We newly moved into the area & were thrilled to see Taco Mesa after visiting the Orange location for more than 25 years. The middle age to slightly older male hispanic cashier was smug cold fish. Ordered two carne asada burritos one to have there for lunch and the other to take that was presented bagged to go. When at home, my husband started eating his carne asada burrito that was nothing but rice and beans, not even a single piece of meat in the burrito. Thought it was a mistake, however many reviews discuss the same sentiment of poor quality and poor food, which appears to be intentional. We visited Ladera Ranch location about a month later for lunch, same unwelcoming cashier. We ordered and I reminded him of my first visit and advised the burrito prepared to take didn't have any carne asada meat in it at all. Again, smugly replies with the worst attitude 'want your meat now'? No apology, no replacement, no nothing, this guy is a total turd! From the little taco shop in Orange I loved for many years as, its extremely disturbing to see all the hard work & dedication that went into making this a wonderful business in the Orange community, only to have a complete creep being the first and last impression you see and sadly have to deal with at Ladera Ranch. Taco Mesa, you have a problem in Ladera Ranch that does not represent your company in the positive, accomplished light that it should be. There's no pride, no integrity and this cashier who seems to be a supervisor/ manager/owner doesn't even like people. We will not be walking in the door of Taco Mesa Ladera Ranch again!!! CLOSE THIS AWFUL PLACE literally stealing from anyone who walks in the door and has the nerve to treat customers like s**t. read more

Just ordered taquitos about 20 minutes ago from this location to go. As soon as I got in the car my passenger said "what's that smell...it smells like poop." I thought it might have been a sewage line or something and with frozen foods in my truck in a 100+ degree weather I took off. I'm going to be as factual as possible with no exaggerations: I live 5 minutes up the street I unloaded my freezer goods first I then returned to the food I just got The taquitos literally reeked of foul, spoiled chicken Not just a little spoiled but past it's freshness date by a few days spoiled The smell in the car was from 2 chicken taquitos and not a sewage line They are charging $10+ dollars for only 2 spoiled chicken taquitos Not ok! This is in serious violation of health codes and I will not be returning HOWEVER, THE TACO MESA ON TRABUCO AND LOS ALISOS IS AMAZING! I will be going there from now on even though this location is way more convenient read more

First time eating here and I won't be back. Chicken Quesadillas were like rubber - made me sick. Steak Burrito was all beans and couldn't recognize the steak, and my kids taco had tomato's and asked for just cheese and lettuce. Wow - just bad Mexican food that clearly was fresh then frozen and most likely past the expiration date - $60 buck wasted. read more

Tried to take my friend here for a birthday lunch today. Spent over $42.00 and couldn't even eat the food! Too spicy and the shrimp taco was over cooked. Very rubbery. The salmon taco was even worse. I will never eat here again and a very expensive lunch all ended up in the trash. Update: my friend got violently ill from what food he did eat. A real great way to spend a birthday. read more

I appreciate what they are trying to do. Fresh, organic, Mexican food. It's not bad, just not the best. It is clean and the food is decent. The menu is quite vast. I only tried a few things. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could. I may change my rating after a few more visits as it is really close to my house. There are just so many choices for Mexican food in SoCal.... read more

First time in this restaurant and I'm impressed with everything. Good price, good food and ambience is nice. Service crew was fantastic also. Very helpful and professional. Found my new taco place. read more

Love the fish tacos nice outside patio and salsa bar is adequate . They have daily specials that are reasonable and $5 breakfast .

Very rude. I was sitting outside at the their tables after ordering a chicken taco and they told me since I was finished eating I need to leave. I had only just thrown away my trash and there was no one else around me. There was no excuse for that behavior!!! The food was also nasty, threw up that night.... Never eating there again! read more

Taco Mesa is my favorite taco Tuesday spot in the area! The shop is easy to find and there's ample parking to be found. There's a sever tables inside with more on the patio, which is a perfect place to enjoy some tacos on a summer evening. At $1.35 a taco and $3 margs or a beer, it's pretty much a no brainer. I've been here enough to try every taco on the TT menu. My 3 favorites are the pastor, bajan fish and the chile verde tacos. The tacos are a pretty healthy size. The pastor is seasoned well with herbs and spices. The bits of pineapple and a nice bit of textural difference and some sweetness to balance out the flavor. The fish tacos come out nice and crispy but don't wait too long to eat it! The chile verde has a deep tangy flavor with just a bit of heat with chunks of tender beef. All the tacos are wrapped in home made tortillas with herbs mixed in. You can find a selection of salsas and sauces off to the side Not sure what all the hate is about as I've always had a good experience. See you next Tuesday! read more

It pains me to say this, but after many years of eating at the Mission Viejo and Ladera Ranch locations regularly, I'm done with Taco Mesa. It's really disappointing, because I love the food here. This location was recently updated to an all-new menu -- four days ago, according to the cashier. Everything is now a-la-carte, no more combination plates with included beans and rice. Portions are approximately the same size as before, minus the sides, but prices haven't dropped to reflect any of this. Sides of beans and rice are sold separately in small cups for $2.50 each. Effectively, prices have gone up significantly if you want the same amount of food as the old menu. Check out my attached photos and see for yourself. There's also a new sign on the menu titled "Our Philosophy", which describes how the goal is now to pursue GMO-free, sustainable, organic, regenerative ingredients that are "honoring our ancestors, our bodies, and the earth" (the last part is word for word). That seems super pretentious, especially since the food tastes exactly the same as it always has. Thats the thing: the food here is still good, there's just way less of it at a higher price. To top it off, despite the unappealing new menu and prices, we ordered our food to go. When our order was called after 20 minutes, it was on paper plates and trays. The kitchen misread the ticket, so we had to wait for everything to be transferred into foil to-go containers, by which time it was already getting cold. This is a textbook list of how to turn away loyal customers. If the idea of jacked up prices, small portions, and buzzword-packed eco-friendly lip service appeals to you, you'll love the new Taco Mesa. read more

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Every time I go to this place are usually wait about 30 minutes to cook the food. I have time to wait but this visit Just had it. Got lucky this time I waited 15 mins for small tacos which is really over priced paid 14$ for 3 al pastor tacos and a drink When I finally got the food the meat and pineapple was charred some of it was hard. Honestly should've asked for a refund. They always have "need cook" sign up hope someone who can cook gets hired read more

Used to be a fan back in the day when the brothers used to run the only location on 19th street in Costa Mesa. They were rude but the food made up for it. Current day, on my way home from Mission Viejo, RIGHT THERE in front of me was Taco Mesa! hit the brakes and ran in to get my favorite menu item, and it was G-O-N-E-Z-O. WTH? I asked and was told the whole menu has changed. :( Left without buying anything. read more

This place went downhill! I'm so bummed to have to update my review of Taco Mesa. But my wife and I visited Monday night and the food, the service and the cleanliness of the restaurant has plummeted! I ordered my usual "Enchiladas Mexico City" dining in with my wife and after 35 minutes waiting for it I finally walked up to the counter to see what the hold up was. As I walked up someone else was walking back into the restaurant returning a take out bag of food indicating it wasn't theirs. The server looked in the bag and figured out it was mine. So he hands me the bag. (YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING!) So I look in the bag and see through the clear "To-Go" that it's been dumped sideways and now looks more like soup than enchiladas. I bring this up to the server and he takes it, gives it to the cooks and they pulled the top off, moved the enchilladas so I could now see them again and called me back up to the counter. The entree was luke warm at best, looked and tasted like mush and I won't be returning to this very poorly ran establishment again! ORIGINAL REVIEW 2/15/2015 (Rating 4) Taco Mesa is semi healthy, a bargain, family friendly and just darn good! Their chips are a chili corn chip. (Orange) and they taste great. They offer seconds with a smile. Their salsa bar is pretty good, although I have to say I was disappointed when they pulled their green salsa. It was one of the best IMO. My go to meal is Enchiladas Mexico City. At $9, this is a deal. Their chicken enchiladas with a roasted tomatillo sauce, melted cheese and topped with marinated onions and serranos. The tomaillo sauce and the marinated onions really make this dish. The chicken is well seasoned as well. If I'm really hungry, I add an order of beef taquitos. They do a great job on them as they come out crunchy (not soggy like so many other places) and with a good amount of tasty guacamole and sour cream. The perfect combo. read more

Thanks to Alex for the excellent service and helping with our order. The King Tostada salad w/ Carne Asada is a must if you've never ventured out of your comfort zone. The Blackened Chicken Burrito (wet) has intense flavor with a nice fresh zing from the chipotle adobo & cabbage relish. Taco Mesa's rice is underrated too. read more

One of my all time favorites for tacos. Never disappoints Happy Tummy Time! Salsa bar is loaded with goodies like verde avocado salsa and pickled cabbage mix to doctor up your tacos. Too many options for just one visit. read more

Taco Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

My husband and I have been here many times in the last 10 years for the Tuesday special Fish Tacos which are delicious. Our other favorite dishes are the Blackened Chicken and the Lobster Burritos. My husband tried the Blackened Salmon Burritos this time and said it was very good. You have a choice between dried or wet burritos, and we think it tasted better wet. You can ask to have both the red and green sauces. I forgot to ask this time so the chicken go the green sauce and salmon got the red sauce. The food and service here have already been very good. The price is on the higher end but the quality of food is worth it. read more

Taco Mesa - Wet Blackened Salmon and Chicken Burritos with rice and beans. Yum! - Mexican Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

Not a fan of the service here and the food is even worse. No idea where the good reviews come from, this is some of the worst mexican I have had in a while. Tacos are tiny and overpriced, not a fan of their steak, chicken or fish. Burritos are all beans, waste of money and calories, especially since the beans are overly lardy, just plain bad. Kids meals tiny and overpriced. Salsa is great, they do have that going for them. Menu sounds good, prices are fair, but the food is not worth coming back for. read more

No Frills, Friendly, Great Food Taco Mesa is all about the food The menu is incredibly extensive for such a tiny place and the food is healthy, tasty, and Not greasy. They have a outdoor patio No need to dress up...come as you are and enjoy the sunshine, margaritas and homemade style eats! Some of my faves include the salmon served with fresh veggies, chicken enchiladas and the tacos. The tacos are tip-top! They are filled with high quality chicken, fish, or beef and fresh greens. Give it a try Overall, If you like Mexican, chill atmosphere, and inexpensive, then this is the place for you. read more

Taco Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

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NOM NOM NOM! Their Taco Tuesdays are pretty awesome ($1.25 tacos) and are pretty substantial in size (not street tacos!). Service is fast and friendly. A new lunch spot for me :) read more

I love their Taco Tuesdays...it's only $1.25. It's pretty darn tasty too. This place does get pretty busy on Tuesdays so get here early if you can. What's also good about this place, is that they serve beer here as well. Now that's what I'm talking about. And as for the convenience factor...well, I live about 300 feet away, so I can get my taco fix and get hammered at the same time and just waddle back home. read more

Taco Mesa - Taco Tuesdays $1.25 per taco - Mexican Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

It was Tuesday so what's better than stopping off for a little Taco Tuesday action! Parking here is no problema! On Tuesdays they have a variety of tacos for $1.45 each. Shredded Beef, Shredded Chicken and Vegetarian that all come with pico de gallo, sour cream, cheese and lettuce. Carnitas, Al Pastor and Chile Colorado all come with cilantro and an onion mix. Lastly, you have fish tacos that come with pico de gallo and cabbage. I had the carnitas and fish tacos that came in small street like tortillas which were very tasty. Nice and tender carnitas. Fish was deep fried yet not greasy. The shredded beef taco was ok. I don't care for the hard shells except at Taco Bell. What??. Yeah, I know.. They have a self serve drink station for sodas which is all touch screen. Nice because there are many choices. Yet, annoying that it takes people a while to figure out how to use it! Would recommend tacos here! read more

Taco Mesa - Carnitas, fish and shredded beed tacos. - Mexican Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

Taco Mesa has been a mainstay in Ladera dining for many years. The food is excellent; quality ingredients well prepared . They have all the 'classic' Mexican restaurant fare, plus an abundance of upper-crust specials. I am particularly impressed with the salmon dishes or lobster enchiladas. But recently they 'redecorated'. Covering the newspaper wallpaper, the ocean scenes, etc is a collection of random graffiti. The walls (including in the restrooms) look like 14-year old vandals had an overnight party with spray paint. Picture a Los Angeles freeway overpass..... I don't know what they were thinking to redecorate with ghetto chic, but it really downgrades the dining experience. read more

Taco Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

Frozen tater tots instead of the fresh potatoes Taco Mesa used to have is a huge disappointment. When cooked in the food, the tater tots fall apart and make the chorizo tacos mushy. For a restaurant that promotes fresh food, the tater tots are a disappointment compared to the fresh cut potatoes they used to use. I'll still come here but will probably pass up anything with the frozen potato substitute. read more

I've been eating at Taco Mesa @ Ladera Ranch since it opened and Taco Mesa @ Costa Mesa for years. Taco Mesa is my staple! Here are a few hints and tips I've gathered over the years. -Their fresh grilled salmon is great! Add it to their house salad and ask for the papaya relish from their salmon taco added to it....makes it that much better! The best salmon taco I've ever had. -The Alhambre steak taco's are out of this world! They can be seriously spicy but the flavor is unmatched....diced bacon, sliced serrano peppers, red onion, and melted cheese. I can't put the flavor into words.....just put it on a flour tortilla. -You can request an Alhambre burrito (not on the menu). Holy cow this thing is amazing! Taco's served during taco Tuesdays are not the same as on the regular menu. Just realize you are getting basic tacos for the special price and not their signature tacos. Awesome staff, awesome food, awesome restaurant!!!!!!! Monday: Margarita Monday Tuesday: Taco Tuesday Wednesday: Burrito Madness Sunday: Kids Eat For $1.00 read more

4stars for the food. Never had an issue with my food here. Not too thrilled about the service, but I don't come here too often to care. I eat and then I'm out. I do wish the restrooms where a little cleaner, tissue would be very useful. read more

Taco Mesa - Blackened chicken street tacos. Very Delish - Mexican Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

Super fresh, consistent and delicious, not sure why there are only 3.5 stars. Mexico City enchiladas, crunchy tacos and soup are always a go-to. You can get out of there spending less than $6 on lunch and leave satisfied. Love the fresh salsa bar. They also now have fresh organic pressed juices. Breakfast here looks good also, never actually had it though. read more

Taco Mesa - Crunchy chick taco & sm. soup - $5.95. Fresh & delish. - Mexican Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

We have mixed feelings about this place :D My husband doesn't like it at all but the girls and I quite enjoy it. It's pretty standard SoCal Mexican food in terms of what's on offer - burritos, enchiladas, burritos enchilada-style, tacos, taquitos, and so on. But there's salmon enchiladas. Beet salad. Steak and bacon tacos. You get the idea! They source organic ingredients and cook only small batches to keep food fresh. No canned food. No preservatives. And the default for tacos is corn tortilla! My daughter says those are the best! They also cater. The restaurant is clean, the kitchen even cleaner. The staff are friendly and helpful if you can't choose. They have daily specials as well. We have our favourites, of course. Bean and cheese burritos with a side of rice for 2 of the girls. Steak tacos, no cheese or tomatoes, for the other. Mesa burrito with steak, enchilada-style, no guac, for me. The burrito has lots of steak, no gristle or fatty pieces, fresh spinach, large and identifiable chunks of tomato, mushroom, and red onion. I like to add coriander and a spicy salsa (this has no heat but it has a lot of flavour). It's also big but not massive. Price wise it's actually pretty cheap. I can feed the four of us to stuffed for under $35 (including drinks). read more

Taco Mesa - Clean place & easy to read menu - Mexican Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

Don't come here as often anymore as I don't live in the area but when I'm around here for work I like to stop in for lunch. The service is always friendly and the food is good for the price. I like their steak and chicken as it is always well seasoned. Not the most ideal location as it is not super convenient but worth stopping in if you are in the area. read more

Taco Mesa - Mexican Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

I usually go to the location on Los Alisos so it was fun checking out a new spot. My brother & brother-in-law came here around 2:10 on Christmas Eve & when we walked in, the employee told us that they were technically closed & only doing cater pickups as of 10 minutes ago. That bummed us out, but we understood. However, he quickly asked what we wanted, asked the kitchen if it was ok...and took our order! Huzzah! That was greatly appreciated by us 3 and we definitely gave them a nice tip for doing us a solid. As with the Mission Viejo location, food was top notch. Full of flavor and plenty of food to fill you up. I'll definitely be coming back for more! read more

I love this place! They hv the best early bird breakfast special and there salsa is to die for! Mmmmm Reg menu a lil pricy but I'm addicted blackened chicken burrito is yummy! The $5 early bird special breakfast burrito is worth every Pennie read more

Good selection of food, somehow authentic, staff are very nice! way too overprice. Desserts are crazy $6 unreal, nothing close to legit dessert but worth $6.00 read more

The food is consistently fresh. Their salsa is on the spicy side which is great. I like that it is always hot when you get it. read more

Taco Mesa - Chorizo Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

Pretty good place tucked into a strip mall just off of Crown Valley. The chips and salsa were standard, not bad by any means but not particularly noteworthy. I wouldn't buy them again (they are not complimentary, this is more of a fast food/lunch counter place). The food was, however, very good. The tacos were well prepared with plenty of meat and greenery, double wrapped in two different colored tortillas. My enchiladas were also amazing, drenched in a yummy verde sauce and again filled with enough meat to satisfy. I think they were the Mexican Enchiladas. My kid ordered a cheese quesadilla, which to me is just so plain in the first place. But even that was pretty tasty (yeah I stole a bite from my kid, thats just how I roll). So overall I would recommend it to anyone for some good Mexican food. Bonus, on Taco Tuesday you can get dollar tacos. Well worth it. Tasty and cheap! read more

I'll update to 4 reviews bc the burritos are yummy. I had the carne asada the other night (~$7.50) but it was big chunks of meat. It only comes w meat, beans, and cheese but i added sour cream for $.49 (lettuce was free). On Wednesdays, they have a burrito meal special. $6 for a burrito, drink, a small piece of grilled zucchini on a stick (not sure if that came w the meal or they just felt like throwing it on...but it was good) and side of rice and beans. They didn't have carne asada or blackened ckn on the $6 selection, but they had like 7 other choices (shredded beef, al pastor, carnitas etc). $6 burrito was not as good as carne asada burrito, but it was still good. Big meal for 1 person! read more

Taco Mesa - $6 burrito meal deal on Wednesdays includes burrito (~7 choices), rice, beans, small drink and piece of grilled zucchini - Mexican Near Me - Ladera Ranch, California

Lots of good reviews, but totally not worth the hype. "Healthy and Authentic" ... I think not. Especially for the prices you guys are asking for. King Taco, Carnitas Michoacan, heck even Alberto's is more "Authentic" then this place. read more

Frequent Customer Service: Good Food: Good Tonight we ordered the Mesa Burrito, Blackened Chicken Burrito and the Quesadilla Kids Meal (with Black Beans & Brown Rice). We received a mailer for Buy One Get One Entree Free. To feed a family of four (2 adults & 2 kids) for $12, what a deal! The only real complaint is that the kids meal is not tasty. The quesadilla was too soft and not crispy. The rice and beans were also dry. It was hard to convince the little ones to finish their plate. You know that when they favor your Mesa Burrito (filled with all vegetables) that they must not be into their own meal. read more

Don't come starving; they take a while (10-15 mins) to call your name if you're dining in. Friendly service and good tacos. I had 2 Fritos tacos, one steak and one chicken. Both were good!! read more

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I wanted to post an updated review with photos. Today I enjoyed two pastor tacos and one shredded beef. I like the green avocado salsa with the pastor and the mild salsa with the shredded beef. read more

It was just ok :( I got the bean burrito wet. How can that not be awesome? Well..the beans were weird and crumbly. It just tasted weird. Super hard to mess up the simplest dish. Didn't care for the rice. Overall look of the food was not appealing. Bummer. read more

Do yourself a favor. Drive on over to this place and get yourself two fish tacos, one blackened and one fried. Get the rice and beans. Order for here so you can eat it immediately, and enjoy some of the best fish tacos I've ever had (and I eat a lot of fish tacos). As it melts in your mouth so your stress will also melt away. In that moment all is right with the world. read more