i got a carnitas torta the lettuce was very sweet and delicious and the meat was crisp and fatty

Ive had several good things here, but the first one justifying 5 stars was a beef huarache. The huarache is very tender and there is a rich lard flavor, it is heavily topped, and the green and dark red salsas both taste great. one of the standout Mexican meals I've had in the SBA area read more

Everything is good food little meat market price is great I like food there price is great and food is nice read more

Food was moldy. They did not have what i ordered at first, even though they have a full deli. read more

La Chapala Market - mold on my torta - Convenience Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

Sooooo yummy and authentic. Three enchiladas and beans and rice were $16. Yum. enchiladas verdes are slightly spicy read more

La Chapala Market - Enchiladas verdes - Convenience Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

la comida, es buena, el servicio es muy pobre, no tienen un buen servicio por parte de los empleados, sin mucha gente, te hacen esperar sin darte una buena información.El ambiente no es muy agradable. no te dan una buena bienvenida. No te hacen sentir cómodo, eh ido varias veces diferente personal y ha sido lo mismo. creo deben darles algún curso para servicio al cliente. read more

Continuing my Summer of Old Town as a celebration of the new, safer-for-cycling and walking Project Connect. I biked up to the top of Old San Marcos road and then went right on downhill to Old Town. La Chapala was the perfect, post ride stop. Had a delicious pork and chili burrito (ten bucks) and an orange soda. The staff was great and the booths are comfortable. read more

La Chapala Market - Perfect place to finish a bike ride and read Adventure Cycling magazine. - Convenience Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

Asada burrito made my stomach sick didn't taste that good meat didn't taste fresh tons of rice in it which is not good

If you are looking for authentic Mexican food in Goleta this place is the spot to go to. The restaurant is located in the front of the little super market. Whenever I come here to eat, I usually get the carnitas tacos or the Chile verde burrito. What I like the most about this place is the amount of meat they put on your tacos, burritos, etc. It's definitely worth the money. The prices for the food are just about the same as El sitio or any other restaurants around but way more meat. They also sell agua Fresca and have a little salsa bar in front of the counter. The only thing that kind of sucks is that sometimes i feel like they look at you funny if you don't speak Spanish, but that's ok! The food is good so that's all that matters. read more

La Chapala Market - Half eaten chili verde burrito. Soo good - Convenience Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

This is a Mexican market/restaurant. The 5 stars are for the amazing breakfast burrito that keeps me coming back! Forget the fact that these are busy people running a business, regardless of the wait, the loaded breakfast burrito is the BEST in old town. There's another amazing spot that has loaded burritos but it costs you about $15 where here's it's about $10 depending on if you add extra toppings. I recommend you try the breakfast burrito with jamón (ham) ‍ you'll be full for breakfast AND lunch. Please be patient, yes the wait can be long at times; they take care of the grocery lines and the food order lines, but I promise it's worth the wait. read more

La Chapala Market - Menu - Convenience Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

I got the $11 burrito it was actually pretty small and I felt like I was bothering them more than giving them business. Aside from being small it was very light like it had air in it like an air-burrito. I asked for an extra red salsa and the lady opened my bag and shook the red sauce in front of me like she'd already given me one when I was just asking for 1 extra red salsa... On top of that they don't sell salsa here. So you can't buy salsa here and they won't give you extra salsa. Just confusing...They sell tortillas, meat, beans, vegetables but no fresh made salsa. For a full service meat market and market with vegetables I'm surprised they don't sell pre-made salsa... read more

The service at this location is the worst. The cashiers are always on their personal phones while tending customers. Don't provide with the correct change until asked. Won't be returning to this location. read more

The market deserved these stars for the variety of produce, condiments, and meats. However, the food in the "restaurant" was a different story. I ordered the chile relleno a la cadre. This was probably the worst chile relleno I have ever tasted. The batter was thin and clearly overcooked bc the batter was rubbery and cheese were separated. The Chile was charred (I think) bc it was a darker color green, but I am not sure. This dish lacked in flavor and overall tasted like freezer burn topped with watered down salsa. I am still thinking about it now... EW! I plan not to eat chile rellenos for a while bc that was so gross.... :( BLEH! read more

La chapala market is much more than a convenience store. The front kitchen area makes authentic Mexican fairs at an incredible bargain. I got an array of tacos and a chili verde combo for less than $15. The serving size was generous, the adobado was nicely seasoned, the carnitas was tender with a few crispy bits. The shrimp taco was a little overcooked, but still tasty. For those with a more adventurous palate, you can get goat and cow brains for the taco fillings. The chili verde combo was enough for 2 to share with big pieces of tender pork in a tomatillo sauce that's spicier than you expect. Even the rice and beans were very flavorful, but there could be copious amount of lard in the preparation that made the sides so delicious. I took a quick tour of the store while waiting for my food. The best part was the meat department with most items being around $3 per pound. They had already marinated pastor and fajita meat (get 2 pounds and drive to Goleta beach to grill for a relaxing yet delicious weekend). There were also many cuts that were completely foreign to me, most of them were sliced very thin so you could grill it quickly or prepare it Milanese style. I imagine some korean bbq marinade would work beautifully with them too. The store also offers good prices on a selection of produce common to Mexican cooking such as tomatillo, scallions, chayote, jalapeno, etc... There are ample parkings in the back of the store. Don't let the sketchy looking facade fool you, there are plenty of cheap good eats in La Chapala. read more

La Chapala Market - adobado, shrimp, and carnitas tacos - Convenience Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

La Chapala makes some of the best Mexican plate lunch in the Goleta/Santa Barbara area. Good prices, huge portions, and authentic flavors. It isn't California-style Mexican food. It's just like the food you would find in Nogales, Tucson, or any town on the border periphery. Their Mole Poblano is the definition of happiness. Unlike many spots in town, the mole isn't too sweet. It's mildly sweet, a little bitter from the chocolate, and the flavor from the ground nuts is warm and appealing. A plate is big enough to split with a friend, and comes with freshly-made, thick corn tortillas rolled up in foil. Their Birria de Chivo is also wonderful, and well suited for a chilly day. It's a huge bowl of goat soup with veggies. The goat is so tender - you can tell a lot of time went into simmering it to the perfect consistency and flavor. Their tacos are hit-or-miss, and could be greatly improved by a little more well-stocked salsa bar. Don't get me wrong, a number of their salsas are spot on... but their condiments (onions, limes, cilantro) can be a little sparse and sad. Looking at the other photos on Yelp, I see that isn't always the case... in the future I'll just ask if I need something. My favorite meats for the tacos include the pastor, chili verde, and (you guessed it) chicken mole. I'm not a fan of their lengua, and don't think it lives up to the higher price tag. La Chapala market is an excellent spot to fill up on homestyle Mexican food... consider ordering from their specials list as it has some stellar renditions of classic dishes. The market is also a great place to stock up on staple foods (all the Goya products you need for half the cost of other grocers!), frozen goods, etc. read more

La Chapala Market - Lengua en Salsa Verde. One of their best specials... It's absolutely perfect. - Convenience Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

Market/restaurant. One stop shopping for all you South of the boarder, culinary needs. Well, I assume they have everything you need. I wandered the meat and veggie isle wile waiting for my Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup) that was on special. My lunch date ordered up the Chili Verdi The menu board is inside to the left and you order at the cashier just ahead. Grab drinks from coolers along the left side and pay. Con't find a spot ton the street? No problem. Pull around in back for plenty of space.Helps to speak and read Spanish but it's not a prerequisite but it helps. Don't let that stop you form visiting. While I was not crazy about mine due to the lack of any real spice and a bland broth, I did like the Chili Verdi. I'll give it a try again. read more

La Chapala Market - Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup) - Convenience Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

I love walking to this restaurant to take a break from work and buy a breakfast burrito. This restaurant is 80% market and 20% restaurant. They have a large raw meat selection in the market that they use to cook their burritos and other mexican dishes, if you like pork ribs try the costillitas. The food here feels fresh and homey, because the ingredients are from their groceries I know that I'm getting good quality meat in my orders. Their Taco prices are a great deal at only 1.89 a taco with a ton of different options, they have a 3 taco and a drink special for 5 dollars on Wed (Or was it Tuesday?).The other prices are average and I haven't tried many of their more expensive dishes but the portions of the 10 dollar entrees are already massive as is (see photo). read more

See all

Truly the best Rajas and pastor tacos around. If you want to eat like a local, La Chapala is the place. If you come before the bread runs out make sure to try a torta! read more

I haven't eaten here in a few years but thought I'd try it again after hearing good things from other diners. Twice recently I've enjoyed the menudo, priced at $11.99, it's a large serving for one or small for two. Accompanied by terrific thick freshly handmade corn tortillas and the usual limes, cilantro and onion, it's piqued my interest in trying more items from their extensive menu. La Chapala is a small neighborhood market offering Hispanic produce/butcher counter/ small restaurant-deli where you order and pay at the counter then wait at one if their utilitarian tables for your freshly made sopes, Gorditas, burritos, shrimp plates, etc. A self-serve salsa bar offers several tasty looking options that I look forward to trying when I return for something other than their wonderful menudo. read more

Every time I drove by them in Goleta I wanted to stop for a chili verde burrito. I have not had one for years. I finally stopped today and got one to go. I took it home and cut in 2/3 + 1/3 to share with the wife. I took the 2/3 portion as she eats less than me. This is an accurate and honest statement, In the 2/3 portion there was ONLY 1 small piece of chili verde meat and I never noticed any chili verde sauce at all. To say I was disappointed is a huge understatement. I looked in the 1/3 portion and it appears the meat was in there, although very little. The rice and beans burrito was good but needed more cheese and cilantro since that ran out in the first & second bite. I guess my memory was of Lito's not La Chapala market. Never again! read more

Oooooof! That's my final remark on my taqueria tour of Old Town Goleta. La Chapala was the last place on my list, and I am FULL. The majority of La Chapala Market is grocery/convenience store. There's even a good meat department, for raw cuts, and carnitas and chicharones. But I was there for the dining portion. It's a very, and I mean VERY, basic counter for ordering hot foot, and half a dozen small tables for eating in and another eating counter along the front windows. Really, no frills. It is important to note that the counter where the menu and prices are listed is not the counter you order and pay for your food. That is done at the general store's cashier counter. If your Spanish is no bueno, that is okay, the cashiers can cope. But for the guys in the kitchen and who bring your plate to the counter, you might encounter a language barrier. Just hold onto your order stub and listen for your number, and pick up your food at the counter where the menu is displayed. The menu is not complicated. An assortment of meats and vegetable, offered as burrito, taco, torta, hurrache, gordita. And a few combination plates and specials. I got the birria hurrache for $4.99. Oh man, it was more generous than I expected, piled high with succulent goat meat. There was one bone in it, but it was obvious and I much prefer that to fine shards of bone I get at some other places that serve goat. This hurrache also was loaded with a cold marinated green vegetable, perhaps a sweet pepper. There was actually too much of it, and I picked some off. I also ordered a carnitas taco, at $1.39, the cheapest tacos in Old Town. This deep fried pork had both the golden-brown deliciously of being fried and big tender chunks that make me feel la Chapala has been best carnitas of Old Town Hollister as well. Really good stuff. My lunch companion got the mole chicken, which came with refried beans and rice and tortillas. I sampled a bit and found the mole underwhelming compared to other places I like in Santa Barbara. It had a bitter burnt taste. I think that dish cost $6.99. I spent just a smidge over $6 and I am ridiculously full. So full, I am feeling a little relieved that my taco tour is over. Time for a break. But I know I'll start reminiscing over the memories within a week. Adios! read more

See all

I've visited for both the market and to eat in. For the market I got the fixings for a carne asada the meat was reasonably priced and marinated nicely. The produce section is small but has what you need. Tortillas are handmade at the restaurant, yum! I highly recommend the al pastor and buche tacos. My daughter also loved her carna asada quesadilla. Looking forward to some caldos and menudo on the weekend. Flavor is authentic, food is tasty and service has been consistently good! read more

La Chapala Market - Carne asada quesadilla. - Convenience Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

The food at this unassuming restaurant housed in a supermarket is amazing. Try the homemade tortillas with any dish on the menu. read more

La Chapala Market - Tilapia - Convenience Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

This place is amazballs ! Tacos are crazy packed an full of flavor. I cant believe the size of the taco an all the meat they give you on it. They gave me enough meat on my tacos for 4 tortillas. The salsa bar was good just needed to by cleaned up. I bought a burro for my co worker an he could not even finish it. Super yummy spot ...next time im in town im stopping here fo sure. read more

La Chapala Market - Massive meat on my two tacos ...i needed more tortillas. Salsa is fire . - Convenience Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

Oh hell no. I went in around 3:30pm and pretty much nobody paid any attention to me. Finally my order was taken. After going back and forth on whether they had one of the meats listed. One woman said they had it, another said they didnt. Once I got my tacos. VERY QUICKLY I must say. Which was a pro... I bit into the "carnitas" which was pretty much the consistency of funion rings. I have no idea what that was. It wasnt meat. So that went without eating. That was the one meat that made me go here. Everyone raved about it. Must have been the end of the day so they gave me the dried out leftovers. I would have rather tell me they were out. Then I took a bite of my birria taco and nearly broke my tooth on not 1 but 2 huge bones in my taco. Never again. Really too bad because I work right across the street. read more

Bottom Line: One of the best asada burritos that I have had in a long time evidence of a legit mexican food joint; - need to order in Spanish...check - flies buzzing around....check - awesome salsa bar...check This place has all the of markings of a great local spot to get some great Mexican food and reminds me of the time I have spent in Baja. I need to get back over there to try their breakfast burrito! The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because my asada was a bit burned but didn't spoil anything read more

* Please open a location in Vancouver! * I love places like this. From the outside this appears to be someplace between a convenience store and a grocery store. When you wander in you find a meat and fish counter doing all the cutting on the spot, and a counter that will grill up the items for you to eat at a few tables in the front. You can't order or pay at the counter, even though there is a menu there. Figure out what you want and then head to the check-out counter and order there. Your items will then be available at the counter when they are ready. What a lovely meal! Or let me rephrase that. What a set of 3 lovely meals. We couldn't help but return several times. Everything was really good. The carnitas taco (around $1.40 or so) had an incredibly generous amount of meat piled on top and all the toppings you would expect. Nice taco! But the pescado en mojo de ajo (fish in garlic sauce) seriously kicked butt. The combination of butter, a ton of garlic, and the acid from the lime juice worked perfectly. The fish was grilled perfectly with a nice char, yet still was done perfectly on the inside. They gave such a generous portion, with all the trimmings (rice, beans, tortillas, salsas, etc.), yet still only charged $7.99. Wow! Now if they could only send some of the cooks up to Vancouver and open up a Canadian location all would be good. Please? Pretty please with cajeta on top? read more

Great prices and good food feels pretty authentic. Come here repeatedly for their made food. Has good meat as well

I stopped by La Chapala for some lunch. I was without my phone (rare!) so not able to get any pics. I really wish I did... They have an in-store kitchen and diner that offers your classic Mexican foods for a good price. The place is grimy yet clean. Clean grimy is a good sign for some good traditional eats for sure! I was in the middle of a flashback of some out of country experiences and headed straight for the counter to order.  I went with a Gringa with birria (yes, I was totally in the mood to go there). I grabbed a table and was treated to a healthy portion of (not-so healthy) cheesy goodness. It came with a side salad (well pile of shredded iceberg topped with a generous mound of sour cream). I mixed the lot of it together, scooped on some salsa from the salsa bar and quickly devoured it. It was tasty and although I could feel the guilt of the greezy pitstop in my stomach for a few hours, I feel great a day later (after a quick trip to the gym). It is probably not for the faint of stomach or anyone with a germ radar, but it is authentic and good. I perused the market and it seems to offer a plethora of Mexican staples and ingredients at reasonable prices. I did grab a sparkling water from the case to enjoy with my lunch and it was absolutely, totally flat. I check the others [in the bottom of the case] and could tell they were flat as well. Perhaps I should have picked something else knowing where I was. I mean an orange soda would have gone so much better with my meal anyway!!  I will be back and try some of their specials from the kitchen the next time I want a Mexican culinary staycation. read more

I stop by to the chhapala Market at Goleta to buy meat and another products, I got surprise is always a nice cashier,but today at 4 25 pm the person in the front is the most mean person I never meet she was un respectfully she charged me and through my change on the counter no ever thank you or Hi, if she isn't happy ,sorry for her she needs to move on and found something us, I never came in back to to this store thanks to Her please raise the salary so maybe is what she needs poor thing... read more

My husband decided to surprise me with tacos from La Chapala. He had found out about La Chapala from a friend. We loove tacos and are always looking for delicious street tacos. La Chapala is definitely a place to find excellent tacos. My husband bought me pork tacos. He doesn't remember if they were al pastor, but they were definitely not cooked liked the carnitas described below. The pork was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. Not too salty at all. They're just as much as Lilly's Tacos downtown at $1.40. As for my husband, he ordered the chicken burrito. It was delicious as well. He devoured it. The salsas had a wonderful smoky flavor and the grilled onions and peppers were tasty. We are looking forward to many more visits. I can't wait to try the other tacos. read more

This is another of my favorite places in the Santa Barbara area. I usually order the vegetarian option, the huarache with rajas ( a large cousin of the tostada, covered in roasted mild green chilies and pico de gallo, with a generous sprinkling of crumbled cotija cheese.) There is a choice of salsas to top it off. It's very filling. It's also as good as the delicious street food I've had in Puerto Vallarta and Mexico City. You have to get your drinks in the store, order and pay at the cashier, and pick it up at the window under the menu. Wait for them to call your number.....and it might be helpful to review the numbers in Spanish before you go. Get dessert at the panaderia a few doors down, if you still have room for it. read more

The carne asada torta was just ok, nothing really special. The al pastor taco though had really fantastic flavor. The lengua was so so too. Wish I got a bunch of the al pastor tacos. read more

I wouldn't have my wedding reception here or anything, but who would have a wedding reception at a Mexican market restaurant? BTW, what even do you call a restaurant in market? It's not a deli. It's not really a restaurant. What is it? I had the al pastor burrito with extra guac and extra cheese. It was pretty good, but needed more spice. For the sake of transparency I should note that I may have given this a little better rating than it deserves since the only other review I have done to date was a bit negative. Plus I feel the need to make up for Daniel and Bruno's overly harsh rating. read more

Five stars on the food. The tacos were really good, the salsas were great. I love the atmosphere, I felt right at home. It was really good authentic food, and you're able to get drinks of any kind that you'd like in the store and pay at the register before you get your food. But I will have to give one star 2 customer service and cleanliness of the eating area. None of the tables were bussed. They were not wiped down, and there was trash left on the tables as well. Also, the customer service wasn't that great. The cashier looked like she hated her job, and her hair was all over the place. I was lucky to not find one of her hair's in my food. She did not greet us with a smile, or what the hello how are you. She just asked what we wanted and that was it. Other than that, the food is amazing. Just don't expect the customer service and the cleanliness to be read more

All their employee are nice and kind except for one. She works at night. Black Hair above shoulder. I think she's new. I noticed her and this customer with a kid maybe 2, twice this happen. She(cashier) NEVER help the lady with putting the grocery in her bag. That happen twice and I noticed it coz the toddler throws tantrum. And she literally didnt help. Imagine going to get grocery and your kid throws tantrum and this cashier lady wont even help with putting the grocery in the bag. I was surprised though that she help other customer. read more

Fantastic food, I particularly like the chicken mole and the "tacos Chapala", both which come with handmade tortillas. The fruit juices are different every day and are always wonderful. Friendly staff too, overall a great hidden gem in Goleta. read more

La Chapala Market - 2 "tacos Chapala" and a papaya juice - Convenience Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

Other than being slow, dirty, getting the order wrong, and eventually serving not very good food... well, just not much we found to like here. Sorry. If the food had been delicious, we could have forgiven all the rest, but the fish tacos were served with a sweet pineapple coleslaw, the meat tacos were tough, the salad was a packaged spring mix that was past its prime with black leaves and sweet dressing (the same style as Los Agaves serves--must be a thing). Los Tarascos, on the other side of the freeway near Zodo's bowling, is a MUCH better choice. read more

There's a reason I gained 10 pounds when I worked within walking distance of this place. The food is great -- not fancy, but homey and delicious. I especially like the carnitas, and at less than $2 for a generous taco, it's the best deal in town. As others have noted, it's basically a market with food, a carneceria. They've updated the inside (it's cleaner and much better organized) and the outside is getting a nice makeover. Bottom line, if you're in Old Town Goleta and want good, inexpensive Mexican food, you can't go wrong with La Chapala. read more

Great market with a huge selection of fresh cut meats. The burritos and tacos are authentic and taste excellent. I got the shrimp and fish burrito, as well as some tacos. Service was quick, and once again..TASTED AMAZING. One of my SB Favorites for authentic Mexican food. read more