It's very sad to see that this place is permanently closed due to the complications of COVID. I love Ray's Foodtruck and I was always excited to grab lunch here after class. Alicia is one of the sweetest people I've ever met. She knew all her customers and I was ecstatic when she recognized me as one of her regulars. She always remembered my order with my special accommodations and would refer to my nachos as my "special nachos." I hope that Ray, Alicia, and their families are doing well. Santa Cruz has lost one of the best Mexican food stops in town. read more

Raymond's Catering - Carne asada nachos with extra extra cheese. The BEST nachos I've ever had!!! - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I've only tried their carne asada tacos (going for about $3 each). The tacos are pretty big in size, and there are limes and salsas to take. The tacos are both pretty filling, with the asada being well cooked and seasoned. I'm not a big fan of beans though, so I would be asking for no beans next time. The truck also offers a lot of different foods like hot dogs, burgers, burritos, etc. I believe they also have $3 fish tacos on Wednesday's and Friday's too They are on campus behind Science and Engineering building (next to the west core parking structure) from 12:00pm-2:00pm. They're cash only but with less than $10 you're able to get a filing meal here. Overall, this is a good place for a quick bite on campus. read more

Raymond's Catering - Carne asada tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

If you go to UC Santa Cruz, and you haven't heard of the taco truck. then you shall be ashamed. If you see the long line, and still question the quality of Ray's, then you shall be ashamed. If and when you get your first burrito, and not instantly be happy, then you shall be ashamed!! Ray's is a great local community of Santa Cruz taco truck. They have excellent food and great portion for the price. Their carne asada supreme burritos always hits the spot. Only thing bad is yes, there is always an extreme long wait. But if you do not wish to wait for the juicy burrito, there is always pre-made food too, obviously not being as good or fresh. I've had the pre-made BLT sandwich and it was pretty good I'd have to say. Way cheaper than anything else you'd find around santa cruz anyways. Ray's Catering is the perfect meal when you are on campus and have some gaps before your next class. They also make other stops around the city too so make sure to follow them if you want some good hearty food. read more

Raymond's Catering - Large carne asada nachos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Awesome food, excellent service, but unfortunately, it's not here long enough! The taco truck (as everyone calls it) is only on UCSC campus from 12ish to 2:30ish Monday through Friday, and often the line is very long, even in the summer. The taco truck, unlike its name, doesn't sell only tacos. They've also got burritos, quesadillas, nachos, tamales, burgers, and breakfast options made to order. Also, there's sandwiches and a huge variety of snacks (fruit, candy, chips) and drinks. And all for cheap, 5 or 6 dollars at most. I've only tried their supreme burrito, nachos, tacos, and quesadilla... all which can definitely fill me up and with leftovers, since they're so packed with ingredients. I recommend the supreme burrito for first-timers. Also, they've got self-serve limes/lemons, red salsa, green salsa, and whole jalapenos. You order from Alicia, and she is super nice and is very quick preparing your food. Then, you pay Ray (guy with the wad of bills and a coin belt). So there's definitely no money-food contamination happening here! Occasionally, Ray walks through the line, offering free donuts. Both of them are so wonderful and make me and my stomach very happy! read more

Raymond's Catering - Chicken taco (top), fish taco (bottom) - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I am surprised that this place does not have as many reviews as the number of customers they get daily. Nothing more to say as I'm updating my review. Everything here is amazing and very consistent, you definitely get your money's worth here. I almost always come out with a full stomach and I'm very satisfied. Sometimes I feel like I can eat even more, and when me and my friend did attempt this, (buying two supreme carne asada burritos) we could not bare to finish it. Being an Economics major -- the marginal utility of enjoyment of consuming their burrito did go down, only because we were so full! So yes, stick with one burrito unless you're a pal and buy a lot of your friends burritos. Planning for trips to Raymond's Catering is very possible, just make sure if you're planning to make a trip and buying a lot of food, let Raymond know what specific time you want to pick up your food and what food you want. Instead of waiting in line for a long time. I see waiting in line as part of the experience --- the only bad thing about waiting in line is if you're by yourself. Time goes by so so so so slow, but this should apply to most lines. Consistency is what Raymond's Catering has to offer and Alicia is such a great cook. Don't forget to tip her. :) Quick tip: Some like the red sauce, some do not. Personally it's one of the best sauces to eat a burrito with. I always get the idea of using Ray's red sauce on other burritos and see if that makes their burritos any better. I still have yet to test this one out. Green sauce is not bad also. Quick tip 2: If you're running in between class and are just looking for an eat, Ray's Catering is perfect for you. Just make sure you drop by around 12:10 - 12:15 and look for the pre-made food. Most of the food should be relatively warm already and you won't have to wait in line. Just pay for the food and you're good to go! Quick tip 3: Raymond also gives out free doughnuts after his morning go around through the westside of Santa Cruz. So if you're into free donuts, why not grab some. Usually they're almost always gone by the time Raymond gets here, so the early bird gets the donut in this case. read more

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OKAY, Just went again today since I wanted to grab some food fast before my class during a 1 hour break and go there around 12:10 with a 15minute wait or a little less than that. The owner (Raymond) was saying they make 12 other stops besides UCSC so I'm sure if you can't find them at UCSC, find them in a neighborhood or business? I ordered a Carne Asada Supreme Burrito ($5) without sour cream and salsa (which makes it spicy). If only I knew that there even was salsa in my burrito (duh) I would have been able to enjoy my burrito completely not spicy! Even though it seemed a little drier. but i was willing to sacrifice! NOMNOMS. Best food on campus. read more

They've got such a variety of tasty items, and many of them are vegetarian! The garden burger is a mere $4, but it's really tasty and pretty filling. The veggie tamales hardly cost anything (I think $1.50 or something), but they're slightly spicy and delicious and are a great appetizer/late afternoon snack (hours after you've eaten your lunch burrito but still need to stay in the library). I often get the veggie burrito with their green salsa, the nachos, and the quesadilla...but if it's a Friday, I must must must get the chile relleno supreme burrito. It's the best vegetarian thing they've got, hands down, and it'll keep you full straight through dinner. It's huge and dense! The batter on the pepper is sooo delicious! They make multiple stops around town in the morning, mostly on the west side, so if you don't feel like waiting in line on campus, head to 2300 Delaware at 11am and then go to campus after on the 11:30 20 bus. I think the only thing I didn't like from this place was the fish burrito. It was too fishy. read more

Ray's never disappoints. $2.50 for a HUGE taco, I usually split mine up into 2 smaller ones because it's overflowing with meat and other toppings. I always get the al pastor taco and 1 is enough to fill me up! Perfect meal for in between classes. read more

Raymond's Catering - Carne asada and al pastor tacos! $5 for all of this. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I have been going to school for almost a year here at UCSC and i just started going to Rays Catering to find out what is all the excitement was. First thing i saw was a queue to order and i was like WOW. So i ordered the supreme carne asada burrito with no beans. Its a good size burrito at $5.00 a pop best bang for the buck i would say. there are lime condiments and pickled spicy jalapeno carrots and onion in the condiment area. Overall this place has a long line and you can order in advance for tomorrow so you would not need to wait as long. parking? nah you have to walk there or take the city bus or loop buses. by way no plastic cash only read more

Raymond's Catering - Carne asada surpeme - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Big truck, big flavors, small prices. Arguably the best food on UCSC campus. There are lots of regulars, and the line gets quite long. If you get there early then pre-made food is ready to be snagged. There is also a stoner's dream selection of candy and drinks. P.s. there is a tip jar where you order and pick up food. read more

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Raymonds catering is what I look forward to the most on my Fridays. When I am crushed under the weight of academics, I can always count on a Raymonds chili verde/fish burrito supreme to cheer me right up. Oh yeah, did I mention that it was $6.50? Yeah that's right. $6.50. Cash only, but that is never going to stop me. read more

See that huge line behind the Science and Engineering Library? That's Ray's. There's a reason why this place is so packed - it's the best place to eat on campus! This is your good food with great service go-to place. I usually get a super burrito and a taco for 7$... that is an unbelievably amazing price, and I get full after the burrito and eat the taco as a snack later. The food is flavorful and one of the best Mexican foods I've ever eaten. The chef, Alicia, is a sweet woman, and Ray is a nice guy. Every college student should fall in love with this place not only for the price, but the great quality of the food and the service. Oh, and they only have fish on Fridays if you're in the mood for fish. The wait is a little long, but it is definitely worth it when you're starving in between classes. read more

Thee best food on campus. And it's unfortunate that it's only offered a couple hours a day. Ray's Catering Truck can be found near the parking structure between Kresge and Science Hill. I think the truck comes around 11am and leaves around 2pm. It's a two person team, and together they make some BOMB-ASS food. I have had burgers, tacos, and whatever else - I don't even remember now. And it has all been DELISH! You should definetly make a trip over to the truck when you have an hour to spare. It's always a long line - but I say it's worth it. So plan ahead, bring a friend, or some reading to do. read more

Ray's is my favorite - make sure you have cash - he has a morning set of stops: 8:30 at U-save, 8:45 behind Dallas Electronics, 9:30 in front of Anatometal, 11:00 behind the CCOF/Two Pore Guys Offices in the parking lot, 11:30 back in front of Anatometal, and 12ish on campus behind Sinsheimer labs at UCSC (the wait is longest there though). 5 bucks gets you two amazing Carne Asada tacos brimming with meat and beans, cabbage, cilantro, and onion. Their salsa is classic simple goodness, and the specials Alicia makes are delicious. The fish is always mild, and delicate in texture, lightly grilled not fried. She will get Crema to put on tacos instead of sour cream if you tip her and ask ;) In addition, Ray is a character and loves to chat - super friendly fun small talk and humor to brighten your day. Alicia is so sweet and efficient and remembers my orders and calls me 'sweetie' now that I've become a regular. Their food has history, and it has made me appreciate tacos in a new wonderful light. read more

By far, the BEST food found on campus at UCSC. When I used to work on science hill, I would look forward to the truck pulling up outside PSB and getting some awesome food. You really can't go wrong: whether its a burrito, tamales, tacos, or a burger. Only knock on this place is the long line. Either get there before he pulls up (pulls up at noon), or get there after 1:30. If you show up between noon and 1 you could be waiting for over 30 minutes (not that it's not worth it, it's just a lot of time to be standing there). Ray's truck is one of the things I miss most about Santa Cruz. read more

My favorite place to eat on-campus! It's located behind the physical sciences classrooms and usually on weekdays around 11:50 am you'll see the line starting to form. Prices are affordable and the quality/quantity of the food is better than the other food trucks/eateries on campus. Ray and Alicia have been running this food truck for years and are some of the nicest people you will meet! If you're one of the first people in line, Ray usually gives out donuts for free! I usually order the regular carne asada burrito ($5) and smother it with the hot sauce and it's delicious! I've also tried the chilli rellenos burrito and chicken nachos and those are great as well. Definitely would recommend this place if you're looking for good food located conveniently on-campus. read more

Best place to eat in campus. If you're usually around Science hill, you know the tack truck. All the other coffee shops and cafes are too far to walk and perks is way too overpriced. Which is why, the taco truck is amazing! Every day at around 11:53 a line will start forming, and it's usually pretty long until about 2. Alicia makes everything from burritos, tacos, grilled cheeses to hot links. I always get a supreme burrito which is 5 bucks and it's a lot of food! It's also really good. Go with the al pastor supreme burrito and it will be worth the wait. After you wait in line drooling for 20 minutes, chomp your burrito and take a nap in the science library :) read more

Had a California burger. Food was awesome. Staff was professional. Condiments laid out nicely. Raymond even stands outside and charges people out on the sidewalk so that you don't have to stand there for 10 minutes cramping your neck and looking up while waiting to pay. Also people were running up to grab donuts from a box to eat whole they were waiting in line. I was meaning to ask him if those donuts are free. Does anyone know? If so that's a hell of an awesome way to get people to come to your truck! One downside is that there's no credit cards accepted. So bring cash. I know that's a kind of a bummer reason to take a star off. But in this day and age, in a location where the majority of your customers are tech savvy people (they were parked on science hill on the UCSC campus), and the availability of credit card pay apps for smartphones or tablets, a credit card machine would be useful. I would have purchased a drink and chips had they accepted card, but I only had enough cash for my burger. Hopefully soon, though! read more

Here's what happens: end class at Baskin Engineering at 11:45am - I speed walk to the back of the physical building. Two people are in line. It's noon, wait for about 15 minutes, the truck arrives. YAY FINALLY! They setup. You get the option of getting pre-made burritos, burgers, and their other lunch offerings. If you know what's good, you'll wait for a fresh carne asada burrito. $4.75 (cash only). Get a drink; they have a variety. Grab some Tapatio. Pour it on that shit. VOILA, IMO, BEST BURRITO IN SANTA CRUZ. I think it must be the combination of the hot flavorful carne asada and cool sour cream with lettuce, beans, cheese, and rice. AND, it's less than $5! I love great food for cheap prices! TIP: Be careful of the long wait! You should be in line around 12. If not, try a little later. Arriving after 12:15 or 12:30 might be too late, and you'll have to wait for a really long time. Also try: tacos and torta. And tip Alicia, she's fucking awesome for making bomb food in that tiny space. =) read more

Ive been eating off of Rays truck for the last two weeks at my new job. Roach coach, street meat, whatever you want to call it, what it breaks down to is this: the truck serves good food in a timely fashion that's easy on your wallet and fills your belly. The food is not gourmet, it's home cookin'. If you go to someones house and have supper, it's like that. I've gotten hooked on the friggin amazing meatball sandwich; I also enjoy the breakfast sandwiches, chorizo burritos.. yesterday I had a hot pastrami sandwich. Few things will run you more than $4. If you catch Rays truck, bring cash, try something fresh off the grill and feast. read more

Ray's is the best food on campus! That's not saying much, to be honest, but I'm giving them five stars anyway for always being there for me when I'm starving and don't want to spend $5 on a soggy sandwich from the coffee cart. I usually go for the veggie burrito, which comes with plenty of avocado, salsa, and crunch cabbage along with the usual beans, rice, and cheese. Ray and Alicia are both super nice and personable, and interacting with them is always a pleasure. The only downside is that the line gets loooooong. Bring a book to read while you wait, it's worth it. read more

I can't believe I haven't wrote a review for this place yet. HANDS DOWN THE BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. DELICIOUS burrito for $5 (it used to be $4.75 but he raised it by $0.25). If you go to UCSC and have not tried this truck, you are missing out my friend. I always get the super carne asada burrito with no beans (more room for meat!). Almost everytime that I eat here, it's a whopping 5 stars. Every now and then, Raymond would be inconsistent with the red sauce but if you don't use it, it shouldn't be a problem. Service is always great. Raymond is extremely social and friendly. Always tries to make conversation. ***Parking***: Little to NO Parking. Take the bus up here! CASH ONLY! read more

Ray's ALWAYS has a huge line waiting for them. You see people start to line up behind the library around 11:55. The truck is there consistently right at 12. Not only are the prices good, but the food is great too, especially when you're on campus and starving. Last time I was here, there was a box of donuts that Ray told people to just take as they were waiting in line. Free food always makes your meal taste even better! Torta: This mexican sandwich is super good. I've tried the fish and the carne asada, personally I like the fish because it makes it a lot more juicy. The bread is crunchy on the outside and soft of the inside, filled with meat, salsa, lettuce, and if you get the super option you get guac and sour cream on it also. I definitely need the green and red sauce poured on this also. Super Burrito: I've only tried the carne asada, but the meat is juicy, the beans are hot and the rice is tasty. The only thing that isn't letting me give this 5 stars is that the guac and sour cream are usually on one end, with the beans/meat on the other end. All in all though, good prices for good food on campus. Give this place a try! And remember....CASH ONLY!!! read more

Great food! Awesome Location for anybody near Science Hill at UCSC. I suggest the carne asada super burrito and torta. Ray is a friendly guy and Alicia is so talented at making DELICIOUS food. Also, I believe this is a CASH only establishment. The one star deduction is only for the length of the line/wait. The line here often starts long before the truck even arrives! So you have to get here early. It's not so great for grabbing a quick bite between back-to-back classes, unless you have a gap in your schedule. read more

This Taco Truck is probably the best place to eat on campus! While the line is usually pretty long, the food is made to order fairly quick and is very reasonably priced. I usually just get a regular chicken burrito, it comes with rice, beans, and meat, which I find very filling. read more

This is hands down my favorite place to eat on campus. Cheap AND delicious!!! I have nothing but good things to say about this place. Plus Ray and Alicia are wonderful people and very personable. My only complaint was that I was utterly clueless about when he arrives, so below I'll include some helpful things Some tips for new customers - cash only - arrives at noon or shortly thereafter - line takes a little while, so line up early if you're in a rush! But it's COMPLETELY worth it read more

Is it possible to get a phone number from this truck or from them? I am interested to see if they could do a private event local in their area? Can someone local there help me out since I live in the Eastbay? read more

Great Lunch.....everyday. Alicia is adorable and makes great tortas! Ray is a huge goofball and its always pleasant interacting with him! Enough said! read more

Delicious and inexpensive food on campus! Ray's Catering is a taco truck that serves burritos, tacos, tortas, nachos, burgers, and even more! The taco truck can be found near the back of the physical sciences building. There's a huge variety to choose from. I always get the carne asada burrito and it's huge and juicy! I usually only eat 1/2 of it and save the rest for later. There's always a long line, however, it's worth the wait! read more

I love Ray's, awesome and cheap food on campus, and perfect location if I'm camped out in S&E to study. I've tried the veggie supreme burrito, the veggie tamale plate, as well as the nachos (without meat) and they are all delicious. I personally love both the red and green salsas, although I have a slight preference for the green. The setup is a little confusing at first, you wait in the (usually long) line, order from Alicia when she asks you, and then go over and tell Ray what you ordered so you can pay. The wait can be a little long, but the food comes out really quickly. It's usually given to you on a plate (rather than a to-go box or anything like that) but they will give you some foil or another plate if you need to have it a bit more packaged up. Alicia and Ray are both really nice people, and although I don't come here enough to be a "regular", I can tell that they really appreciate and care about people who do. read more

This is my favorite food truck. Doesn't matter what you order because it's all delicious. Also the price is very reasonable. read more

Raymond's Catering - Pollo taco. Delicious - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Best Carne Asada Tortas ever. EVER. I survive off Ray's. Real awesome guy as well. Lines get ridiculously long (people line up before he even shows up) so bring your GameBoy, cuz you're gonna be in for a wait. I really want to try his breakfast, which he serves in front of Safeway on Mission in the mornings. read more

For the price you pay, this taco truck is totally worth it. I got a torta last time I came here. It was my first time getting it and now I know what I have been missing! It was warm and the meat was juicy. My friend told me that you can ask them to put the hot sauce in while they make it. If you like spicy, that's definitely not as messy as trying to add hot sauce in as you eat it. The nachos and burritos are also good! This is perfect college student food! The lines are long though so make sure you're able to wait a while! read more

What makes great food? Great people like Ray and Alicia. This is hands down the best place to eat on campus for taste and price. It's unfortunate that their only there for about 3 hours a day though. I must say, I'm a regular here (Mon, Tue, Thurs, and Fri). I usually order the chicken fajitas which are only offered on Tue/Thurs, they are absolutely delicious and full of flavor. I've also had their quesadillas, tacos, burritos, and tortas. Everything I had there, is simply amazing. I can't say much more, but if you're a UCSC student and still have yet to try it, I don't know what you're waiting for. The line may be crazy long sometimes, but hey it's worth it if you're not in a rush. It's always nice to talk to Ray the owner, he's a very welcoming kind of guy, always smiling and showing his customers respect. It's customer based service that makes people go back on a daily basis. read more

Ray's has been a fixture on Science Hill for I don't know how long. It's been drawing long lines ever since I heard there was a taco truck on campus. The food here is a good deal for the quality you get. The truck is definitely the best price you can get on campus for lunch. A common order for me is the a supreme burrito, which for 5$ comes with lettuce, rice, sour cream, avocado, beans, and a lot of MEAT. This is my favorite part about their burritos. Yes, the burritos are 5$, and yes they are slightly smaller than what you can get at the 10+ taquerias in the Santa Cruz county. What you do get, however, is what seems to be MORE MEAT than what you should reasonably get for a burrito this size. Other offerings include a plate of nachos. A large nachos is 5$, and the size of this plate is SERIOUS. However, this isn't a favorite on the menu. I haven't tried their quesadillas, but they look delicious. Ray is such a friendly and cool guy, and Alicia is incredibly nice. They're incredibly friendly, and this only makes you want to come back for more food. If you're thinking about a place to eat on campus, and it's lunchtime, then you should probably run straight to this truck to beat the lines! NOTE: I got here at around 1, and the wait for food was a little longer than fifteen minutes for a medium sized line. If you want to get your food faster, try coming before they leave (which can sometimes extend around 3) or come right when they park (which is typically around 12). read more

I work at Costco and they show up around 7:30 to 7:45am to do breakfast for for the early morning employees. I almost always get the 5-speed breakfast burrito with chorizo. I've also had the carne asada tortas as well. The food is absolutely amazing! Seriously, the best mexican food you can get in my opinion and it's from a truck too. Ray is an amazing guy and Alicia is as well. read more

Delicious. Consistent. Affordable. Only place to eat on campus at UCSC. Get the turkey burger if you want something different from the standard taco truck offerings - it's quite good. Cash only! read more

100% the absolute best food for the best price in the entire UC Santa Cruz campus, even though recently they raised their prices by $0.25, still the best. Ray is super awesome and nice, he is always looking to talk and have fun with his costumers and the variety of food for a taco truck is just great! Can not go wrong with a super burrito or a large plate of nachos but if your tired of those things they have magnificent California burgers. A need to try place!!!! read more

Yum yum yum! Whenever I go to the library around lunch time I have to stop by the taco truck beforehand. It's a great easy meal to take into the library ! This is by far the best and cheapest food on campus. The only downside is the super long line but the wait is worth it! I've tried their carne asada tacos and supreme burritos. They are both super good. I would recommend the tacos the most. The tacos are overfilled with meat and flavorful. Also, I love their delicious salsa! read more

Mediocre at best. Every year the price seemed to jump and the quality would decrease. Carne asada is burnt and horribly marinated, and the burritos are mostly rice, beans, and a scoop of sour cream that ALWAYS resides at one end. The al pastor is the only thing worth getting. It is definitely convenient, but if you want decent food make the hike to Merrill College to Tacos Morenos. Also, the owner Ray likes to feed the crows which regularly crap on people in line. Maybe if Ray quit hotboxing his truck on the way up to UCSC, he would realize this isn't such a great idea. Also, there is usually a long line, which isn't the fault of Ray. If you want to limit the line time come around 2pm. read more