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    The Char Market

    4.6 (498 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Order The Char Market Takeout or Delivery

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    THE CHAR MARKET ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - The Char Market

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    Nachos - Half asada, half chicken
    Betsaida C.

    Saw that they had really good tacos and reviews. Let me tell you I was not disappointed! I highly recommend the chicken and the shrimp tacos. I ordered asada too but it wasn't as flavorful as the chicken. The person we ordered with was so accommodating and helpful. Since we went on a Wednesday, it was super chill and were able to be served quickly and efficiently. I would highly recommend them for your taco needs.

    Burrito
    Megan D.

    Dense, heavy, delicious carnitas burrito. Indoor seating only. Quiet when we went (5:30p) and lady up front was super nice taking orders. Two taco plate with rice and beans is perfectly filling. Interesting cooling sauce! Reminds me of cool ranch seasoning with sour cream.

    Super Burrito menu offering as of September 2025
    Belinda C.

    Servers and owners are friendly and easy to chat with. The medium sized restaurant has tables for 2 and 4. 6 inch taco wrappers, so the tacos are big and packed full. Most of the food is prepared on a barbecue grill. You can see the smoke rising behind the restaurant. My favorite menu items are the Carnitas Taco and Shrimp Taco. The Carnitas is so juicy and flavorful. While dining in, I'd ask customers what their favorite usual order is. Two have told me the Shrimp Plate. You can order the tacos a la carte. The $4 Charro Beans are tasty, but I thought the portion was small. PRO TIP: You can order the Steak Taco with Bone Marrow melted on top. During my last visit, the grilled veggies was butternut squash. The server Justin was recommending that with the bone marrow melted on top. On my next visit, I plan to try the Birria Tacos with Consome. The Char Market was #3 on Yelp's Best Mexican Food in 2024. Restaurant is hoping to open a 2nd location in Roseville.

    David L.

    My friend took me to this hole in the wall. She said the food is great here. We came on a Saturday and there was a lot of parking. I think there was only one car in the lot. It was lunch time. I entered and there was a couple of guys sitting in the back. It is a small place. They BBQ the meat outside in the back. I asked what should I try since I have never been here. He said that the tacos were the best and the nachos. I got the taco plate with one chicken and one steak. It came with rice and beans. The beans were great tasting and so was the chicken and the steak . both cooked nicely and juicy. The price was a little high for a small place but I liked it a lot. My friend got the taco salad with steak and she loved it. It's a nice little place and if I'm in the area again I will stop by again.

    Yummy tacos...
    Joe E.

    Bone Marrow tacos yes! Staff is very friendly here. Only improvement would be some different toppings per each protein choice;)

    Birria tacos plate
    Sou L.

    My first time visiting The Char Market! The restaurant is small and jammed packed at noon on a Thursday. Seating is limited but plenty of parking available! The cashier was friendly and clam despite the long line forming as soon as we got there. I ordered the Birria Taco plate. The flavor was okay. I would visit again to try their bone marrow plate . Another guest ordered it and it looked really good.

    Loaded steak nachos
    James B.

    Ambiance: Who cares about ambience when the food speaks for itself? This place can be described as a "hole in the wall" that is really clean! Very small; about 6 tables. Service: The people are friendly and helpful with picking something good to eat or slight customization (you won't need any). Food: OMG! I wish they were closer to me. The food is amazing. We ordered a chicken taco, elote, and loaded nachos with steak. All of it was delicious and flavorful! You do not need or want any extra sauce on it. The chicken taco was a s oft tortilla with all the fixings. The chicken has that char flavor; so you must like it a little charred. The loaded steak nachos was the bomb. Flavorful, creative, and just enough for two. It left me wishing I had more. The elote was very delicious. My one and only criticism is why it the cob in half and call it an order of two. Corn is cheap! Walk, run, ride the bus, or drive to The Char Market and you will not be disappointed!

    Chicken taco plate
    Lisa B.

    Tex Mex type taco. Ordered a chicken taco plate and beef taco plate. Should have requested corn tortillas, but it comes with flour. Meat was tender and tasty. Chopped iceberg lettuce and a refreshing lime-ish salsa‍ chipotle type sauce. Side of Tex Mex beans and rice. Ordered a side of elote/Mexican street corn. Tasted like canned or frozen corn, with a soupy sauce. Not my fav, but my family liked it. A few tables inside, and pretty empty when we came on a weekend.

    1 chicken taco and 1 shrimp taco with beans and rice
    Jenna P.

    The Char Market may be small, but it delivers big on flavor. The menu is simple and straight to the point. No frills, just solid, delicious food. The chicken was the standout for me. It was incredibly juicy with that perfect charred flavor that makes you want to order seconds. It made for amazing tacos and an equally satisfying plate served over grilled zucchini. The shrimp tacos were another win. Flavorful, perfectly cooked, and well-seasoned. The only slight miss was the steak, which wasn't as tender as I hoped, but still had great flavor. And I have to give a special shout-out to the beans. They were packed with a bold tomato salsa-like flavor that really stood out. Customer service here is next level. The owner took the time to share his story about starting with food trucks, and you can tell he pours that same heart into running this spot. He even noticed our tacos were smaller than usual and surprised us with two extra tacos in a to-go box, completely on the house. That kind of care and attention to detail goes a long way. Only thing missing? A cold cerveza to go with it all. But honestly, that's just me being picky. This spot is officially in our regular rotation for when we want a good meal and don't feel like cooking.

    Receipt to our order
    Adriana Z.

    Hello Hello! Truly just found myself a GEM! At entry I was greeted by a nice gentleman, the music they had going fit the location and definitely had me locked in. I had actually found them on Yelp & luckily they were less than a mile away. I ordered myself the Char Nachos (Steak) w/ the crema on the side, w/a coke to pair it up nicely. My goodness! These are by far my favorite nachos I have ever ordered at any restaurant. The steak was so tender and not fatty whatsoever and I loved that they put a plentiful serving given it is a bit pricey but very worth it. He kindly brought us a habanero salsa once we asked for a little bit of spice, the salsa was delicious and offered the kick I needed to these nachos. My girl ordered the Char Taco Plate (Shrimp) which included a delicious side of rice and char beans. The rice was some form of a cilantro lime rice but had an extra flair to the taste, meanwhile the beans were complimented w/meat and cheese. The shrimp taco was cooked to perfection and the seasoning was very flavorful, adding the habanero salsa was definitely the cherry on top. I was pleasantly surprised that we found this location and it being so close to my girlfriends house makes that PERFECT. The service was quick and very kind which I appreciate since it was our first time there. I will definitely be coming back whenever in the area.

    Shrimp Char Plate
    Jessica S.

    My family and I tried this place on a Sunday afternoon. Food was tasty. I ordered the Shrimp Char Plate which was cooked great. We also got chips and guac to share. The chips had a seasoning that I enjoyed and chips tasted homemade. The guac had very large chunks of tomatoes and lacked some flavor. My husband raved about the beans and said they were delicious! Despite the food being great this establishment needs some attention. The plates were chipped and everywhere was dirty. Maybe they were short staffed? Also, accurate prices should be stated on the menu. Our bill was $10 more than the prices listed on their paper menu card at the register. After reading another review on here I realized the prices were not up to date. Overall, I can tell the owner takes pride in the food, but not so much the cleanliness or the details that could really make this place be top notch.

    YUMMY TACOS!
    Anissa R.

    My fabulous Char Market! Coming from someone who is highly critical of anything Mexican food related, I'm a big fan of Char! We happened to be in the area one evening and of course, had to stop at Char (we were lucky to have tried them during a Yelp event previously). We opted for the yummy steak tacos and they were just as good as the first time we had them. Solid food and friendly staff. The tortilla is charred (no pun intended) nicely with flavorful meat and toppings. Tasty beans and fluffy rice. They hustle and get it out quick. It's in a very unassuming parking lot next to a dance studio; you can almost miss it if you drive too fast. But it's so worth it! We will stop by every time we're in the area!

    Jared S.

    God Bless The Char Market!!! BEST tacos in the game. And it's really not even close!!! Ranked by Yelp as having the THIRD best Mexican food in the United States I can attest that that list was not a fluke and is completely accurate! And whomever is first and second must be putting gold flakes in their tacos because I'm not sure how ANYTHING and ANYWHERE can beat 'Char Market'! Just remember that 'Char Market' is very unassuming!! You would never expect this place to have GOAT Mexican food! They are located in Carmichael off Whitney and in-between Mission Ave and Foster Way. The restaurant is kind've in a weird, older area with not much going on in around it. Think older suburbs. And it is definitely a trek coming from Sacramento. But trust me when I say it is absolutely worth it just to get to indulge in these tacos!!! Tuesday was my second time visiting The Char Market. My wife and I came for a Yelp Elite event last summer. But we were in the area so hitting up 'Char Market' was a MUST! My wife and I arrived around 6pm. The ambiance here isn't anything crazy, as it is a small restaurant inside a cul-de-sac. They have a giant California flag to the left which I love (I'm SUPER proud to be a Californian these days, for obvious reasons) and there's about 6 or so tables to sit at. 'Char Market' really is more of a takeout place in my view, but considering how far it is from where we live it makes sense for us to dine-in. Staff were very friendly! As had been the case last year. My wife and I both ordered their 'CharTaco plate' and went with steak for our protein. This includes two tacos, rice, and charro beans. As I remembered from the Elite event, they bring out food FAST here. I'm talking within five or so minutes! When our meals were brought I made sure to SAVOR each bite. I'm a notoriously quick eater, but I "slowed" myself down to really enjoy that "char" flavor. I've never seen tacos "charred" like at this restaurant. The tortillas ALONE would be fantastic to eat, let alone blanketing the perfect amount of steak, lettuce, and cheese. Their steak bangs and is incredibly tender! I have no idea how they season it but 'Char Market' should lock their recipe book in Fort Knox! P.S. I've been DREAMING about these tacos since Tuesday... yes they are THAT good. Incredibly unique! Their rice is also fantastic. I always say you can tell if a restaurant is 5 Stars based off their rice. And 'Char Market' lives up to that and then some! And their beans... DELICIOUS. Flavor on flavor on flavor!! In addition, I don't know what 'Char Market' puts in their in their crema sauce but it is OUT OF THIS WORLD good. The perfect amount of "tanginess" and it compliments everything perfectly. It's been two days and I want to go back. Next time I want to try their bone marrow as I know fans rave about it on Yelp. In a nutshell, 'The Char Market' just is THAT place. The spot you have to go to regardless of the distance. Yes it's in a weird area. Yes the ambiance is nothing to write home about. HOWEVER, I still say they're the best tacos I've ever had. Bar none. Anybody who gave this place less than 5 stars needs to get their head checked! For real! Lol. A++++++++. Just go already (and take me with you!)

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    11 months ago

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    $20 for two street tacos. Come on man. Good flavors. But at this price you better come already full

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    6 months ago

    The food at Char Market is amazing! I've also ordered catering from them and they do a great job.

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    10 months ago

    Everything was amazing. I had chicken tacos, beans and rice, and elote. I didn't know elote could be a whole experience. Wow.

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    Page 2 of 13

    Ask the Community - The Char Market

    We have a group of 8 coming Saturday night before a show at Jesuit. Will it be possible to get seating fairly quickly?

    Best to get there a little early as there is limited seating and it is very busy most of the day

    Is char market dog friendly?

    No. All seating is indoors.

    Is anything vegetarian?

    They have elote and rice and beans but the beans have beef in them I believe.

    Is there indoor seating?

    Yes there is indoor seating.

    View All 5 Questions

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    Las carretas Mexican & salvadorian food

    Las carretas Mexican & salvadorian food

    4.8
    (62 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    Incredible food so many amazing flavors and options to choose from the Mexican menu as well as the…read moreSalvadoran menu were so interesting! We love the pupusa's, the street tacos were amazing. The plantains were also delicious and the enchiladas. were so tasty.!!! even the sauce says we're interesting and amazing!! Service is incredibly personable, fun and engaging!! We will definitely be back!!! Thank you, Las Correstas!!!

    Wife and I randomly decided to try this place after our go to Mexican style restaurant declined in…read morequality. Our first impression was a cool, small, and family owned business, plus the owner was very nice and helpful. We got a few things to try, and we were not disappointed with any of it. We got a torta, burrito, papusa, tamale, and a churro to try. The torta was super good, the al pastor was seasoned well and super juicy, definitely recommend them if you like tortas. The burrito was good, and it was super filled and super large. Definitely recommend getting a burrito if you're a hungry lad. The papusa was one of the best papusas I've had around this area, super flavorful with a slightly crispy outside. It also had an insane cheese pull, definitely recommend trying one of these. Lastly the tamale was amazing, it was packed with flavor and one of the better tamales I've had in a long time because it was actually moist and not dry and overcooked. Another big recommendation from me. Overall if you're in the mood for some Mexican food please go here and support an amazing local business. Tamales and Papusas are a super recommended!

    Photos
    Las carretas Mexican & salvadorian food
    Gordita with Al Pastor
    Gordita with Al Pastor
    Las carretas Mexican & salvadorian food

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    El Tapatio

    El Tapatio

    4.4
    (3.4k reviews)
    5.2 mi
    $$

    Prices are a little high, but nothing unusual based on other restaurants in the area. Overall…read morenothing to knock my score down over. Food was great, service was attentive despite being busy on a Sunday afternoon. The beautiful interior is largely inherited from the "El Torito" days, but the addition of posterboard mariachi cut outs next to the old art fixtures are a little jarring.

    El Tapatio is a spacious and festively decorated Mexican restaurant. Beautiful. Several dining…read moreareas. Music in Spanish. Service is attentive and helpful. There is a tortilla lady in front making fresh tortillas with her own tip jar. Huge menu. You should be able to easily find whatever you're craving. There is a 11 AM to 3 PM weekday lunch menu on the back cover: Burrito specials on Mon & Fri Enchiladas specials on Tue & Wed Chile Relleno special on Thu DAILY Happy Hour menu for Bar & Patio area is 3-7 PM and after 9 PM. Complimentary corn tortilla chips, salsa, and refried bean dip with cheese. I loved the REFRIED BEAN DIP! I ordered the Steak a la Chicana. I didn't read or listen carefully enough that the skirt steak with sauteed onions and bell peppers are covered in Spanish sauce. The sauce is actually quite tasty with a little kick. I used it and the salsa to flavor the black beans. However, I really just wanted grilled steak. I should have ordered steak fajitas, a grilled steak burrito or quesadilla, or a carne asada plate. The Steak a la Chicana was a generous portion, which is definitely 2 meals for me. Cilantro rice wasn't anything special. The SWEET CORN TAMALITO is yummy comfort. Choice of beans: refried beans, black beans, or pinto beans. I suspect refried beans is the tastiest option. El Tapatio would be a great gathering place for friends and family. It's located on Sunrise Blvd in Citrus Heights near See's Candies and other restaurants.

    Photos
    El Tapatio
    Camarones a La Crema
    Camarones a La Crema
    Fajitas for 2. Plus shrimp

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    Fajitas for 2. Plus shrimp
    Jalisco Restaurant Authentic Mexican Food

    Jalisco Restaurant Authentic Mexican Food

    4.7
    (59 reviews)
    2.3 mi

    We went back to Jalisco on a taco Tuesday. Again the place was super clean…read more We ordered 4 tacos - grilled fish, al Pastor, grilled chicken, and Barbacoa. Everything was really good to eat. Very tasty. We especially like the grilled fish and the grilled chicken. An addition to the tacos we also had the Mexican street corn appetizer - wonderful. Our server was Cris and he explained all of the Mexican dishes. That is, I didn't know what barbacoa is nor what al pastor is. We plan on returning with more friends and family.

    We found this place by accident after attempting to head to another restaurant that was closed when…read morewe showed up. Oh am I glad they were, this place was amazing! From the outside it just looks like a little place in a rundown strip mall. To be honest, we almost didn't go in but we were starving. Then we looked it up on Yelp and saw good reviews so we decided to give it a try. This restaurant is so clean, from the dining area to the kitchen (you can see the cooking area). There's tables and chairs for dine in, and also seemed to be a popular place for takeout. I had a burrito, my table mates had street tacos. Everything was so tasty! Service was phenomenal. The young man that took care of us was very friendly and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our visit. He definitely made it a great experience, on top of the delicious food. What a fantastic find, we will definitely be back!

    Photos
    A clean and well organized kitchen.
    A clean and well organized kitchen.
    Ordered 4 because husband and sons love their Mexican hot dogs. Took a bite and now I do too.
    Ordered 4 because husband and sons love their Mexican hot dogs. Took a bite and now I do too.
    03/10/2025 Menu.

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    03/10/2025 Menu.
    Cantina Azteca

    Cantina Azteca

    4.2
    (618 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    This is near the Milagro Center in Citrus Heights and this is a Hidden Gem for a great Mexican…read morefood. . I got to try out there Blackberry mojito which was really refreshing and I do love the fresh homemade BlackBerry concentrate. . I also really like their mangonada which is a blended-up drink and I love the fresh mangoes in it. . I started off with their brriria tacos which had nice chunks of beef and a really nice sauce to dip in it as well follow along with cilantro and onions for the topping. . I really like their fish and shrimp ceviche which was really refreshing and it was a big platter and it is great for sharing. . We also got to sample the enchilada three flavors with a mole which was on a sweeter side. Also we got a red and green sauce enchilada. For the proteins we got one cheese and one chicken and one spicy pork. The protein ones was really good even the cheese one was cheesy as well. . I really like their fish taco and shrimp taco. The shrimp taco was actually grilled to Perfection and has really nice top shredded lettuce and cheese. The fish taco was grilled and it was good as well and I like how it was fresh. . They also have cilantro and lime rice and it was very zesty flavorful. We also started off with some kind of asada fries and it has a really nice cheesy pull and toppings on top. . For the dessert we had churro and ice cream with lots of whipped cream and sprinkles. I really like the churro because in the middle it was filled with some cinnamon cream and it was really good. . Overall the experience was really great and we love the service because it was really friendly and quick on their feet with refilling our water and bringing our drinks quickly. The Ambiance and the hair is very family and cozy and it is really cute with a nice stage on top. There is cozy Booth where you can just enjoy with your family or your date. For Cinco de Mayo they are doing a big celebration with Mariachi and Aztec dancing as well.

    My husband and I frequent Cantina Azteca in Carmichael because he absolutely loves it here, and we…read moreusually have a great experience. This time started off a little rough, but in the end they made it right, which is why I'm writing this review. I placed a to-go order for steak, shrimp, and chicken fajitas. The order was repeated back to me correctly when I called it in. When I arrived to pick it up, the restaurant was extremely busy and the staff was clearly focused on serving the diners inside first, so my order took about an extra 25 minutes. Not ideal, but understandable given how packed the restaurant was. Unfortunately, when we got home and opened the bag, the fajitas only contained steak -- there was no chicken or shrimp included. I called the restaurant and spoke with the manager to explain what happened. At first there was some back-and-forth about possible solutions, including bringing the food back or only replacing part of the order. My husband had already started eating because he was hungry, so returning the food wasn't really practical. To the manager's credit, she took the situation seriously and actually called the owner at home to explain what had happened. Shortly afterward she called me back and let me know the owner approved remaking the entire order correctly at no additional cost. That completely changed the experience. For me, good customer service isn't about the money -- it's about making things right when a mistake happens. Once they stepped in and corrected the situation, it showed they value their customers and their reputation. Mistakes happen at every restaurant, especially when things are busy. What matters is how a business responds. Cantina Azteca ultimately did the right thing, and because of that we will absolutely continue to come back. Thank you to the manager and owner for making it right.

    Photos
    Great ambiance.
    Great ambiance.
    Toast
    Toast
    Cantina Azteca

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    The Char Market - sandwiches - Updated July 2026

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