We asked for carne asada tacos and they said, "Say less, I know just the spot." That's how we ended up at Lilly's Tacos. You order at the counter, grab your toppings at the side bar, and wait for your freshly made tacos to come out. They call your name when your food is ready. They also have a small fridge with canned drink options. The tacos were really good! I usually stick to carne asada, but they also offer cabeza, lengua, and cachete -- cuts that are more unique and harder to find, so definitely try those if you want something different. It definitely feels like a local favorite. The line can get long but it moves pretty quickly. I went on a Saturday afternoon and street parking was easy to find. read more

Lilly's Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

If you're looking for some quick tasty tacos, this is the place to be! When looking up for some taco options, this place came up on the search list, and boy did it deliver. A small counter to take orders, a limited selection but very selection delivered. One section had the order station and the kitchen, and two more sections were for seating. They had a kind of sauce station, which was nice as each customer can customize per their preference. This place was buzzing with people even on a Thursday afternoon, can't imagine on weekends. We got 3 tacos, each being $3.49, very affordable, but extremely tasty. I personally preferred adobada which was delicious. Chicken fajitas were great too. Definitely recommend this place for a quick bite or a full fledged meal. read more

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I kept hearing about this place so we had to give it a try. It's just OK. Nothing amazing, just a regular street taco. They literally have only tacos so expect to spend about $20- $30 a person if you want to fill up. read more

Lilly's Tacos - Adobada,Carne Asada and Chicken. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We had a chicken, asada, and adobada taco. They were just fine. Not vert flavorful or good quality. The street Tacos El Triunfo are so much better! read more

It's fast and convenient and you can sit down and eat. There's free street parking by it. They have hand sanitizer near the cashier. There's a salsa bar where you can add your condiments. The spicy salsa was nice and spicy and very flavorful. be careful not to add too much. I like my meat to be slightly crispy and they do that right. But the tacos are not hot but still good. read more

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Sooo yummy, delicious, quick and fun. Ate here after my elopement. I recommend to everyone visiting SB for some good and safe gluten free tacos. read more

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This place is a nostalgia staple. It's probably been twenty years since my first visit and not a whole lot has changed. Simple grilled and vapor style tacos. Even though it's only tacos they have a good variety of meat options (one veggie too). What sets this taqueria apart is its al vapor style tacos. If you have never tried cabeza or lengua tacos this may be your place to try. One of the few places I order lengua or my favorite, Cachete, tacos. Cachete is beef cheek. They also have labio (lips) and ojos (eyes) if you're more adventurous than me. I find them slightly chewier to my liking. What completes this no frills, straight up taco spot is its salsa bar. Salsas are tasty and I'm always throwing a lot of toppings on top. Quick and successful lunch! read more

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Theres a reason why the locals love this place so much. Super quick, no frills super authentic taco spot. Great adobado!! read more

Lilly's Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I love this taqueria a lot, especially when I have friends in town and they are craving tacos. I arguably think 4 tacos is the perfect serving sizes for someone who has been walking around state street all day. There is no AC inside so it's not ideal to eat during the summer heat, so we took ours to the wharf to eat with the ocean views. The cashier spoke English and Spanish and switch back between each with me and my friends. Very tasty, would absolutely come again! read more

Lilly's Tacos - Asada Marinated chicken Tongue - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We went to Lilly's for lunch, and even though they had a line out the door, they were taking orders fast and moving people through. They have a small menu of different types of authentic tacos. I really liked the pork and grilled beef tacos. My husband tried some of the more adventurous tacos, like the lengua (tongue) and cabeza (head). The tacos were simple and delicious. We were happy with the meal! We really enjoyed the salsas and hot sauces, too. read more

Lilly's Tacos - Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Update: if I am hungry and in the area...this is the best place for a quick, affordable taco meal. I just wish the tacos weren't so bland.

No frills, quick service taco spot. I love this place for a quick affordable lunch and have been often, but if you're looking for a more in depth culinary experience this might not be your place. Tacos come with your choice of meat or veggies with a salsa bar that offers lime, cilantro, onions and 3 salsas. read more

Lilly's Tacos - Asada tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I haven't been here for a decade but I remember how well seasoned the meat was, how fresh the guacamole was and how cheesy the cheese was. Well.....imagine my surprise when I get to this place with my family and not only do they dont season their meat, like asada was cooked but not even salt was added to season it. The condiment bar didnt have guacamole, no sour cream and no cheese. Tf?!! How are you charging soooo much for a taco that you can get with more flavor at taco bell. Such a let down this place ended up being. Not coming back for sure. read more

The meat was so incredibly dry, it made these hard to enjoy. Will definitely choose another taco spot next time I'm visiting Santa Barbara. read more

First stop after landing in Santa Barbara? Has to be Lilly's Tacos. Rolled in here about an hour before closing and there were still plenty of locals ordering up some plates of deliciousness. Line was about 5 deep when I arrived but service was prompt and friendly. Plenty of indoor seating with two different salsa stations to choose your level of spice. The shop wasn't too noisy and was welcoming. If you're in the area for some authentic tacos run, don't walk, to Lilly's. read more

Lilly's Tacos - Steak & Grilled Pork - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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We stopped by to see what all the commotion was about and they were good tacos. The salsa were very good. Nothing mind blowing. The place was clean. The service was fast. The food was good. read more

Lilly's Tacos - Asada Adobada - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Absolutely hidden gem. Simple menu of Absolutely delicious tacos! Affordable! 3 pastor and 4 asada, filled to the rim of doubled fresh tortillas. Salsas on the bar were homemade and a great kick, spicy! Fresh chopped cilantro and onions. The place was packed and the line never ended. read more

Lilly's Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Fantastic experience at Lilly's Tacos! We came closer to 6 pm and didn't have to wait a minute to order. We ordered 5 asada tacos and one Jarritos which came out to $21! The tacos came out within minutes, they were piping hot and overflowing with meat. The salsa bar is self serve, along with toppings if you like cilantro and onions, as well as radish and limes. I believe the tortillas were homemade, they were soft and flavorful. The tacos were very good. Two is more than enough if you're a light eater which I am not, but they were plentiful for me. Some of the best tacos in Santa Barbara. I highly recommend it for a quick lunch or dinner! read more

Lilly's Tacos - Asada tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Loved this place so much I wanted to come back the next day! The service is fast, vibe casual, and the tacos hit the spot. We tried the cachete and tripas, which were both very flavorful, excellent texture. I also love that you add your own onion, cilantro, and hot sauce! Perfect for onion lovers like me. We didn't have time to stop by again during our visit, but looking forward to next time I'm in SB! read more

Decided to stop for a quick bite at Lilly's Tacos on my way back to SoCal and I'm glad I did. Walking up to the restaurant itself it's nothing fancy, just the order counter, indoor seating, and a few small tables on the sidewalk. It's a very casual taco shop perfect for a quick meal. Lilly's menu is also super simple, they have street tacos, street tacos, and more street tacos. From what I saw on the menu, that is all they serve, so if you're looking for hard tacos, burritos, or other dishes, this isn't a good fit. Ordering is simple, You choose your meat and the number of tacos you want and they'll put it together before you can even put away your wallet, it was that fast. I ordered some Asada and Tripa (intestine) tacos and I have to say their tacos are great. They're nothing fancy, no crazy toppings, just meat and corn tortillas. There is a self-serve bar however that offers a range of Salsas, chopped cilantro, onion, and limes. The carne asada was flavorful and they weren't skimping on the meat. I ordered the tripa crunchy and they were really great. All in all, this place has all the makings of a great taco shop without all the fluff. It's relatively affordable and you can be in and out within 30-minutes. Would come here often if I lived in the area. All in all, would recommend giving it a try. read more

Lilly's Tacos - 4x Asada and 2x Tripas Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

For sure, here's a super casual, short review. It's the kind of thing you'd text a friend. OMG, Lily's Tacos is the real deal. No frills, just amazing tacos that taste like the best thing you've ever had. I got 2 carne asada, 2 Cachete, 2 lengua, and 3 cabeza it's ridiculous so delicious. The line is worth it, I swear. It's seriously a must-try. read more

Lily's still has the best tacos de ojos in the world!!! Literally, I have only found good tacos de ojos in San Miguel de Allende, and here. I have lots of good tacos around me in West LA, but I gladly drive all the way here for the ojos. The BEST!! read more

Lilly's Tacos - Salsas, limes, onions on ice - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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So I had my second dinner of the night here last night. I'd eaten something lighter in the evening but was feeling a bit peckish and needed a little more to eat, as I'd had a really active and adventurous day. I knew you Yelpers didn't lead me wrong, 'cos there was a small queue outside the door when I arrived (8pmish on a Friday). Very straightforward - order at a register, and your food will be up a few moments later from a counter (just a few inches away). It was super speedy and the tacos were delicious. I added some of the medium salsa to mine - it had a good little kick. I'm not adventurous when it comes to my food, so I had one chicken fajita taco and one asada. But, as some other reviewers have noted, you can eat any part of a cow here -- or you could also get a veggie taco. 2025: 25/100 read more

SO GOOD! One of the best taquerias i've ever had. Kinda pricey, but worth it. Tables were pretty clean, it has a nice outdoor area to sit as well. They also have a salsa bar with anything you'd like to put on your tacos. Highly recommend. read more

Food came out very fast, the menu was easy to follow and order from. The place was very clean with lots of seating area. The portions were very generous as well as the price. They had their own bar to add onions, cilantros, and radish separately. They also had three sauce options varing in spice levels. Overall, very good place to grab a quick taco bite. The el pollo taco was the best for me personally and the tripe had a bit of a stronger bitter flavor but my girlfriend enjoyed it a lot because she liked tripe. read more

Lilly's Tacos - Two carne asada tacos, two el pollo tacos, and one tripe taco - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Authentic and quick experience. You order and the tacos come out very quickly! We tried the pork and Asada tacos. We liked the pork taco more -- the meat was tender and fatty. Salsa bar was also fun! The carne asada meat was a bit tough. Good for take out inside an authentic taco shop. read more

Lilly's Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Tacos were good, price wasn't bad for the area. And the service was good. Food came fast. No complaints.

Really sad about this place. We are from LA and whenever we road trip to SB or Slo we stop at Lilly's. We haven't been in over 2 years and wow, the quality and service have 100% hit rock bottom. To begin, we come in excited to have it after so long just to be met with a moody, unhappy, and rude cashier lady. The cashier lady wears glasses and a high bun -- beware. The first impression for new customers is not good, so I would suggest to maybe be a little nicer to paying customers who are keeping this horrible food in business. Once we received our tacos, I thought we had received the wrong order because my goodness the taco meat looked extremely bland. We were still hopeful, but at the first bite I knew that this wasn't the lilly's I had ate 2 years ago. The meat has NO seasoning, not even SALT. It is bland, dry, and has absolutely no flavor. For asada, the meat is thick making it harder to chew. If you don't believe me, literally look a photos from 2+ years ago on here and compare them to photos recently posted. The quality has definitely declined. Super sad. To think I recommended this place before makes me feel guilty. Save your money, only eat here if you are starving tbh. read more

Always a must when in Santa Barbara! My favorite is the way they prepare the tripas but all the meat selections are good! read more

Lilly's Tacos - Tripas Lengua Cabeza - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My husband and I rode bikes to try this spot and the food was delicious but the service was meh. It's set up like a typical taco shop you order up front, pay, and they hand you your tacos. Nothing extra or fancy about it. You dress them yourself. We tried adobada, carne asada, and cabeza and enjoyed them all and they give you plenty of meat. The salsa has a great spice level as well. The service was kind of odd, we ordered and paid, and were handed the plates. And as I walked away and was about to place onions on top the lady in front snatched the plate out of my hand and walked away with the plate. Just super odd encounter that made it feel like I did something wrong and she was kind of rude about it. read more

Below average tacos. Maybe it's cause I'm from LA, spoiled with good tacos. Sauces are mediocre. The tortillas don't even taste like it has been on the grill, barely touched. - Steamed tacos (ALL) 2.1/5 All of them were tender except for one, it was light brown in color. They all kind of tasted similar in terms of beefiness, and differed in tenderness (gelatinous). - Tripas crispy taco 2.7/5 Deep fried tripas, they're very crispy. Free street parking read more

Read about this place on Reddit Santa Barbara FAQ, saying that it was $1 a taco, delicious and cheap. That's definitely not the case right now, as it's $3.49 a taco, though you won't see that price listed anywhere on the menu. Was very much underwhelmed with the tacos here as I've had much more flavorful and tender tacos back in San Diego for cheaper too. We ordered the asada, adobada, and tripes (crispy). They were all pretty dry and lacking in flavor. Service is fast though and the employees are nice, but the food is very mediocre. read more

I'm from the Bay Area, and lived in LA for 10 years, so I'm super strict when it comes to Mexican food. I ordered the lengua, cabeza, and cachete tacos. They came out quick and the food was hot. The people were really nice. The meat itself was tender, but lacked flavor. Like not in a "salt" kind of way (it needed salt too though) but like actual seasoning. Same for the salsas, they weren't really spicy. And the one "spicy" salsa they had didn't have the best flavor. I've been to multiple Mexican restaurants out here and none of them wow me. It's clear they tailored their food to fit the SB demographic. If you want good Mexican food, go back to LA or Oakland. read more

Great tacos. A real taco spot. I suggest you come hungry and gorge. I've been a since they opened in a narrow shopfront and there was such limited seating and people sat on the sidewalk kerb to enjoy a juicy taco. read more

My eyes were bigger than my stomach. This is one of those places where the tacos are pretty big. I ordered 5 and should have only ordered 3. You order at the register in the front, and they call your order. Self seating on the side, super casual, eat and then leave vibes. read more

Came here while driving thru town. Standard tacos- nothing special but affordably priced.

I spent the weekend in Santa Barbara, first time ever actually. I usually am just passing by but gaaaahhh daaammmm was I missing out! I had no friggin idea SB got down like this!! These tacos were probably some of the best I've had in my life and I've had A LOT of tacos. Everything I ordered was so flavorful and not too greasy but juicyyyy. They hit my tastebuds with a quickness and did not turn back LOL Oh yes and they had a really unique meat choice "beef eye", lemme tell you this was super tender no seeing the actual eyeballs just had that tender lovin flavor we all need in our lives haha. Will definitely be back to SB and you bet your MF azz im coming back to Lilly's. PEACE!! read more

Superb. My friends and I have come three times and loved everything. My personal favorite is Cachete (cheek). The steamed meats are juicy My friend A got both the soft and crispy tripe and three of the steamed ones (head, cheek, tongue) and loved them all. In short, you can't go wrong Tacos come out super fast and they take card. Staff is very nice read more

Delicious tacos - don't be fooled, they may look "small" but are PACKED with meat. All of them were delicious in flavor. This is cafeteria style where you order and pay upfront then wait for them to call your name - afterward you find a place to sit. These tacos are not overpriced. They have a salsa bar too. Loved it and can't wait to stop by Lilly's when I'm back in SB. read more

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You'll find more than just the regular carne asada at Lilly's. On the menu: beef head, cheek, tongue, tripe, lips, and eyes! I don't do organs, but my bf was intrigued with the eyes on the menu. One ojo taco for him, and one carne asada taco for me. I made sure which was which, as I definitely wouldn't want to mix them up! Verdict: he wouldn't know it was eyes, other than that he knowingly ordered it. A few gelatinous strips were in there, but it might have been mixed with some carne asada as well. Overall, ok but wouldn't order again. I thought my carne asada taco was pretty standard, a bit on the chewy/tough side. The salsa bar had all the fixings including a variety of salsas, onions and cilantro, lime wedges and spicy radishes! Fast casual joint. read more

Lilly's Tacos - Ojo Taco, left and Asada Taco, right ($2.99/ea) - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California