Nico&#x27;s Taco Shop

Always great food and service! Lots of choices…read more Come from the Eastside, to meet family and friends often. definitely recommend.

Awesome taco Tuesday deal, $1.99 for chicken, asada, carnitas or ground beef street tacos. They're…read morea good size and very filling. My favorite was the carnitas and ground beef. Trista is the best server ever. One thing to note is there is now a sneaky fee for paying with a card.

Full Bar

La Dip

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Amelias Mexican Kitchen

4.4(749 reviews)

8.7 mi

The food was excellent! Leyda was perhaps even better than the food; she helped guide us through…read morethe menu and helped us select a lunch we couldn't stop talking about. She's a keeper! Ambiance is comfortable and other patrons friendly and inquisitive regarding our meal selection.

Came here off of a recommendation, and while it was decent, it definitely didn't live up to the…read morehype. When we entered the restaurant, I was immediately impressed with all of the accolades that Amelia's Kitchen seems to have accrued over the years. Maybe that set my expectations too high. We made a reservation, which I highly recommend, so we were quickly seated. but it did take a bit for someone to actually come and greet us and take our drink orders after being sat down. Then it was probably another 40 minutes before we actually got our food. I'm not sure if it was this lag time that affected the food quality, but several of my items were just lukewarm and some even cold? The star of the show was definitely, the molcajete. This came out sizzling and full to the brim with shrimp, nopales, chicken, asada, cheese, and lots of other goodies. In hindsight, I probably should've ordered one for myself. I went with the chicken mole enchiladas. Again, the sauce was okay but not super spicy, and it was a little cold, as was my side of rice and beans. We also ordered the mini birria chimis to share. and these were just OK, they tasted like frozen food. Overall, if you come here, I highly recommend getting the molcajete, but can't really vouch for any other items. Maybe we'll try it again on a less busy night.

Amelias Mexican Kitchen - An action shot of some of the friendly and attentive service that is the standard here. (*you can't tell from the pic, but they are good)

An action shot of some of the friendly and attentive service that is the standard here. (*you can't tell from the pic, but they are good)

Mole enchiladas

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2 QUESABIRRIAS W/RICE & BEANS, CALDO (Juice meat)

La Hacienda Family Mexican Restaurant

4.1(548 reviews)

4.9 mi

We have been customers at La Hacienda for many years and have never had a bad experience. The food…read moreis always esthetically pleasing and taste great. They have a wide variety of authentic Mexican food and drinks. The waitstaff is very attentive and forthcoming. Great place for date night, or a family get-together. They have expanded into the next suite which will help with the short wait times.

This place was wonderful. Cute little Mexican restaurant with very friendly service. So many…read moreoptions on the menu it took us awhile to decide what to get. The margaritas were great and the chips and salsa disappeared fast. Salsa was a little spicy for me so I'm glad they offer a more mild one as well. The food had so much flavor. I can't remember the exact names of our dishes but they were delicious. Can't wait to go back.

Full bar

#27 Enchilada, Chalupa Both with Chicken Refried Beans Spanish Rice

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Meeeechilada

Luna Cafe

4.6(57 reviews)

13.3 mi

Amazing food and service I'd recommend everyone with the people wanting amazing food to people with…read moreAirbnb recommendations to this restaurant would boost satisfaction

This ain't no fancy bistro cafe. Let's get that straight…read more The day we visited there was a live cattle auction happening in the same building which I thought was cool & added to the authentic country charm. If you were wondering, the smell of cows was NOT perceptible even by my extra good sniffer. Probably because of the auction, combined with great reviews - the place was packed with cowboys/girls & farmers along with a mix of other diners. Young, old, hip, not hip, all getting along in there. Wait staff was busy as could be, but kindly took our order & served our dishes while they were still piping hot which is a pet peeve when it's not. Menu had gluten free and vegetarian options which I didn't expect but did think was smart & I'll def try one of them next time I eat here. Lots of choices for everyone. Prices were the usual for this economy ($15+ person entree, excluding beverage or spendier stuff like steak). The place smelled like a good diner ought to: sizzling fragrance of thick bacon & burgers, scent of fresh coffee, toasted breads & perfectly cooked eggs. I ordered the Breakfast Torta, a SW twist on a bfast sammy - egg, bacon, tomato with gorgeous & plentiful avocado atop a thick smear of housemade refried beans. All packed into the freshest torta bread I've eaten anywhere. My husband had the chicken fried steak breakfast with crispy house potatoes. They serve Pepsi products so hubs had a big glass of chocolate milk (nice sized!) and I had water & a side of fruit. Golly! The portions were generous and whoever is cooking clearly knows what they're doing cause I could taste the love in every bite. (Even the bites of not-my-entree under the guise of needing to review his plate, too!). The chicken fried steak was perfectly seasoned, inside and out and the thickish gravy had a zest to it which really made the dish extra good. I was pleasantly surprised that the home fries were perfectly crisp. Usually it's the side dishes at many cafes that I find a real let down. Not here. Start to finish, everything was dinerliciously great. Five stars for executing country cafe food without cutting corners. Had enough to enjoy some for next days' lunch. It is a down home country cafe & deserves all the stars. Yeehaw!

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Nana's Kitchen

3.9(402 reviews)

5.6 mi

great food good service…read more casual atmosphere I live on the East side of Town, so I met family when on my way to Mesa. Was recommended by a friend, so glad that I tried it!

I been to this place 2x and it's been amazing every time. The staff is kind. And the food is…read moredelicious. The restaurant feels cozy. Restrooms are clean. A plus is that both restrooms have a baby changer in them. I recommend this restaurant.

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Stagg Batch 24B.

Taco Rico

4.9(148 reviews)

6.2 mi

Burritos and tacos are fantastic. Ended up getting pastor burrito and 2 carne Asad tacos…read more Service was quick and friendly as well.

I think this might be my first time reviewing a food truck, but alas, when the horchata is popping…read moreyou have to tell the masses. And that's really all I got, but as simple as it might seem horchata really can be hit or miss and this was absolutely a HIT! I didn't actually order any food, but the gentleman I was sitting next to said his burritos was delicious. I cannot personally review the food, but I can say, for finding a random place off the side of the freeway, it is shockingly a good time sipping on a ice cold horchata while taking in the ambiance of a gas station parking lot, from a little fold up table.

Menu

Taco rico plate!

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Guadalajara Original Grill

3.9(1.6k reviews)

12.0 mi•Mountain View

This is a great place to go with a large group. 20 of us showed up on a Thursday brunch time and…read morethere were no issues with getting us in. The service was incredible. The staff worked together to make us feel welcomed and attended to. Atmosphere and vibes were through the roof. The tableside guac is a must order. Food was all good. I ordered the fajita combo and it was very tasty. My wife got the lobster enchilada - she enjoyed it but wish she would have gotten something different. The lobster gets lost in all of the flavors. Kids all enjoyed it. Good drinks too. A fun spot, check it out!

We were really hoping for a great meal, but unfortunately, the experience fell well short of…read moreexpectations. To start, the chips brought to the table were stale and completely lacked that fresh, crispy crunch you expect at a Mexican restaurant. The complimentary table salsa didn't make up for it either--the flavor was underwhelming, and it had huge, unchopped pieces of cilantro tossed in that were way too large to enjoy with a chip. As for the main meals, the food was just okay--nothing special, lacking flavor, and certainly not memorable enough to redeem the start of the meal. Overall, it was a pretty disappointing visit, and I don't see us coming back.

Inside

Table made salsa

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Table made salsa

Nicos Mexican Food

4.3(19 reviews)

6.1 mi

Nico's used to be my "go to" and when I lived away from Tucson, I couldn't wait to return to have…read moresome. Since I have returned, I have found that the franchise is not consistent across the various stores. That is why I marked "maybe". Overall the food is fairly consistent and is comparable to Filiberto's or other taco shop restaurants. The menu is dizzzyingly complex with some stores offering specialty items I don't see elsewhere (tamales, menudo, posole, albondigas), but the service at some is horrific and as a result I won't return to them. Specifically, the Nico's at Continental Ranch, is terrible which given the fact that there are at least two Filiberto's and as many as five or six other Mexican food venues within 3 miles makes it surprising. Regardless, my issues are that they tack on high percentage credit card pricing per item on their already high prices, which is not explained very well other than a small sign at the register. Their service is caustic, snide and insulting. I will not go back to that location, and am not ever going out of my way to have Nicos from any location in the future.

Outstanding service, food and friendly staff. The Carne…read moreAsada was tender, full of flavor and cooked properly. The chair/tables were cleaned and stocked with various condiments and napkins. The rest of the eatery were filled with necessary items and items for a home cooked meal with various spices. Casual dining served in a timely manner. Plenty of free parking.

Front Entrance

Side of chips with cheese and guacamole

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Menu

Nicos Mexican Food

3.8(148 reviews)

10.4 mi

Stopped by here after picacho peak hiking. This was probably one of the only restaurants nearby…read more For the price, the food is great. Not the biggest fan of cash only on the weekends and the fact that there's no restroom was a little weird also not the cleanest establishment. But other than that, overall it was a great experience! The service was good otherwise as well.

In 1999 while working at a local Tucson business in the early morning hours, the boss bought…read more breakfast burritos for us all. When he said Nico's, everyone got excited and when is Al's I had never had it, they told me I was in for a treat. They were right. I can still remember that burrito, as big as my forearm, stuffed with egg, potato, bacon and cheese. It was delicious to the last bite. I became a Nico's devotee from that moment forward. As I travelled the world, whenever I returned home to the Old Pueblo, stopping at Nico's became a ritual for me and my family. That's why this review is difficult to write. While the food is still tasty and the portions are sizable, the customer service was dreadful. Apparently my first mistake was to ask about the "Flying Saucer" which is the Thursday special. I was told that it's basically a chimichanga with an open tortilla. It comes in chicken or beef machaca. I asked which the employee prefers, and received a smart Alec response that their tastes are different from mine. My wife ordered a carne asada chimichanga, I ordered the chicken spaceship, my son ordered the chicken tacos. Our friendly attendant forgot to take the taco order and we had to pay for that separately. Apparently Nico's has adopted a pricing scheme where the displayed price is only for cash payment. A different price is charged for credit cards. This policy is explained with a small sign by the register. Nowhere does it explain the difference. Apparently credit cards negate the special. The attendant told me that Filiberto's does the same thing, when I asked about the difference in price of what was charged from what was on the menu. The funny thing is that I don't mind the surcharge. I resent the lack of transparency, and the rude behavior from the attendant. So, thanks for the memories. I don't need the attitude.

Front counter with menu board

Mixed beef burrito

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Nico's Menu

Humo Cocina Mexicana

4.4(257 reviews)

6.8 mi

Yum yum yum! We have eaten here multiple times now and have never been disappointed. Their food is…read moreexcellent and so are the drinks. The portions are just right, the flavor is perfect and the presentation is creative. Excellent dining experience. The patio is really nice on a cooler day. They have had live music outside which made for a really lovely experience. The service is excellent as well. I believe our servers name was Eva and she was so friendly and welcoming. Overall, this spot is a perfect choice for excellent food and tasty drinks.

Great little place for taco and more, the elote app is to die for! Overall love this place just…read morewish they would get a handle on the flies! Bug light?

Bar

Elote

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Salsa was amazing!

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3 reviews that are not currently recommended

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

Keegan N.

0

1

0

4 years ago

Great food everything was clean very friendly staff and the hours are posted on the window. Opens 7 am to 9 pm Monday through Saturday, Sunday 8 am to 8 pm. read more

Yovani G.

0

1

0

4 years ago

Great food opens on time and always ordering machaca breakfast burrito. one of the best Nico's in town

Keegan N.

0

1

0

2 years ago

Great food, friendly service. The carne asada burrito was my favorite. The salsa was delicious.

Nico's Taco Shop - mexican - Updated September 2026

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Nico’s Sabino Canyon

3.6

(36 reviews)

I love Nico's, it is affordable, fast and guaranteed to be better than most Mexican restaurants in…read moreour area. It's not so much the best for ambience, however, the food is terrific. We take it home, and it consistently pleases. This is not a sit down restaurant, but it is the best Mexican fast food I've come across. I love the chimi with shredded beef, and the crispy tacos with shredded beef are a family favorite.

Haven't been here for some time but have now been three times. Had a bacon and egg burrito, a…read moresteak and egg burrito and a Machaca burrito. All surprisingly good. Looks like they finally got it figured out. The cashier has been different each time but all are very helpful and friendly. The food is good. .

Los Betos Mexican Food

3.1

(24 reviews)

Ordered the carne asada fries with no beans and what can I say, it was probably one of the better…read morecarne Asada of the fries I've had in a long time! Food came out super quick, the fries weren't soggy, they were crisp, the meat was cooked just right, the pico de gallo was on point, the cheese was melted just right, and the sour cream and guacamole was exactly how it's supposed to be on the item! The total for this item was a $15.37

Located at the busy S Palo Verde and Ajo intersection this local mainstay of Tucson's fast Mexican…read morefood was featuring an updated menu and still great food. I had not been in for several years as my travel routes have changed but made it this afternoon. Was happy to see the same staff at work and cranking out large stuffed burritos. I had the machaca and got some green salsa at the salsa bar along with their spicy carrots and some cucumbers. Bright and colorful inside and clean working toilets as well.

Taqueria Pico De Gallo

4.1

(494 reviews)

Great little find! We found this place, on our trip back home to California. The staff was very…read morefriendly and patient. The decor was simple but made you feel like you're visiting a family owned little restaurant. The food was really good too, which is always a plus. This will now be our little spot, when traveling through the area.

Restaurant ambiance is poor; the place looks dirty. Do not expect any service. Hot sauce is poorly…read morestored and you have to grab them yourself. We ordered the following tacos: lengua, cabeza, pescado, and camaron. The corn tortilla is thick and too soft for my texture preference. The fish and shrimps had better texture than the other meats. The lengua and cabeza were tender but appeared boiled without any grill flavor. The flavor profile including seasoning is lacking. The tacos quickly become soggy with drenched crema. We asked for a cup of water of which we were served with a tinged orange colored water. Try at your own risk.

El Taco Rústico

4.4

(331 reviews)

True authentic Mexican!…read more I order the Quesabirria plate no beans double rice. Nothing and no one will change my mind that this is the best Mexican spot in town. A little hole in the wall with the best food in Tucson.

Horrible dining experience. Went there with a friend from out of state because we had heard good…read morethings about this place from reddit which I deeply regret listening to. Everything took more than 45min to come out and it came out staggered so we could not eat together. I wish the place would have told me about the wait because ofc I would have ordered something else. It took over 30min for our first dish to come (carnitas burrito) and when it did, it was emaciated with way too much tortilla to stuffing, and the meat was very dry and overdone. My fiance said he has had better burritos at Chipotle. My friend from out of state said hers was a very basic cheese quesadilla. We asked for an update on how long the qiesabirria plate would take and the server would not give us an answer only that it was "backed up." Everyone was finished dby the time it came out. They didn't offer a refund initially but did acquiesce when asked, and still gave us the dish. ...It was bad. Everything was so dry. The beans tasted days old. The birria consome was watered down and bland which I didn't think was possible for birria to be. Even the onions, cilantro, and lime could not save the tacos as they were dryer than the Sonora desert. Honestly I'm the most upset that after all of that, the food wasn't even good. Idk I feel like if you throw a stone, you can get better Mexican food at wherever it lands in Tucson. This place was absolutely not worth the hype and we will not be returning. I feel so bad that I took my out of state friend here who was looking forward to good Mexican food. All the drinks were good. That's about the only good thing I have to say about this place.

Plazita Mexico Cafe

4.5

(151 reviews)

Good service, the food is very good and it didn't take long to get our food. For sure when we go…read moreto Tucson we'll be going there again.

I came here this morning with family. I was at first slightly bummed that they had made my favorite…read moretable by the back door now a six-top. It was a good little alcove for a four-top or for two people. Oh well. On a more positive note: I must say the service is very attentative here and we had a good meal. Our waitress told me about the breakfast tacos special when I asked her for some recommendations. They were super duper good! Mine had potatoes, eggs and some chopped bacon bits, along with cheese on top and served with salsa on three flour taco tortillas. Look forward to coming back..

Rosa's Mexican Food Restaurant

3.6

(470 reviews)

It's been a long time since I've been here and I'm glad I came back. It's like visiting at Old…read moreFriend that haven't seen them in a while and I'm really happy to see them. The food is excellent. The prices are good and the services great. It hasn't changed at all and that's a good thing so many things in Tucson change. Also, I am tired of going up to counters and getting my food I like to be served and there you have it. The Cheese crisps was just like remembered.

Sitting in the corner of a strip mall, Rosa's is easy to miss during the day. But that hasn't…read morestopped this family-owned restaurant from thriving since the early 70's. What I loved: The atmosphere. The sturdy, old tables adorned with decorative tiles makes it feel like you're in someone's home. The salsa is amazing. What I liked: Warm, attentive service. I was surprised that a late lunch here took just a half hour. What needs work: Plenty of patrons love the hard-shell tacos, and they might have been good if not for the bland, dry shredded chicken inside of them. I ordered the chimi, smothered in green salsa. There was zero heat to it and I had to question whether the sauce came out of a can. I still ate everything, and would probably return if someone dragged me back here. It's not that bad. But in this town, there are just too many places I'd rather go where everything is better across the board.

Salsa Verde Restaurant

4.3

(530 reviews)

Um hello?! How is this place not lined with customers?! Shout out to all the people wasting their…read moremoney at in n out... this place is the real deal! Come here if you want flavor and balanced spice! I am new to Tucson and as a ride share driver it's been my mission to find all the best eateries in Tucson. Wow wow wow! Came here on a whim for my daily snack. The team here is very kind and helped me choose some food as a newbie. I ordered 2 birria tacos on corn tortillas with an Arnold Palmer drank. They were so kind to offer me an array of salsas, limes and a small sample of cabbage cilantro and onion mix for (which I found hella refreshing because I am so used to getting just a side of chopped onion) my two tacos. Growing up in LA's street food scene I usually judge the food by the salsas alone, omg but everything was top tier. Side quest on the salsas: I got 5 salsas and each one was excellent - super blended and the balance of flavors would make Anthony Bourdain proud. *The Mild salsa is made with green tomatillos and honestly this was the first time I felt like I could actually taste the tomatillo bright and crisp flavor. *The Medium salsa still has a kick to it but its Smokey chipotle flavor is absolutely delicious! *The Avocado salsa was good but not my favorite big lime flavor to be expected. *the Habanero salsa was so delicious it's a slow rising heat but it's the spices that make it so magical. I love spicy and this the was perfect level of heat and FLAVOR! *The Cilantro Sauce was the star of the show, nothing fancy just evenly balanced and done right, it paired perfectly with the birria meat! In total I paid $17 for 2 tacos and a drink but I'd say this is straight Sonoran soul food! Worth every penny if you need some good home cooked meal that truly represent what I imagine well done Sonoran Mexican Food! Amazing experience will be back again with friends! Note: On Tuesdays they have a deal of 4 tacos for $9! I asked the drive thru girl what she would recommend to a new customer, she said their steak is super delicious and their bake potatoes are yummy as they have their own specialty sauce that they add to them. This is exciting news because I used to love eating at Wendy's but as we all know fast food is dead now... anyhow foodies, you have been warned!

I have never in my life been made to feel so stupid and embarrassed simply for asking a question…read more I came in genuinely trying to understand what "birria" was. I had always understood it to be a style of meat that was typically served with a sauce, and I had never had a reason to know more than that. Instead of simply explaining it to me, I was made to feel like I was an idiot for not knowing. The attitude I received was incredibly rude, condescending, and completely unnecessary. There is absolutely no reason a customer should be made to feel ashamed for asking a question about something on the menu. I ordered the monthly special, which had birria meat, white cheese, and was served between a toasted tortilla. Unfortunately, mine was completely burned. Every single bite tasted burnt. I politely asked if it could be remade, only to be told, "That's just how we make it." That excuse was especially frustrating because the table next to us had ordered the exact same thing. I had actually seen theirs, which is why I ordered it in the first place. Theirs was NOT burnt. So clearly, "that's just how we make it" was not an acceptable explanation. I eventually exchanged mine for a quesadilla, which was actually very good and, thankfully, not burned. Ironically, the table next to us also seemed to be having a completely different experience with the staff. They were laughing and joking with their waitress while we were treated like an inconvenience. Then there was my wife's "cheese crisp," which was arguably one of the most burned and disgusting $10 items I have ever been served. I've attached a picture because honestly, you have to see it to believe it. It looked like someone intentionally burned it and then sprinkled white cheese over the top to try to hide just how badly it had been burned. And once again, when we brought it up, we were essentially told, "That's how they make it." No. That is not how you make food. That is how you serve food that should never have left the kitchen. What makes this experience even more frustrating is that I had heard great things about this place. I was genuinely excited to come in and give it a try. Instead, I left feeling unwelcome, embarrassed for asking a simple question, and extremely disappointed with both the food and the service. If you want to go somewhere where you feel unwanted, where your questions are treated like an annoyance, where nobody bothers to smile, joke, or make you feel welcome, and where you may be served horribly burned food and told, "That's just how we make it," then this is apparently the place for you. As for me, I will never go back. What a shame that this was my first experience with a restaurant I had heard so many good things about. I expected much better, and frankly, I deserved much better as a paying customer.

Nicos Mexican Food

4.3

(19 reviews)

Nico's used to be my "go to" and when I lived away from Tucson, I couldn't wait to return to have…read moresome. Since I have returned, I have found that the franchise is not consistent across the various stores. That is why I marked "maybe". Overall the food is fairly consistent and is comparable to Filiberto's or other taco shop restaurants. The menu is dizzzyingly complex with some stores offering specialty items I don't see elsewhere (tamales, menudo, posole, albondigas), but the service at some is horrific and as a result I won't return to them. Specifically, the Nico's at Continental Ranch, is terrible which given the fact that there are at least two Filiberto's and as many as five or six other Mexican food venues within 3 miles makes it surprising. Regardless, my issues are that they tack on high percentage credit card pricing per item on their already high prices, which is not explained very well other than a small sign at the register. Their service is caustic, snide and insulting. I will not go back to that location, and am not ever going out of my way to have Nicos from any location in the future.

Outstanding service, food and friendly staff. The Carne…read moreAsada was tender, full of flavor and cooked properly. The chair/tables were cleaned and stocked with various condiments and napkins. The rest of the eatery were filled with necessary items and items for a home cooked meal with various spices. Casual dining served in a timely manner. Plenty of free parking.

Calle Tepa

4.1

(889 reviews)

Excellent food! Lovely front counter staff. The colorful…read moremenu is stunning and I loved all the options they have to offer!

I ordered takeout here on Friday night after a friend recommended their tortilla soup for sick…read moresickness. I also got the toritos, which are a must whenever I see them on a menu. My husband got quesabirria tacos. He can be kind of partial about quesabirria but he actually liked these, so they must've been good. I am a tortilla soup lover, and have been on the search for one similar to one at the old restaurant Terra Cotta, since forever. I've yet to find a really good one. I will say, this one was pretty good, and I would order it again, though I think the chicken could be more flavorful. It's a large container they give you, and the chunks of chicken were also pretty large. I did break them into smaller pieces myself. The Toritos were 10/10 , no notes!

Los Betos

3.3

(16 reviews)