El Preferido Taco Shop

Delicious food and authentic. Best hole in the wall in Santa Paula. People complain about prices…read morebut need to realize you're paying for the authenticity and supporting mom n pop shops.

Picked up a caldo de pollo for lunch on a rainy day and I was happy I had gone with a soup…read moreconsidering how chilly it was but the soup was just ok. Considering your paying $13, I felt the soup was over priced for the amount you recieve. I left got a chicken leg, a small piece of squash, carrot, and chayote. Soup needed a bit extra flavor as well. I poured the salsa, onions, and cilantro it came with and about 4 lemon wedges and some salt to give it a good flavor. Soup had plenty of caldo though. The rice on the side was okay too, nothing that stands out. Of course the meal came with a side of tortillas. I think I will come back again and try some thing else. I wouldn't reccoemnd this soup, perhaps try the beef/res if your looking for soup. However the menu has other items worth checking out.

Updated Menu Prices

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El Pastor Tacos with rice and beans

Tlaquepaque Restaurant

4.2(260 reviews)

1.4 mi

This is the third time I've ordered food to go, and every single time it has been absolutely…read moredelicious. The carne asada is especially good--juicy, flavorful, and high quality. I'm pretty picky when it comes to meat and don't like fatty, chewy pieces, but everything I've had here has been consistently excellent. I love the carne asada burrito, and the beans are so flavorful. Their mild salsa is also a favorite--so good! Next time, I definitely want to dine in and try one of their margaritas. Highly recommend!

Food: very tasty; tacos, burritos, chilliques salsas chips…read more Service: nice staff and attentive Atmosphere: is good. parking ok, I think you can park in USPS lot. Price: not to pricey

5/8/23

Chips and salsa 7/6/23

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Enchiladas de Mole 5/8/23

Taqueria & Estrellas

4.6(70 reviews)

0.6 mi

Been eating here for years, Paula is the best cook! Burritos, hard shell tacos, tortas...everything…read moreis delicious! Buy a jar of their salsa on your way out, you won't be disappointed!

Small restaurant with a nice, welcoming atmosphere and a very friendly waitress. They offer sodas,…read morebottled water, and chips and salsa. She also made some guacamole with onions, which we weren't too crazy about. I said no onions in my burrito, so I definitely wouldn't want them in my guacamole either. My burrito was also pretty much drowned in salsa, which was a little too much for me. Overall food was okay not bad, but not great either.

Inside

Burrito de Chorizo. Quite possibly the best burrito I've ever had.

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Inside

El Capricho Restaurant

4.1(177 reviews)

1.3 mi

Grandson brought us for lunch. Beautiful atmosphere in a Spanish style restaurant love the food…read more Service was great. Everything was amazing. Highly recommend.

We stopped by for lunch based on their rating, should have read the reviews. Service was fine,…read morenothing stood out, our waitress seemed kind. The vibe was on the quieter side. We tried their ceviche...not good. Had absolutely no flavor even with adding salt and salsa at the table. The only good thing was their salsa and chips. I wouldn't go back. Will keep Rabalais as my go to in Santa Paula.

Dining room - busy with locals

Asada nachos with toppings

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Fresh salad

El Campesino Restaurant

4.1(7 reviews)

0.6 mi

Warning! This is Not a five star restaurant. I asked the waitress when we walked in if the food…read morewas good, her reply, they say it is Lol. We arrived at 5:00 on a Friday evening, No one was there, that was our first clue the place wasn't what it was rated for. To the food, absolutely the worst Mexican food I've Ever had, the service was even worse.. Our server sat behind the counter on her phone... I'm pretty sure, the owners gave the place 5 stars, because no one in there right mind would consider this, okay food. I hate giving bad reviews but it would of been happier throwing my money out the car window.

Service was terrible. The young woman in the front couldn't be bothered. Not very friendly to me…read moreand although they closed at 2 and it was noon, she told me they were closing soon. I had to order quickly. No salsa given I had to return to restaurant to get some. I guess she doesn't like working weekends. Food was good but I couldn't enjoy it being rushed

Trocitos de puerco en salsa verde

Torta

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Caldo de camaron

Chapala Mexican Restaurant

3.5(255 reviews)

1.5 mi

Came by on a Sunday morning. There was plenty of seating…read more Had the red and green chilaquiles with beans and potatoes -coffee. The chilaquiles were good, especially the green. Would recommend that the beans and potatoes be at the same temperature of the chilaquiles, on the warmer side. They were barely lukewarm. Couldn't eat them. The coffee wasn't hot enough either. Friendly, attentive service.

Loved this place! Exactly what I was looking for , very welcoming people , made me feel right at…read morehome. Very clean and the food was delicious .

Insode

Meat combo

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Outside on Harvard

La Cabana Restaurant

3.7(192 reviews)

1.9 mi

Half order of nachos, grilled jalapeño, Coors Light on draft. Yummy! Service was excellent and…read morevibe was good. Hostess let us sit in our favorite spot. Everyone is very attentive and cheerful. Love coming here

Get this! I've lived within 5 mins of this place for 6 years now. I pass it alllll the time. I've…read moreheard it's really good for years. And TODAY, I FINALLY tried it! I tried their Mexican Pizza and it was SO GOOD! Our server was the sweetest lady, a beautiful smile, so welcoming, and answered all my questions with patience and grace. If you've read any of my other reviews you know I usually have questions. Lol. Wait time for my order was just right. I even tried the fried ice cream and yes it was delish! The price point is fair. The ambiance/furniture is a little dated but CLEAN! I honestly wish I'd tried this place sooner, but yes, I'll be back!

Seating

Chilled Coors Light, chips and salsa

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This beautiful angel statue is the same exact one in front of my boyfriend's house!

Cocina 1912

4.5(107 reviews)

1.6 mi

So I knew of Cocina but wasn't able to come until recently. I had ordered for pickup prior to…read moresitting to try it. I like how they created their own app to make it easier for pickup. Prior to coming in I had tried their beans tacos dorados (tres taquitos) and their chilaquiles. Tacos were okay. I felt like there wasn't that many beans inside. Chilaquiles were delicious. I live close but by the time they got to me, the tortilla was not as crunchy anymore. Still enjoyed them. When I went in, got the chilaquiles again since I wanted to eat them fresh. Even better. Loved the sauce and how crunchy they were. I did get the red ones. They are a bit spicy for those who don't like spice. I have really liked that they use black beans instead of pinto beans. Their red rice has always been nice an fluffy. Another time I went I tried their quesobirria shrimp tacos. They are tied for my all time favorite spicy shrimp tacos. They were so good. The chipotle sauce you do to add to it was delicious. Overall, I love Cocina 1912. Love that it's so close to me and how delicious the food is. I have definitely started to bring people already to try it and will continue to do so.

Shoutout to yelp elite Raquel for bringing me here. We'd been eyeing this restaurant for a while…read moreand we finally came in for lunch and had a wonderful experience from start to finish. Cocina 1912 is located in downtown Santa Paula and was easy to find. Large signage outside and plenty of 2-hour parking out front and across the street. This restaurant is surprisingly large. Not only do they have the regular dining area but they also have an attached second room for dining and a larger event space. This space can be rented out for markets, parties - you name it. Would make a great music space too. Another standout here is the staff and the hospitality. The young gal working behind the counter was super nice and welcoming. She helped us with the menu and on deciding what to order. What I also love is even though it's an "order at the counter place", the staff were attentive to come over to our take multiple times to check on us. Talk about A+ service and care. This alone would keep me coming back. Thankfully, the food is equally as good and tasty! We started with a Jamaica drink which was refreshing and hit the spot. For our mains I ordered the Al pastor tacos and my friend went with the shrimp tacos that were made queso birria style. Lastly, I ordered a side of rice and means. Everything was tasty and satisfying! The tortillas are freshly made each day and you could really taste it. The Al pastor and sides were about a 4/5. Not the best I've had but totally satisfied my craving and I'd get them again. The real star of the show was the shrimp tacos! My friend let me try some and I was blown away by the freshness of the shrimp and thought it was a delicious dish. Very spicy though so I know I can't hang lol. Regardless though I loved them, so if you can handle spice and love a good shrimp taco, you absolutely must get these. Such a solid experience here and a fun time with my friend. We'll definitely be back!

Interior high ceilings with cool light fixtures

Chile Verde Chilequilles

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Interior table and great brick walls with order counter

La Terraza

3.6(107 reviews)

1.5 mi

When I have a hankering for a crunchy taco, I go here for the taco combo- 2 crunchy chicken tacos,…read morerefried beans & rice, and a coke. The best. This is where I go in SP for that crunchy taco fix and it is my favorite in town. ¡Muchas gracias!

Food came fast and was delicious. Very happy with the portion size: big burritos. Plus - Great…read moreservice!

Tacos a la Carter, my favorite!

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Hozy's Grill

4.2(560 reviews)

2.4 mi

Don't let the industrial area or the small-town feel of Santa Paula fool you--Hozy's Grill is…read morelegitimately wonderful! We've only been for breakfast and early afternoon so far, but I can absolutely see why this place gets such great reviews. The food is delicious, beautifully presented, and the atmosphere is such a pleasant surprise. It has a classy, understated automotive vibe with a beautiful bar and a comfortable, welcoming dining area. The French toast was fantastic! Definitely one of those hidden gems you might not expect to find tucked away in Santa Paula. Great food, great atmosphere, and a place we'll absolutely be coming back to. Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed Hozy's overall and will definitely give it another try. The atmosphere has a great…read moresmall-town feel while still being elegant and inviting, which I really liked. I was dining alone and sat at the bar. It was extremely busy, but Antonia, the bartender, was absolutely killing it. She was nonstop the entire time and clearly doing her best to keep up with everyone, so I definitely want to give her credit. Because it was so busy, it did take a while to get a drink, and my bread came out with my meal. I ordered the filet trio and thought the flavors were really good, but I asked for my steak medium and it came out well done. I was a little disappointed, but I'm not someone who likes to send food back, so I gave it a chance anyway. Another patron mentioned that it isn't normally that busy, so I'm thinking I may have just caught them on an unusually hectic night. The food, atmosphere, and service were still good enough that I'd come back and try it again, hopefully on a quieter evening.

Booths and tables

Egg Benedict

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11 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Javier L.

3

45

11

5 months ago

Wow, food never disappoints, I always want to take a picture but can't wait to dig in and it's all gone before I can. I know my mama has to be somewhere in the back, cuz nobody cooks as good as my mama and this place is amazing. Everything is always good and spicy but I can't ever stop in without the corn burritos on the side. Again the corn burritos, tried them everywhere in Ventura county these are the best ever from the Peruvian bean they use to the softest crispy corn tortillas they come in, cheesy with the pour over sweet spicy sauce yummy. Just left 15mins ago and already ready for my next visit. read more

Anonymous U.

0

1

0

3 years ago

i live in Ventura but anytime im craving good tacos I make the drive to here! Food quality is excellent and everyone is so kind. Very nice small restaurant with good service, food comes quick and never disappoints. In my humble opinion, some of the best authentic Mexican food I've had. Very very nice people and very good food. read more

Lourdes L.

0

5

0

1 year ago

Had a Fish Taco and a taco dorado de papa, both delicious!!!! This is a Family business, and it shows, the dad the mom and the sons were all super attentive and made the recommendations since I just wanted a small meal, best food and best service. read more

Joe L.

1

17

0

10 years ago

I visited to this place a few days ago and had a good time. Our hostess were very personable. The food was great but a bit over priced I feel. Drinks were excellent. read more

Jorge G.

0

3

0

5 years ago

I live in Santa paula this is the last place I would recommend anyone to go why do u think 95 percent of their time nobody is there.

Richard R.

3

9

7

7 years ago

Stopped by for a couple of tacos... good food, good service, reasonable prices, plan to return again!

Terry H.

4

18

6

6 years ago

The food is delicious, the service is wonderful, and the prices are reasonable. Highly recommended!

Marleen D.

3

20

0

4 years ago

If you know, you know! I love the French fry-burritos with avocado :) so yum

Sheena C.

18

9

3

14 years ago

I love love love their apastor tacos....

Ned C.

0

14

0

14 years ago

Love the tacos here - super tasty!!

Steven F.

22

48

6

14 years ago

Best tacos in town hands down

El Preferido Taco Shop - mexican - Updated September 2026

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Carnitas El Rey

4.7

(24 reviews)

Food: very tasty athletic too. Decent portions. Tacos for four $70…read more Service: friendly. Take out is most popular. There is some indoor seating. Ambiance: basic.

This was a great place to go and get your carnitas. Very authentic taste. You can get them mixed or…read morejust the meat. I am not a big fan of the collagen stuff but it's literally melts in your mouth at this place. I had to try the mix carnitas and they did not disappoint at all. Tortillas along with the carnitas just hit and are by far the best I have had in years. We ordered the family combo that comes with the carnitas, tortillas, pico de gallo, rice and beans. Best rice I have had at any restaurant too. Service was great and love the painting on the wall. Y arriba Michoacán!!

Taqueria Lago Azul

3.7

(23 reviews)

Visiting Santa Paula for the day and decided to stop by. Was a little hesitant because there…read moreweren't many pictures. Overall, if you're hungry and want Mexican, it's good. We really liked our Tacos and quesadilla. Tacos are priced well and "buen servidos." Their menu needs to be updated to be more professional and wait is a little long.

The sign says $3.00 tacos. I had 2 tacos and was charged $7.58 on my debit card. Was not offered a…read morereceipt. The carne asada meat looked like it was cooked and reheated from the day before. It was dry and had zero seasoning/flavor. Service was okay. Not going back

Los Arcos Restaurant

3.5

(29 reviews)

Hi. I try to call but phone doesnt go through ever. Is there a different number now. There papusas…read moreare amazing always.

Beautiful mural on their wall as you walk up. Clean…read morerestroom Good chips & salsa I really enjoyed the Chilaquiles!!! Great flavors, a bit spicy for me but delicious. The beans & rice were great & my favorite was the potatoes with fresh tomatoes, onions & bell peppers. My favorite Chilaquiles so far.

Casa De Soria

3.5

(649 reviews)

A nice relaxed place to have lunch and enjoy the beautiful Ventura weather. Big parking lot and…read moreeasily accessible from Thompson. There were a few diners on a Wednesday afternoon. They seated us at a cozy booth and we ordered a chile verde enchilada with a chicken tamale plus birria taco combo. The refried bean reputation is well deserved. Thick with just enough seasoning. Rice is good but nothing epic. The chips and salsa are served up fresh with the chips just fried and hot. Very very good. You can taste the tartness of the tomatillo in the chile verde which makes a nice contrast to the enchilada sauce which it is smothered in along with the cheese. Tamale also really good. Never had it served with sauce and cheese before. It would have been outstanding without the topping. Birria and consommé were very salty yet without much of a dominant flavor. The taco was also very greasy and I could only finish about half. Would return but skip the birria and ask for less sauce / cheese.

Looks aren't everything! Despite this being the busiest restaurant it was my least favorite…read more Went to all the Mexican restaurants in the area and got a simple burrito. This one was weakest by quite a noticeable margin. Tasted.... Like the bottom of the bean tray? Just, kind of burnt or old. Smelled a little like a fryer. Ignore the looks of the other restaurants I'd highly recommend La Tapatia over this place. However if you need a place for a family I think this has the best atmosphere.

De La Cruz Authentic Mexican Cuisine

4.3

(383 reviews)

Great food Great service…read moreGreat prices Great Mexican ambiance Alway leave with a happy supper full tummy

I stopped by to pick up a large food order for work, and the customer service was absolutely…read moreamazing. Everyone was so sweet, welcoming, and friendly, which is exactly what you need when you're walking through the door first thing in the morning. We ordered around 10 burritos for a meeting, and they were all cut in half for easier serving. Even the half portions were massive! The portions were incredibly generous, and everything was packed and prepared perfectly. The salsas were delicious, and as someone who loves spicy food, the spicy salsa was definitely my favorite. The burritos were flavorful and satisfying, and the chips were just as good. I'm already excited to come back and try more items on the menu. This place is a cute little hole-in-the-wall spot tucked away near the DMV, but it's absolutely worth seeking out if you're in the area. Great food, great portions, and outstanding customer service.

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Warning! This is Not a five star restaurant. I asked the waitress when we walked in if the food…read morewas good, her reply, they say it is Lol. We arrived at 5:00 on a Friday evening, No one was there, that was our first clue the place wasn't what it was rated for. To the food, absolutely the worst Mexican food I've Ever had, the service was even worse.. Our server sat behind the counter on her phone... I'm pretty sure, the owners gave the place 5 stars, because no one in there right mind would consider this, okay food. I hate giving bad reviews but it would of been happier throwing my money out the car window.

Service was terrible. The young woman in the front couldn't be bothered. Not very friendly to me…read moreand although they closed at 2 and it was noon, she told me they were closing soon. I had to order quickly. No salsa given I had to return to restaurant to get some. I guess she doesn't like working weekends. Food was good but I couldn't enjoy it being rushed

Taqueria Cuernavaca

4.4

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CLOSED FOR RENOVATION!!!!!…read more When it opens back up, I'm sure the food will be as good as I had last month. But, it's. Closed for now. If you want full selection of food, go to the Oxnard location. Main Street location doesn't have the full menu. Food wise, it's excellent!!!

We were honestly so pleasantly surprised by Taqueria Cuernavaca!…read more We're from San Diego, so we don't take Mexican food lightly--we're pretty spoiled when it comes to quality and flavor. But this spot completely exceeded our expectations. We ordered delivery, and even then, everything arrived fresh, well-packaged, and still absolutely delicious--which says a lot. The food was incredibly flavorful without being heavy or greasy (something that's hard to find). You could really taste the freshness in the ingredients, and every dish felt well-balanced and thoughtfully made. This is one of those places you don't necessarily expect to be that good, and then it totally delivers. We'll definitely be ordering again next time we're in Ventura!

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