Best place to start and end a trip: ice cold beer, michelada with chamoy, queso fundido con rajas, nopalitos, tacos al pastor, and tacos de arrachera. Yum! read more

I came here after being highly recommended by locals and some of my friends that came here before. The restaurant was good, but not impressed. Here is the breakdown: Food- one star The tacos were good but nothing special or amazing about it. The ribeye one was my favorite. Also ordered guacamole and queso fundido with it. Overall good food, but not delicious. Service- one star The waiter was friendly and attentive. Not the fastest but at least it wasn't rude. Decor/ ambiance- one star Very casual spot and perfect for groups. They have televisions playing soccers Wow factor- no star Nothing special about the tacos that make me want to go back. Overall- one star Had a good time there overall. Can't complain. A combination of a relaxing with good casual food and dining experience. read more

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delicious food. Technically an upscale of a taco spot. When you're done eating make sure to get a dessert, so delicious. Will come again! read more

This was once my boyfriend's go-to taco spot in Mexico City, so he was excited to take me here. They have expanded in recent years, and now have over 10 locations in Mexico, with 3 in DF. This location in Reforma is huge, with lots of big tables, perfect for large groups. The menu offers a variety of authentic specialties, with limited vegetarian options. Table service was fast and polite, which was the only positive aspect of our meal. My boyfriend's Al Pastor tacos were dry and bland, and the tortillas tasted old. The Steak tacos were equally disappointing. I was excited to try Chicharrón De Queso (fried cheese), but the brittle roll tasted like a stale, low quality parmesan chip. Almost everyone in the restaurant was white, which is generally a red flag. Perhaps their rapid expansion has resulted in a decline in the quality of their ingredients, because it is truly a sin to mess up Al Pastor in its motherland. Avoid. read more

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This restaurant is not worth it. Waiters speak little english & are not helpful when asked to describe the menu. The food was brought out very slowly & our entrees arrived many minutes apart from one another, making it difficult for us to start eating at the same time. While the restaurant provides a few complimentary salsas, all are extremely spicy and they do not offer any complimentary chips to accompany the salsas. The waiters forgot our order of guac & when we asked them to finally bring it, the dish was only served with about 3 tortilla chips. The tacos here are extremely small - smallest you'll ever see. The food was okay, not good. 2/3 of our taco orders arrived cold. The pork tacos al pastor are the only tacos that come with any toppings. The atmosphere reminded me a cheap neighborhood diner. Be warned they also do not serve any alcohol besides a slim selection of beer & red wine. I definitely would not go back. read more

El Califa - 1 Bistec (chicken) Taco, 2 Arrachera Pastor (Beef) Tacos, + Red Wine -- All very dry & displeasing. - Mexican Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

Came here for tacos during Covid-19. They did a very good job with cleanliness and social distancing. The menu you can download on your phone when scanning a barcode. We ordered the guacamole and queso dip. It came with chips, tortillas and 4 different salsas. The food was very good and incredibly inexpensive. The only reason I am giving 4 stars is because they weren't serving wine. Only beer, even though wine is on their menu. read more

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The food is really good! It had a lot of flavor and the food tastes very fresh. The horchata is not their best but they had yummy tacos gringa (flour tortilla, cheese, and choice of meat). The downside is that the waiters are over attentive, which comes out as being pushy or rushed. It seemed like they wanted us to finish quickly so that they can have tables available for their next guests. La comida fue rica! Tenía mucho sabor y la comida era fresca. No recomiendo la horchata pero los tacos gringa (tortilla de harina, queso, gusto de carne) eran ricos. Podrían mejorar con su servicio. Los que atienden nos apuraban mucho. Como que querían que termináramos pronto para que tuvieran mesas disponibles para otra gente. read more

Good food and they're open late. The later it gets, the greater the chance you'll have to wait in line (outside) for a seat.

Tacos are tacos. However, these are pricey tacos. I guess it works for all the tourists who want to feel "safe" by not eating on the streets. That feeling comes with a cost. Each taco ranges from 50 to 60 pesos. I think that's too much for a tortilla the size of a coaster and some meat. Now, the taste is good. But, not worth the price. They are busy all day. But, you won't see locals. They know better. read more

Last time I was at this El Califa was when I last visited town 5 years ago and it's just as delicious as I remember it. The tacos al pastor are perfectly charred and flavored. I had both the pork and chicken pastor and they were both super flavorful. I also ordered the rajas appetizer and they had a nice kick and delicious. BEST al pastor tacos ever! The Nutella malt was a great surprise and so was the chelada (red with Clamato and sauces). Best of all was the service. Everyone there was I credibly attentive and helpful at all times! ¡Todo perfecto, muchísimas gracias! read more

Wow, I think this is the best taquería I've ever been to. First off, the ambience is that of a night club. VH1 videos are playing on the TVs, and dance versions of popular current songs are in the air. Second things second, they have the largest selection of domestic bottled beer that I've seen in Mexico thus far. My dinner partner and I reach enjoyed a label we hadn't seen before. Most importantly, the food was amazing. We each had a bistec con queso, a Gaona's con queso, a pair of al pastor tacos, and a bowl of guac. The bistec con queso was my favorite, and will be coming back for more. Of the four sauces that come out automatically, I was amazed by the tamarindo sauce, and will be looking for that in my local Latin grocery back home. read more

El Califa - Damon and I are checking out this hopping taquería at 11 pm. Can't wait for our food to arrive! - Mexican Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

The guacamole was incredible! A great spot for a snack if you're nearby. I stopped here in between the modern art museum and the angel of independence. read more

This is a bustling Taqueria with a wide variety of tacos, quesadillas, and antojitos. When we ate dinner on a Sunday night, the service was quick and efficient. You can order your tacos with the customary tortillas, or pita bread or lettuce, and there are even a few vegetarian options. They have a wide variety of artisanal beers as well as standard national brands. The dining room is larger and a bit nicer than I would expect from a Taqueria. They also appear to be open very late. read more

El Califa - The menu. - Mexican Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

OMG BOMB! The chicken tacos were SO GOOD! Loved that they don't recycle the salsa. I wasn't a big fan of the cactus leaves. Loved the guac and tacos. Ordered so many, lost count :) read more

We heard this was the best location for El Califa. Luckily, it was near where we were staying. They open at 1pm, and they're open until 4am. There was a short line around 2pm on a Friday, but it moved fast. They have lots of tables and tons of servers. They have lots of beer options that you can see either on the menu or the refrigerated case. When you sit down, you get 4 types of salsa. They were all pretty spicy! We started with a guacamole, which came with 3 tostatas. It needed a little lime but was otherwise great and ridiculously cheap by American standards. Tacos: - Pastor: thinly sliced, tender, great flavor - probably the favorite. They also top it with some pineapple, onion, and cilantro - Ribeye (gringo style = with cheese) - a very thin slice of beef, like an open faced quesadilla, with griddled cheese. It could have used a bit more meat It was also my first costra - which was similar to the taco here. I was excited that they had chicken breast (pechuga). The chicken was really tender, not dry at all. This place reminded me a bit of Tacolicious in the US but better / cheaper. We tried one of the other locations, but flavor wise, the one won for sure. Credit cards and US dollars are accepted. read more

Very good tacos, at a little higher price than you would see elsewhere. I've gotten the Bistec con queso, Gringa/Arrachera and the rib eye. The arrachera is hands down one of the best tacos I've had. The meat was perfectly cooked and really tender and flavorful. I could've had three more of those. The bistec was very good as well, and with the burnt cheese on top it really brought the flavors together. The rib eye was good but nothing special. I wouldn't get it again, not because I didn't like it, just because I liked the other two so much more that the rib eye didn't really live up to the other two. The place is really lively and right off reforma. The two times I went it has been crowded but we're still able to find some seats pretty quickly. read more

El Califa - Bistec con queso at the bottom, Gringa/ Arrachera up top - Mexican Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

Good food and very good prices. Bistek was my favorite. I had one everyday i was in mexico city

Really good street tacos. The only thing is that they only have pastor and steak like tacos. The service is terrible!!!! But the food is very good I do recommend!!!! read more

Touristy and overpriced! Do yourself a favor and walk 2 blocks over to Taqueria Orinoco! The tacos are better and a third of the price and it'll be packed with locals. The tacos at Calida aren't bad. If you do go, get the Rib Eye and sirloin tacos. The costras are also pretty good. The al pastor is just okay, I've had much better in CDMX. read more

Great tacos and very conveniently located off main Blvd (Reforma). Try Ribeye tacos with a cold Pacifico. Salsa Asada is by far the best. Any of the tacos are worth ordering. read more

El Califa - Various salsas to try - Mexican Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

Delicious. Went multiple times during my time to Mexico City. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. And micheladas became a new favorite. read more

Overall pretty good. I loved the al pastor tacos and gringa pastor. Guac was good as well. All 4 salsas were awful to be honest but I'd return because the rest was good. read more

Great place if you are looking for a local crowed and fast service. Really enjoyed the pastor Good selection of craft beer read more

El Califa - Mexican Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

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Somewhat bland by CDMX standards, but possible we didn't order the right things. For a hole in the wall type experience, would recommend El Turix instead.. read more

Stopped in for a late night bite, tacos were amazing! So fresh and simple, we had rib eye steak, carnitas & chicken along w a very tasty cactus salad and washed down with a couple super cold Mexican beers. The service was quick and the food arrived very timely as packed as this place was. If you haven't tried it, you better go! read more

El Califa - Wow, it's pouring & the dining room is packed! - Mexican Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

I had a fantastic meal here. The service was excellent and the tacos were amazing. I'm going to try to head back as many times as possible before I leave read more

El Califa - My meal. - Mexican Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

Great, clean, reliable. Make sure you pick a variety of tacos and pair with a beer. read more

Great food and service. Wait staff is very attentive and friendly. This was our go to place for drinks and tacos during our week in Mexico City. read more

Came here on our last night in wonderful Mexico city. Upon first entering i immediately noticed that this place HAD to be good. Not only was the place slammed but each person really seemed to be enjoying their drinks and each of the food items they'd ordered. Their selection ranges from soups, various sides/apps, and a vast selection of tacos and taco variations; many of which i had never seen before. It's safe to say that my party and I ordered at least one of everything on the menu and everything was really good. Some items that particularly stood out to me were the costras (a taco that wraps up your protein selection in melted and crusted cheese), the tacos al pastor were decent and at a great price, also any of the ribeye tacos are a must. read more

The prices at this location a little higher compared to other 'taquerias', but the food is very good!! Pastor tacos are very popular but the bistec con queso (steak with cheese) is something you cannot miss. But they don't sell only tacos, they also have melted cheese, gringas, pitas and quesadillas. Tortillas are hand-made which gives a special flavor to your tacos; if you don't want tortilla, you can have them served on lettuce instead. They give you several salsas as well as limes, cilantro and onion to add flavor to your tacos. You can also order dessert, coffee, milkshake, etc. As for drinks, they have beer, imported beer, craft beer, wine, soft drinks, etc. At the beginning I was skeptical about coming to this place because they are a little pricey but I left very satisfied. read more

El Califa - Menu - Mexican Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

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PEOPLE FROM ABROAD! This is an amazing place to try tacos and avoid getting sick (not because our people is not healthy, but because foreigners are not used to this kind of food). Califa can offer you the best tacos, you choose, all are GREAT! Califa has a thing that I personally love, they make their own tortillas, which is a very important item of tacos. My favorties are: chicken soup (as entree), guacamole (order it natural, without onion and cilantro), gaona taco (order it chopped and medium cooked), pastor taco (this is a must, you wont find this abroad), as well order the "special salsa", it has habanero so be careful, but is delicious. read more

This place serves great food, FAST! I went in about 1:00 AM and there were always tables available, but not many. The staff is attentive and courteous. The quest and mushroom quesadilla was fantastic. The rib eye taco was good. And the pastore was cheap and great. It doesn't have the character of Caminero's a few blocks away, but it's bigger, open late and as good. read more

Oh em gee! In town so of course I have to yelp the best tacos around my Airbnb and found this place! The costras and onions with Maggie sauce are a MUST have. I had the arranchera costras and they were perfectly cooked with perfectly melted cheese. Top them with some of those onions and I die... please do yourself a favor and go! read more

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my first and favorite al pastor experience! the guerra is AMAZING! queso is so delightful! they also have this brown sauce that reminded me of mole and paired with the quesadilla perfectly. they give u a slice of pineapple with your pastores and that's the PERFECT taste pairing! ambiance was clean- service was great! i will be back 672837 more times. read more

El Califa - al pastor + quesadillas + gringa - Mexican Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

This app lace is popular with the locals and that equates to good food. The only downside was the noise level in here. It was difficult to talk at times but they do have free WiFi. I ordered a pastor and aracharra burrito thing that was spot on. The food and service is great and you cannot beat the prices either. If you are in the area this would be a solid choice for any meal. read more

This is the best taco table service restaurant since we landed in Mexico City. We love the ambiance, service and the taste of the food. It's delicious and you can find anything and everything. Pita's salads and vegetarian options. No one had their kids here but they were friendly to our daughter and didn't make a fuss about her presence. read more

El Califa - Mexican Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

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First they serve the best chips ever (its cheese, folks, can you ask for more...well, you can)! Dip that cheese chip into fresh guacamole- yum... I actually didn't eat this time, but I can tell you the best items I nibbled on were the al pastor tacos (the meat spit one). Also the cheese burrito ...I'll be sure to indulge in that next time I'm around this restaurants once I seem to visit different parts of Mexico 3-5 times a year lol. I enjoyed my bottle water and they give you little candies at the end, too. Location: Walking distance from many hotels, Airbnb's, etc. it's central to everything and an easy drop off street if taking uber, Lyft, taxi, etc. It's not overly noisy, not too crowded but you might have a wait if the weekend and smells great inside. Have fun! read more

Food is amazing! Wasn't sure about this place at the beginning but super glad I came here. Service isn't the greatest, we kept flagging our waiter to come because he didn't really check on us but maybe it was because the restaurant was so full he probably had many tables to attend. Definitely would come again, food totally worth it. Also only has beer and wine for alcohol. No cocktails drinks :( read more

The food was amazing, my favourite was the ribeye and cheese taco. We also tried the cheese crust with chicken. The Tres leches is delicious too! It's a super casual spot, which is open till late. Also it's a bit chilly inside because the doors were open, so dress warm! read more

El Califa - Ribeye steak and cheese taco Cheese crust and chicken taco - Mexican Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

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Muy buenos tacos al pastor, la costra de Gaona es muy buena, solo que el precio es relativamente elevado para ser una taqueria. Cuentan con gran variedad de cervezas. read more