexican food I've had in San Diego, which is the best in California. The moment you walk in, you can just tell by the smell. The portions are gigantic too! You WILL be full, and you WILL have leftovers. The kind of leftovers that still taste good the next day too. Everything was hot and delicious, but my burrito (GIGANTIC) was cold, but it was easy to overlook because it still tasted delicious! The service is excellent, I can't believe how nice the servers are. It is a very stressful work environment because of how busy they get. I watched them literally SPRINT back and forth between groups of broccoliheaded college kids, it looked like a nightmare. There's a nice clean condiment area that's self serve with fresh onions, radishes, and other items to accompany your dishes. Their homemade sauce is out of this world, and that is an understatement! Parking is an issue, it's a small parking lot that's packed. Like I said earlier, the broccoli children are entitled and selfish, so they park in areas they're not allowed and block cars in. While I ate, I watched a waitress go to each table and show a photo of the car in question, and ask everyone if that was their car. I think she should've popped the tires and smashed the windows to teach the little runts a lesson, 90s style. All in all though, this is the Mexican restaurant I was looking for. A real Mexican restaurant with authentic Mexican food. Forget everywhere else you've been, this is the one. read more

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My friends and I came in on a Sunday afternoon for lunch, and it was relatively busy. I got 3 little crispy tacos--my go-to--with steak as my choice of meat, and it was sooo good. Honestly they never miss with these tacos; I also love their orange sauce as well though it can get spicy. Atmosphere was great with musics in the background. I would definitely come back. read more

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Cash or Venmo only! Good amount of parking in the lot for weekday lunch. Cabeza comes a little crispy, pastor good flavor just doesn't come with pineapple. Cameron shrimp is smaller size but still good. 3 tacos for $9 read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

D2 has been having a mad craving for birria tacos since her trip to Southern California and every chance she can get them, she will. D1 and my SonShine have been to Cali Spartan before and we had been in the area so they suggested we come here. It's in the SJSU area, so no wonder it's called Cali Spartan. There's a small parking lot on the side and back which makes it convenient. Nearly every space was taken though, surprisingly there weren't many tables taken inside though, so I'm thinking people are using the parking lot for other businesses. We were greeted instantly and asked if we wanted to eat inside or out. It didn't matter to us, whatever was available first. We got our table and were given menus. It's a pretty extensive menu with lots of offerings. D1 and D2 both got the birria tacos. SonShine had the Cali Tacos, all carne asada. And I ordered the Super crispy tacos, 1 carne asada, 1 pollo, and 1 pastor. The food took a bit to come out, but at least we know that it was freshly prepared. In that meantime of waiting, we decided to order chips and salsa. The chips had a yummy seasoning on it. The salsa was super spicy, so D2 and I decided to eat our chips with their yummy Orange Sauce. And IMHO, Cali Spartan's Orange Sauce is better than the other popular Mexican eatery with the initials, L.V. D2 loved her birria, D1 said it was just okay. D1 said she prefers her birria on flour tortillas, however she's comparing it to something she's eaten in Tacoma, WA. We all told her this is legit Mexican food, and what she's been eating in WA is gringo-fied. AHahah.SonShine has had his tacos before, so he already knew what he was getting. I needed to have a taste of each, just to be sure and hands down the carne asada was the best. The vibe inside is hella chill, there's tv screens, bright lights, and they were already decorated for Christmas on Black Friday. CASH ONLY so come prepared. read more

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I frequently crave these tacos. From the spicy smokey creamy orange salsa to the crispy taco shell, to the flavorful tender suadero and pastor meats. They're perfect, consider me addicted! They have a food truck and restaurant, the truck is just around the corner and takes cash only, and the food is just as good. Cannot recommend enough!! read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Little crispy tacos with pastor and suadero - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Absolutely delicious! I ordered my go-to, 2 adobada and 1 carne asada. They did not disappoint with the portions given. It felt like a lively environment. I had a great time eating there. read more

My first time ordering food from their actual restaurant because I usually go to the food trucks for the late night munchies or when I'm by Costco. We placed our order and 30 minutes had passed by, I began to notice that the customers lined up after us were receiving their orders first and started to question when we would receive ours. It must've been forgotten because none of the staff was able to find our order and began scrambling around just to check up on it. It wasn't a busy day either, and I was a bit bummed when we asked for mango salsa (we ordered 8 tacos btw) the waitress only gave us one tiny container. On another note, I did try the super soft tacos for the first time and they were yummy! Aside from that, I most likely wouldn't return unless if I dined in. For my future takeout orders, I would lean to ordering from their food trucks. read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Tripas Big Crispy Tacos 10/10 - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Food was delish! Love crispy tacos and this place has that option. Their strawberry horchata was refreshing and not too sweet. Nachos were abundant so I didn't get to finish it in one sitting. Staff were friendly and accommodating. read more

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Started going to Cali Spartan after a recommendation from my girlfriend who had it one time and said it was one of the best tacos she had ever had. Cali Spartan specializes in "crispy tacos" which are essentially what Americans know as "tostadas" rather than my intial thought being the crispy shell tacos from Taco Bell. The location is right in downtown san jose with a good amount of seating that we almost never have an issue when there. The parking situation is weird though, as the lot is pretty poorly maintained and depending how others are parked, you might be diagonal next to a dumpster. The crispy tacos: they are legit. Freshly made and every protein I have tried has been a banger. The pastor, carne asada, papa con chorizo, saudero; all are great especially once you top it off with their hot sauce and pico. They also have loaded fries which are also awesome and hits the spot. read more

Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen - Aguas Frescas and Crispy Tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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