The birria was so good and had NO FAT. This was an ideal situation for me. I ordered the queso-birria plate which had chips+guacamole. The guac tasted like the Wholly Guacamole brand, which is noticeably not homemade/fresh, but still tastes okay. The combo included a soda so I chose Jarrito's + they have ~6 flavors. This was a satiating and flavorful lunch. Consomé was good, and I was given enough limes, too. read more

California Taco Shop - QuesoBirria 1 - Mexican Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

I wanted to like this place I really did. The ordering is slow and clunky even when you call them. Wait times are long even when. You plan ahead. This wouldn't be so bad it the order was done right more often. So many times I just wanted simple tacos and tell them no sour cream etc and it goes on anyway. Decent prices though read more

Food was good, authentic tasting. I felt prices were a tad unreasonable. It was $5 for maybe a pint of rice. Won't do that again!

Absolutely terrible , would give negative one star if that were an option . The tortilla on my birria quesadilla was not saturated or grilled , the meat was flavorless and full of fat , the consommé was clear like chicken stock with no seasoning ... just an all around fail read more

so confused by the average rating because this was really good?? i got 7 carne asada tacos because they small and cute, and i asked for singular tortillas. the salsa verde they have is delicious, you can taste the tomatillo more than the jalapeño. i literally saw them butchering the steaks and that made me happy to see how fresh their kitchen is. my tacos were definitely made to order. the vibe is so socal mexican too. i enjoyed dining in. i wanna try their birria next. read more

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Smelled amazing walking by had to make a stop. Ordered the hawaiian torta & pastor torta n was not disappointed. Cute little shop off the corner. would visit again :) they have aguas frescas too read more

California Taco Shop - Birria Taco Combo (3) - Mexican Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

spent 80 dollars on these dry Birria tacos then i call and they say u get the dipping sauce with the combo not individual makes no sense last time I'll be buying there read more

Got the steak and shrimp burrito with fries inside and it was great! Would recommend for a quick bite for a decent price.

Great food.. nice family atmosphere!! I have ordered here many times over the last 3 months and have never been disappointed. read more

Came to the Taco shop for a quick lunch . The name speaks for itself : a laid back hole in the wall taco shop with no frills . Well, I ordered a 3 chicken taco lunch special and was very very happy ! It was hot , hearty and very tasty !! Service it friendly and you order at the counter . It's quite authentic !!! read more

California Taco Shop - Chicken Soft Taco Supremes - Mexican Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Basic looking place for some relatively cheap Mexican American food. California Taco Shop has a few locations around Providence. It basically is like fast food but Taco Bell makes it seem authentic when you compare these. Has lots of good specials you can save lots of money on. The prices already are pretty cheap but why pay more than you have to for this average stuff. It doesn't have many items that don't contain meat. Most items either have beef or chicken. The rest mostly have seafood. Among the few vegetarian friendly items are a side of guacamole and chips. The only entree is the Veggie Torta. It's $7.99 for a pretty big one. This is like a Mexican sandwich. It of course isn't authentic. This has cheese, lettuce, onions, peppers, pico de gallo, refried beans, and sour cream. Far away from being authentic. It's still a lot more authentic than Taco Bell. The prices are pretty good for the big portions. read more

California Taco Shop - Veggie Torta - Mexican Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

amazing amazing amazing. All bad reviews are irrelevant in 2025 Great food Great vibes Immaculate customer service read more

Tortilla was nasty tasted dry will never go back it was a small taco no lettuce or tomato no shredded cheese lost my business Sucks

delicious food, great service, nice clean place inside. stopped here on our way out from the hospital, so glad we did.

Slower than molasses. Had to wait 30mins for an online order. Someone literally came in and placed a new order after I had already waited 15 mins and they git their food first. read more

I cannot believe how much I love this place.. everything I've gotten from this taco place is wonderful. I love the prices and the care they put into every meal.. There aren't too many great taco shops ( my opinion).. I come here every time I come to Providence.. read more

Had two dinners tonight and both were underwhelming. The two taco steak combo was good, but nothing to write home about. The bistec encebollado was not bad but it does not compare to other flank steak dinners that I've had in Providence. The meat was tender, not very tasteful, a bit on the salty side. The rice and beans were just OK. I don't think I would get any of those again, the exception regarding the tacos...... is the 7 hard tacos for $5.99 on Wednesdays which is a great value for cheap tacos. read more

California Taco Shop - Bistec encebollado - Mexican Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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California Taco Shop came highly recommended by a friend from Queens, NYC. However, as a native West Coaster, I would argue that while California Taco Shop does, technically, make tacos, they are by no means up to the quality I come to expect from a Californian taco truck. I think this is a nice place if you're expecting more of an Americanized type of Mexican food (think lots of shredded Colby Jack cheese on your refried beans, a lot of shredded iceberg lettuce, greasy/oily meats), but generally I didn't find the food to be something to write home about. I'm not planning on going back anytime soon. One note: for COVID-19 times, they do have a convenient way to order ahead and pick-up! Also: The tres leches cake was yummy! read more

Ordered California Taco for lunch at the office through Grub Hub and was not disappointed. My usual at a taco shop is hard tacos but wanted to change it up so I tried the birria. If you haven't tried them yet you need to try them the next time you eat here. Soo delicious!! My co workers also enjoyed their lunches! Everything was tasty, warm and there was enough for us all to try each others choices! We will def order from here again! read more

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Great spot for lunch. Their lunch combos are pretty good. Got the chicken, chorizo, carnitas and steak tacos. Loved the carnitas and steak tacos, chorizo was pretty good and the homemade chicken wasn't flavored enough. Rice and beans were delish. Tacos cost approx 1.5$ for each. Overall good experience, very close to RIH and women and infants. read more

California Taco Shop - Lunch combo - Mexican Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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Pretty good tacos. As someone raised from California and growing up eating REALLY good Mexican food, it's been very hard to find a place that's just as good in RI. I ordered the chicken, carnitas, and carne esada tacos. They were good, but not amazing. Also, prepare to wait for your food--I called in and was told 10-15 minutes but when i showed up for pick up, I didnt get my order for another 35 minutes after I had called. read more

First time ordering from this location. Ordered a chimichanga, it was filled with rice barely any chicken. And the chicken didn't seem like the authentic shredded chicken they use at the other California stores - it seemed like it was the small, cut into tiny squares, frozen chicken you get at restaurant depot. Wouldn't recommend this location. read more

California Taco Shop - Each bite probably contain one tiny square piece of chicken. - Mexican Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

This restaurant is amazing for the Hospital workers or people who unfortunately have to spend many many days there. My wife and I often walk here for lunch and have never been disappointed. They have great deals through out the week like $6 burritos on Mondays and 7 hard tacos for $6 on Wednesday's! I almost always go with either a burrito or the two taco plate and carnitas and el pastor are my go tos. Whenever I see el pastor I have a hard time not ordering it! They also have a good selection of Jaritos which is very nice. It has a hole in the wall, locals only kind of vibe but they are very kind and welcoming. It's certainly the best option near the hospitals. read more

After hearing so much about California taco from a co worker I had to take advantage of being in the area today and stop in for some delicious tacos. Today was a a first for not only this establishment but tried my first Mexican style soda drink jarritos, which reminded me kind of orange soda(a much better version). I had a difficult time making a choice on lunch, as everything looked delicious. I decided eventually on a combo plate, that included 2 tacos(one shrimp soft taco and one chourizo hard taco), Spanish rice, salad, and beans. So much food that I couldn't eat it all( and trust me I tried), and all for just 8.99. My wife went with a burrito, which was one of the best burritos that I've ever had. After ordering you receive complimentary salsa and chips that are mighty tasty, and the price was right :) The service was impeccable and we were explained the menu and our options, which made the ordering smooth and pleasant. Something else worth noting is the cleanliness of the restroom. This is something that you don't see very often, and a nice touch. I believe they have multiple locations in ri now, so if you haven't stopped in you definitely should!! Cheers read more

California Taco Shop - 2 taco combo and jarritos. Yes please - Mexican Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Not great, not terrible.The food is fine but nothing special. Quesadilla filling is tasty but not particularly generous. Lots of options for tacos, tortas, burritos, etc. I hear their al pastor taco is good, but I haven't tried it. This is the place to go to near the hospitals when you're sick of cafeteria food or au bon pain, so it gets a decent amount of traffic during lunch hours. The lack of other options in walking distance is the main reason I'd come back, to be perfectly honest. read more

Let me start of by saying that I love GrubHub and this specific taco place. I work in a Mexican restaurant. I ordered through Grubhub and man was I jipped.Not only did the food take almost 1.5 hrs to get to me but the food was stone cold, no extra pico de gallo, no extra sour cream, not even any hot sauce that I asked for(and paid for!). The nachos even looked like someone took a taste of my nachos. I'm the only person in my family making money so I was really excited to treat my loved ones to a splurge. Quite the opposite. I called the restaurant and the employee was just like "sorry, didn't read the ticket". I'm so blown away. I work hard for my money and to see it just thrown in a plastic bag with no f#cks given really hurts my heart. read more

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Stopped in during lunch break on a Sunday afternoon (walking distance from the hospitals). It was empty inside, but would guess that would have to do with the fact that it was so cold out that no one was in the mood to walk outside). Menu has typical Mexican restaurant fare (hard shell and soft shell tacos, enchiladas, burrito, etc). I ordered one hard shell taco with grilled chicken and one soft shell taco with veggies to eat there, as well as one of each to-go for a friend. The tacos tacos were average size and stuffed pretty well (not overflowing, but not lacking either). The flavor was good, with a little hot sauce added it hit the spot. I was satisfied with two tacos, but would probably get a third if I came in starving. A friend got the enchilada burrito, which was massive. He enjoyed it but couldn't finish the whole thing. Clean inside and the guy behind the counter was nice. Definitely plan on returning, especially since the weather will be warming up soon. read more

California Taco Shop - Grilled chicken hard taco on left, veggie soft shell taco on right. - Mexican Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

I've been to all of their locations and it always hits the spot! It doesn't need to be Tuesday for you to stop by! Inexpensive and delicious! As a pescatarian I'm a fan of their shrimp tacos (supreme and soft all the way!) and their Veggie tostada, those are so filling on their own! Love to stop in for lunch. They have weekly deals that are worth a try but I always stick to my usual. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. read more

Do not go to the mean nasty not hospitable and stupid restaurant. The owner of the shop is too mean I was their customer only once and paid them a good tip although meat was not good and smelled really bad. I just parked in the parking lot in the early morning and they called the truck to toe my car because it was out of their restaurant business working hours and they called to toe my car. The owner and waiters are too mean and nasty they did not even put a not and immediately made me pay 200$. Imagine the parking lot was empty! read more

Weak, low-quality "Mexican". The guacamole tasted like slime and check out the weird piece of meat in my pico de gallo... I paid almost $7 for chips with a small guac and pico/salsa. Ripped off read more

California Taco Shop - Gross chunk of meat in my pico de gallo. - Mexican Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Small little spot but Great food!! Get the 2 Taco combo Prices are good and Staff was nice

Last time going to this location. They're always late which is bearable when your food is warm. However, after waiting 15 minutes over the time when it was supposed to be done, only to get home 5 minutes later with ice cold tacos, a missing item, and tacos that are more lettuce and sour cream than meat... That's it. I'll be going to the one on central Ave in Pawtucket from now on. They are always ready and the food is hot, even after a 15 minute drive home. read more

Solid Mexican food in walking distance from the hospitals. Whether you eat in or take out, service is so friendly and fast. The enchilada-style burrito was tasty and a huge portion for $8. Try out the homemade salsa! read more

California Taco Shop - Maybe this isn't a food dead zone after all! - Mexican Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Refused to play monday night football despite me being the only person at the restaurant.

Great Tacos, better than anyplace around that ive had in a long time. I live a ways away and even drove in to pick these up some time ago. I work very close by so when I can get away with if I always stop in for a taco, or five. read more

Working at the hospital I order often. Sorry but I won't be back. So many times the line busy. Constantly busy. Walked over once when this happened and the cashier was on the main line. Last time we were about to place an order we were told one minute and were placed on hold for almost 9 minutes. Phone was placed down as we could hear orders from walk ins. Forget that! We didn't order and won't be back. Who has time for that nonsense? You need a new front of house staff. read more

My favorite local taco joint! I'll admit, I slept on this place for far too long as it just didn't strike me as the most authentic, and authenticity is what I look for. However, their "small" tacos are authentic as can be! And also perfectly normal sized lol. My favorite kinds of tacos are carnitas, followed by al pastor. Many places seem to try to cut costs by including many chunks of pure fat instead of meat-California taco thankfully does not do this! I stopped going to my old taco spot when I took out all the chunks of fat and gristle and realized that less than half the taco remained. Thankfully, my boyfriend introduced me to California taco. By the name, I thought it would be a "gringo" joint, but it is not at all. In fact when I ordered, I had to break out my broken Spanish lol. My one I guess you could say "complaint", although it is more of a constructive criticism, is that I wish they had some more obscure taco options, such as lengua and suadero. I also wish they had quesabirria. Having those options would take this place over the top. But it is still the best taco place I have found in providence that delivers. I've ordered from them many times and will continue to order many more times! They are truly awesome and delicious and they have never, not once, disappointed me. Also I've actually dined in here as well and it was a very nice experience. read more

I unexpectedly came here while waiting to head over to RIH for a meeting. I was hungry and didn't want to venture too far since the meeting was mid-afternoon. Having grown up near the boarder I consider myself a bit of a taco snob. This place is great. The restaurant is clean and has the nice decor of places similar to back home. The food was excellent. The tacos had all of the right flavors and were authentic (I had the grilled taco plate which was filling). AMAZING value as compared to Tullilah's on the east side of providence which I find good but over priced. The staff was very polite and accommodating. I stuck around for a few minutes while wrapping up some work before the meeting and the staff was really cool about. I would recommend stopping in if you got a craving for Mexican food. Also one of the few places near RIH, and the only one I recommend. read more

This location just opened a few weeks ago. Very friendly staff who are very helpful with suggestions on what's best to order. The location is perfect- at least for me ;) a block away from my office is very dangerous! They have a nice sized deck for summer eats. The food is fresh and gives a nice authentic Mexican taste. No liquor here, just sodas and juice. Easy parking with lot or street parking. Service was fast and food delicious. read more

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5/5 stars for an excellent restaurant with unbeatable service and food. Prices for tacos range from $1.50 soft tacos which come with your choice of meat, onion, and cilantro while the Supreme version comes with a Mexican blend cheese, sour cream, and pico de gallo for $2.50. Although these options are great, the soft tacos sans supreme toppings are a must! Tip: try their horchata, it's much more decadent than a regular agua. For $2.00, it's well worth it. Maria our server did not hesitate to check up on us from time to time and it was greatly appreciated. read more

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