Happy Taco is in the same shopping center as a Taco Bell. Why on earth anyone would want to go to Taco Bell when this is around escapes me. I've only ever had the tacos here. They're sufficiently good I've never felt like trying anything else. Each taco is $2 and is served with two soft tortillas underneath, so that you can separate them and split the filling, which you'll want to do, as there's too much of it to fit in one taco. They're small, but for the size it's a good quantity of excellent meat, not dry or bland, plus a good mixture of other fillings, which are different depending on which meat you get. Three of them makes a full meal; I usually just get two. read more

Omg deliciousness this was an unexpected find in Half Moon Bay but it's a great place with authentic Mexican food. Of course you can taste and see the American side of it but it's still pretty close to authentic if you're in Half Moon Bay give it a try. The horchata and pozole we're delicious not to mention affordable. Will be coming back here soon! read more

I am writing this review while 3/4 of the way through a super burrito al pastor, which is the BEST burrito I've had in my life. It is a massive massive burrito, the Mack Truck of burritos. It is so flavorful, they were liberal with the guacamole and sour cream, and the pork is melt-in-your mouth delicious. I intend to finish this burrito if it kills me! My husband is also very happy with his super tacos...al pastor and grilled chicken, very flavorful. My only complaint about the place is the swarm of flies that hover in the middle of the restaurant in front of the cash register. They should definitely do something about this, that is a huge turnoff in a restaurant. read more

Delicious carnitas super burrito, lightly griddled on the outside. I wish there was more pico de gallo throughout the burrito, but this is easily remedied by adding some while eating. We also got a side of rice and beans of which our nephew was a big fan. Mildly spiced but perfect for a toddler. He was also a big fan of the cheese quesadilla. Good for takeout but a bit too noisy and hot for dining in. Generous portions and complimentary tortilla chips with your order. read more

This place is okay, we ordered a large asada nacho to share. I wish we would've went with taco or a burrito though...meat, guac(very little avocado lots of onion and tomato) and sour cream. The chips are grocery store chips...not great ones. The meat was really good though which is why I wish we had gotten tacos. The horchata was good also. But $10 for these nachos is ridiculous. I could've made them myself in my microwave for the same price. read more

Happy Taco - Mexican Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Bro! This place is on point. The food is affordable and taste delicious!! I had the enchiladas and it was filling. read more

Received great customer service from Cesar! He was pleasant, helpful and attentive. I really appreciate good customer service! Going to happy taco was an overall good experience. I got the veggie burrito and liked it. I will be back. read more

Had my usual today. Grande Mariscos cocktail con camerones y pulpo (frio) Just put a big smile on my face this HOT day! One of my favorite local places to go. Family run, great people. Support them! read more

Not my go to Taqueria in HMB but they do have some amazing Menudo. It might be sold on weekends only so call in advance to check they have some. I was pleased to get some amazing homemade tortillas. Their carne asada burrito is also pretty good. read more

Happy Taco - Mexican Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Went in to get food got a Togo pozole had a few bites and it was pretty bland. The Togo container already looked weird and somewhat dripping. About 5 minutes later the soup literally melted through the container and somewhat through the plastic bag. It got soup everywhere and likely was not fit to serve hot liquid in. When asking for a refund or replacement for the food they refused because it was taken To-go. read more

My go-to Mexican place in HMB. Love the veggie burrito or shrimp burrito. Nachos are huge and stuffed with goodness. Killer flan. The people who own the restaurant are super friendly and caring. Never missed an order or had bad food here. Es muy perfecto. read more

This place isn't amazing but 3 stars feels like a diss. It's solid but not excellent. If you eat a LOT of Mexican food you'll know what I mean. read more

This place has decent Mexican options. Its ok and im reluctant to say its good. Which is really strange for this area because there is a very high hispanic population in hmb. The salsa is terrible. NOTE TO THE OWNER : IMPROVE THE SALSA. I had their red salsa and it tasted like a can of tomato paste. They have no spicy salsa and the green salsa is bland and watery. The burritos are dry and boring...no creativity in the menu options read more

Been going here for over 20 years and I have never had a bad meal. Friendly people and amazing tacos and burritos. Plus the hot sauce is fire I love it!!! read more

Called my order in by phone and they said it would be ready in 10 minutes. When I arrived 10 minutes later they had my order ready on the counter. I ordered a Super Steak & Shrimp burrito. I'm only giving 1 star because it was ready very fast, but I was really disappointed in the food! This is the same burrito I get at every taqueria, this was the worst I've ever had! The burrito was not even heated, it didn't taste like they grilled any of it, it reminded me of a Frozen burrito you would heat up yourself at home. I have come to this place for years and it has definitely gone way down hill over the past couple of years. The burrito had no flavor, It had a very mushy consistency. I didn't taste any meat until about halfway into the burrito and the worst part is the burrito and the drink were $21! I would expect for $21 to be at-least happy about my food. I tried giving this place the benefit of the doubt over the last few years especially during this Covid pandemic, but it has gotten worse each time I've ordered. I'm not going to be returning after this. read more

Food was tasty, I can dig it. The service was great. The nice lady at the front was taking orders on the phone and managing a long line, she deserves a raise. Ordered to go because I wasn't really feeling the inside seating. Purchased a 3 taco meal, carne asada. Generous portions, beans and rice were good too. There is a dip bar where you can load up on sauces, but they don't give you chips until you get your order. Would be cool of them to hook you up with chips while you're waiting (& chips to go) so that you can keep your appetite at bay. Will definitely be back again. :) read more

Really good authentic Mexican food. The workers here know what they're doing. I would definitely come here again. I had the wet burrito, kinda pricey but work the eat and very large portioned burrito. read more

Been coming here since high school and it's as delicious now as it was back then. Can't go wrong with anything on their menu but now a days I come for their tacos and tortas. Yes there are a lot of taquerias but you can't go wrong stopping into this hole in the wall establishment while visiting Half Moon Bay. read more

I needed nachos for six hungry 15-year-olds. I ordered carne, pollo asada and carnitas. I got 5 orders and had tons left over. There was a lot of meat and guacamole on the nachos. I ordered ahead and they were ready when I got there. I would definitely go there again! read more

OMG!!!! SO GOOD! Great service and even better food, great vegetarian options as well! I got the veggie burrito and it was life changing. Best burrito I've ever had. My friends got the fish tacos and quesadilla and they said it was amazing as well! Coming back ASAP read more

Happy Taco - Veggie burrito - Mexican Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Best burritos on the coastside, plus nice service, incredibly unpretentious, and they're open late!

Happy Taco made me mucho Happy service and food were MUCH MUCH MUCH better than Tres Amigos read more

Recommended by the family in the area, said it was the best place to get Mexican in town. My extended family(Gonzales) actually started the town up back in the early to mid 1800's from a Mexican land grant (not some white guy by the last name Carter), so I trust their opinions. Probably THE best big burrito I've ever had. I had one with the bbq chicken and hot sauce. I was actually FULL after eating it, which is impressive to say the least. Even though I was full, I did want more, which could be a problem I guess. Service was friendly and as fast as made to order could be. My wife had the Lengua, which was awesome too. Prices are very reasonable. Definitely going to be my stop next time I go through. Worth a stop if you're in the area. read more

Yum! Happy Taco is still awesome. They now have sopes, so I had to try 'em. I know -- they aren't exactly healthy, with that thick masa base, but they are really good. read more

Before, my heart belonged to El Farolito's in the Mission, but like most love affairs.. it just didn't work out. The past couple times I've been there, my burrito consisted of about 70% beans, rice, salsa, and whatnot. UNACCEPTABLE. I was literally ripping out pieces of my burrito just so I could get to the MEAT. UGH...But I'll work on their review later...for now, my heart belongs to Happy Taco in Half Moon Bay. The meats here are soo flavorful. My personal favorites are al pastor (pork) and carne asada. Their burritos have an even balance of meat, rice, beans, salsa, guacamole, and whatever else you order. The flavors never really overpower each other; it all just comes together perfectly.. like the universe. Their salsas are pretty spicy too. YUM. At a reasonable price with hefty portions, this place is the best. But alas, still.. no 5 stars. I deducted points for it being located in Half Moon Bay. read more

Are you people smokin crack? 5 STARS???? OK Maybe give it an extra star for being way the F#&@ out here in Half Moon Bay, but don't gimme that crap that this is as good as the Mission District in SF! The Carnitas was top notch, The Carne Asada tacos were 1/3 grissle and the Guacamole was 1/2 onion with a hint of avocado. Yeah sure, the people that work there are nice and pleasant. The corn tortillas were soggy, the salsas only so so. I'd come back for the Carnitas, but not anything else. They did have a big selection of different drinks, teas, soda, etc. read more

Great spot right by the beaches. We decided to order to go and eat on the beach. Bad idea by the way. The tacos were delicious but the tamale was a joke. It tasted like a tamale straight out of the can and I couldn't even finish it. 3 stars for the tacos! read more

I originally found out about this place by running into a RiteAid down the street and asking one of the younger employees where a good burrito place was. Since that day 5 years ago I always try and eat here when I'm in Half Moon Bay. The past three days I've developed an intimate knowledge of their carne asada burrito, which in my opinion is close to perfection - beans are great, rice is great, salsa isn't too wet and the meat is marinated and grilled perfectly. I've been trying to figure out how they marinate the meat, and I'm pretty sure it must involve soy sauce and garlic in some amount. Last night I strayed from my temporary routine and tried the Pollo Asado burrito. This too was grilled perfectly, the marinade was different and definitely less robust, but the chicken flavor really sang with the salsa in a perfect harmounious way. If you're looking for a bite after a day at the beach before heading back to the bay area this place will do you right. Also their salsa bar is superduperb. read more

Rarely do I feel compelled to update a review, but this taqueria has been consistently serving up good food with quick service the last few years I've been on the coast. The tortas are huge and can easily feed 2 people for lunch. I also recommend the al pastor and carne asada tacos. Tip: they take credit cards. read more

Stumbled across this place by chance. Totally nondescript exterior. Amazing food and customer service. Had the carne aside wet burrito. Huge portion and soooo good. read more

Happy Taco - Wet burrito - Mexican Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Stopped here on the way to Big Sur from SF and the tacos were (apparently) quite tasty according to my friend. He ordered tacos that all had contact with or contained pork (and I don't eat anything from a pig except on rare occasions) however he's quite particular when it comes to his tacos and so I trust his judgement. We agreed that their assortment of free salsas along with the chips was quite tasty and for a snack break along the way, this place did the job. read more

Happy Taco - Mexican Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

If there were half stars, this would be 2.5. I pulled into the shopping center hoping to find a decent idea for lunch. I saw the Happy Taco and knew I was in the mood for a quesadilla. I just beat a rush, which was good, as I didn't find the food to be worth a line. But I'm ahead of myself. First thing to impress me was the salsa bar. I automatically love a place more for a salsa bar. No cilantro, tho, but I can manage. The green sauce was lame, the red was spicy. I mixed the two together. I placed my order, quesadilla with carnitas. I was not given a receipt or a number and my name was not taken. She didn't ask if I wanted a drink, altho I didn't. But then I felt lost. Do I get chips? Do I get a number? Do I take a seat now? Taking a look around, I saw that everyone else had chips, so I went up to ask if I got them with my order. Yes! Cool. They were good. The guy searched me out with my meal and I was impressed with the size of it. The sour creame was clumped in the middle of the quesadilla, so half of my dilla had none. I couldn't taste the quacamole at all. The pork was almost undercooked and tasted a little gamey. So this dish was a little underimpressive. The place was very busy, even at 2pm. There were lots of to go orders and hardly any empty seats. So it's either a really good place or the only taqueria in town. I'd certainly give them another try. read more

Everyone that lives here has their favorite... Happy taco is the most authentic Mexican place you can visit... Total hole in the wall but The best on the coast! read more

¡Happy Taco es muy delicioso! This place makes amazing tacos -- fresh, marinated grilled meat, smallish corn tortillas (double style), and an assortment of fresh salsas, limes, and hot jalepenos you can choose from. I always order the carne asada and carnitas tacos. Used to get the dinner plate, but then realized I could never finish the rice and beans, so now just request them a la carte, with a few beans added to my tacos. They are so yummy. I like them with the green salsa. And I love their pinto beans. Some places don't do these beans justice, but Happy Taco's are really delicious and can stand on their own. My friend always ordered the Al Pastor tacos, made with barbecued pork. I had a taste and it was good, but just not my thing. Last time we visited, I snagged a taste of the fish taco -- really delicious! They have a red chipotle style salsa, the green salsa, and the other fresh salsa has tomatoes and jalepenos, but is chock-full of onions, so I never eat it. But my friend loves it, and always uses a few of the little containers on each taco. The guacamole is also very onion-y. Thanks to fellow-Yelper Erikk, we now affectionately call it "Jesus Taco" too -- take a look at the mural on the wall and see if you agree! :-) And, the tacos can be a religious experience! Prices are very reasonable -- this is a great place to stop if you're on your way to the beach! Service is friendly and accommodating for special dietary requests (unlike Gordo's, another of my favorite burrito places). There is a big cold case stocked with an assortment of sodas, Mexican and domestic beers, and horchatas. The restaurant sports yellow formica table/booths with attached benches. Because it's right on the coast, everytime the doors open you get those crisp ocean breezes, so if you get chilly, be sure to take along a sweater or jacket if you plan to eat in the restaurant. There are also some charming wrought-iron tables outside. I am so hooked on their tacos, but at some point want to try the other menu items. I always look to see what other diners are ordering, and everything looks yummy. Parking is easy, and if you need any other Mexican supplies, stop in next door at Familia Mercado. They have a great selection of fresh chili peppers, along with all the other Mexican grocery items you'd expect. ¡Muy auténtico! read more

Love the tamales and the sopes! omg, if you haven't had these... you need to, NOW! Everything else is great, love the food here, love the atmosphere and the really friendly costumer service. Forgot to mention, my wife and I love the little taco on the wall, we call it the "Jesus taco" just look at it... read more

My girlfriend's mom has a favorite burrito joint in Half Moon Bay that we've always been curious about but she's never been able to tell us exactly where it is ('kind of near the fish market' is as close as she could get) or what it's called. Fearing that we might spend half a day driving down there and come up empty handed, the investigation never got any further than that. So last Sunday we took some friends visiting from Chicago down to HMB to scope out the beach. By the time we got there it was lunch time and people were hungry. I was set on trying to find the place, so i made a b-line for the fish market. Happy taco was across the street, so we pulled up and walked in. Bob Marley was on the mix tape and it generally seemed like her kind of place, so i'm pretty sure this is it. I was hankering for a fish burrito, but when i didn't find that on the menu, i jumped at a carnitas burrito. Everyone else got tacos. My burrito was very good. The flour tortilla was excellent for NorCal (one of the things i really miss about Texas). Bites of other people's tacos that i had were also really tasty. The only thing i wasn't digging was the guac. It was REALLY heavy on the onions. Other than that one item, this place is great. Coming in starving after a good long surf sesh, this place could become a godsend. read more

Clean, tasty and friendly! My wife enjoyed her () and my son enjoyed their child size carne asada quasidilla. I enjoyed the traditional carne asada tacos, full of meat with finely chopped onions and cilantro. Yummy!! The employees are very friendly and polite. We noticed the customers are families, coming and going during our entire lunch. read more

Dear Happy Taco, I really wanted to like you. I could have overlooked your high prices, your cheap plastic seating, the incomplete menu board (for instance, not listing the large drink price), the hand-corrected prices on the paper menu (6.86 was apparently supposed to be 8.68), and the lack of a paper receipt from a woman who just spouts a rounded dollar amount. I might have even liked your burritos enough to be willing to pay 3x what the Taco Bell in the same plaza charges. You had such good reviews. But the reviews lied. First, your food. The super burrito was long (even if a little thin) and very tasty. But my burrito al pastor had a little strip of plastic in it. Not the "oh that's just a piece of onion or tough bit of fat" kind; no, it was the "pull it out and look at it and try to bite through it again but you can't because it's plastic" kind. Not cool. Also, your chips are bad. They come in a tiny plastic bag, and they are stale. As in, "I'm hungry and have another half hour to drive but I don't want to eat them because they are so bad" stale. Also, I realized that if we had ordered separately you would have given us 2 bags of chips, but you gave us only one. Because you're cheap. Speaking of cheap... Currently, the price of your super burrito is 7.31 before tax. Your menu clearly states "Choose your meat" in the burrito section, and then lists all of the meats, including fish. Your menu does NOT list separate prices for different meats, either on the board or on paper or online. In California, it is illegal to charge more than the posted price. But when I asked the woman behind the counter why my bill was so much, she said there that some meats cost more, including the fish burrito we had ordered, which she said was "10 dollars." This is a rip-off, pure and simple. At no time during ordering were we told about a surcharge for fish. In particular, the older woman who runs your register does not treat her customers well. In fact, when I asked about about the price of a super burrito she claimed it included ONLY the toppings (rice, beans, sour cream, etc.) and NOT the meat. This is how a business that says absurd things to cover its misleading menu or shady practices behaves. It is not how a customer-friendly business behaves. What she should have said was, "I'm sorry our menu is misleading; we'll fix it, and in the mean time here's... (a $2 refund; an extra bag of bad chips; a larger drink; etc)." No, the woman acted like the price of a meatless burrito with condiments was 7.31 (...which would have made the al pastor meat on the other burrito free, but nevermind her rationalizing defensive logic). All in all, this place is the pits. The chips are awful, and I felt robbed of $2. On the plus side, both burritos were really filling and tasty (apart from the bit of plastic in the al pastor), and the horchata was very good, too. But I'll never, ever go back. read more

The taco may be happy but we were not. Instead, we left: disappointed, shocked, and offended. We arrived around noon on Saturday on our way to the beach. After placing our order (for three people) we waited for what seemed like eternity to get our food. Actually it was only fifteen minutes before they called number "8" which felt like forever in tacqueria time. But instead of bringing our order the young woman came to explain that they had run out of carnitas. Really? It took 15 minutes to realize this? We asked to replace the burrito and taco with chicken and expected to be out of there quickly. Here's the kicker...eventually they called number "11" and the customer happened to be sitting right next to us. They brought his food--a plate of carnitas! You've got to be f'ing kidding me. I didn't enjoy waiting 25 minutes for my order--at a TACQUERIA. I didn't enjoy being treated less important than another customer. I didn't appreciate that they put carne asada in my burrito instead of chicken. I sure didn't leave HAPPY. read more

All I've had there is the burrito, and it was maybe the best super burrito I've ever had. In the top two for sure. I'm from out of town and went there on a whim with a client because of the name of the restaurant. He was stoked about his burrito too. If I'm in the Hald Moon Bay are again, I'll definitely be going there. read more