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    The Taco Connection

    4.8 (175 reviews)
    ModerateTacos
    Closed 10:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

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    THE TACO CONNECTION ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Tacos
    Kevin C.

    This is a great place to go for tacos and quesadillas. Very affordable prices compared to the other places in the area. Great quality and flavor. Service was good. As for ambiance it's just a small place with some tables and TVs on the walls. Would recommend if you are looking for a casual place to go for delicious tacos.

    Asada, Pollo, and Chuletas Tacos
    Tina H.

    Tried this spot for their $2 tacos and $10 quesadillas during SoCal Taco Week! The tacos come in a few options--Asada, Pollo, and Chuletas--and each one had solid flavor. The asada was nicely seasoned, the pollo was juicy, and the chuletas had a good smoky taste. The quesadilla was filling and packed with meat and cheese--perfect if you're extra hungry. If you're craving simple, tasty tacos without spending much, this place is worth checking out.

    St240Jo C.

    I came here because I was craving tacos and the Yelp reviews looked solid... But honestly--it wasn't the tacos that made me love this place. It was the **chorreadas**. I had never tried them before, and one of the workers (super friendly, by the way) recommended it and said it was the best. I was thinking... *how good can it really be?* I was wrong. I got it with **chuleta**, and WOW--this is hands down some of the best meat I've had. Perfectly marinated, full of flavor, the salsa balance was on point, and that crispy chorreada texture just brought everything together. Unreal. This is the kind of meat I wish all tacos had. I also got the asada fries and two tacos with chuleta--they were good, but I'd definitely go back just for the chorreadas. The pineapple drink was another highlight for me. I was impressed and immediately knew I'd be ordering that again. I'm definitely bringing my family back just for this. If you haven't tried it yet--no joke, it's a must.

    Chuleta Chorreada
    Darrell A.

    If you're looking for a great place to eat, I highly recommend this place. We were in town for a basketball tournament and wanted a good authentic Mexican restaurant. After reading the reviews we thought we would give it a try. Glad we did! This spot didn't disappoint. Miguel was an awesome host, the staff were all very friendly and helpful with recommendations. Got to try the chuleta chorreada. I'm told it's a grandmas recipe.

    Best tacos ever! The chorreada is bomb! And the asada tacos are 10/10. Its the closest to a taco mexicano! The micheladas are amazin as well. The restaurant is extra clean and the service is great. Thanks Carlos you rock!

    Chorriada
    Adriana M.

    We came across this place on our way back from getting boba. So happy we did because not only was the customer service great but the food was so good!!!!! The tacos were perfect in flavor and the habanero sauce and avocado sauce were on point! They complement the tacos greatly!! We also got a chorriada which is a tostada with melted cheese on it and meat! I never had tried anything like that and it was great!!! So much seating with great Mexican music playing! Will definitely be coming back to try more items off the menu!!!

    Angelin G.

    I came here because I was craving tacos and the reviews looked solid... and honestly, they lived up to it. I got the asada and a pork taco, and both were . The meat had that perfect char--well done but still juicy, not dry at all. The salsa though... spicy in the best way. Like it hits, but you still want another bite. And the cabbage mix on top gave it that fresh crunch that balanced everything out so well. The plate itself was simple but done right--limes, cucumbers, grilled onions on the side... everything just worked together. I also grabbed a cold drink (super refreshing) and was honestly surprised at how reasonable the prices were for how good everything tasted. The vibe inside was a plus too. Clean, good music playing, and just a fun, easy spot to sit and actually enjoy your food for a bit. Definitely one of those places I'd come back to without even thinking about it.

    Linda L.

    Late tonight I stopped by The Taco Connection craving horchata, only to find out they had just run out. The owner, Charlie, couldn't have been kinder! He offered me a similar drink called barley water instead, and even told me that if I let him know ahead next time, he'd make sure I got my horchata fix. That kind of thoughtfulness really stood out. I ordered the pastor tacos, which were absolutely delicious! Flavorful, fresh, and exactly what I needed. To top it off, Charlie even surprised me with a free pork taco, which was such a nice touch. It's customer service like this that keeps people coming back. Between the great food and the genuinely caring owner, this place left a wonderful impression on me. I'll definitely be back (and next time, I'm holding you to that horchata Charlie! :)

    Beverages
    Jenesa B.

    If I could rate this food spit more than 5 stars, I would. A family member told me about this spot and we all went to dinner together. There was 3 total on my party. The establishment shared the area with other small businesses, but I especially liked how bright the sign was so we could find the reactor ant easier. Coming in, it was very clean, they had really good Lyon music playing and we were greeted by one of the employees. There was no one inside the restaurant. We did arrive about 8:30pm and still the restaurant was super clean. The employees we spoke to were all very professional and we shared laughs and are knowledgable about the menu. We all ordered something different. Their tacos de asada and pollo were so delicious! The tacos are medium sized. We got full with just two. My other family member, who had gone before, ordered this tostada item called Chorreada with pork. One of the employees also brought out another Chorreada but with carne asada. With this item, you are able to choose your meat. It was delicious!!! The salsas it comes with taste delicious, but definitely try their habanero salsa. Spicy but man it was tasty! They have several Aguas Frescas that are made in house. Oh my goodness!! Refreshing most definitely! I had ordered their Cucumber lemonade and my family member ordered the Jamaica (Hibiscus). Very refreshing. One of the employees said to come next time and try their Agua de Horchata (rice milk natural water). It is one of their popular drinks, which if you see in the photo I took it away definitely sold out. This is a great restaurant to come with family and friends. The Maximum Room Capacity is 49 persons, so do what you will with that info when you're thinking about how many people you're inviting. They also do catering, to which myself and my other family members took business cards to promote their food. Wow! I can't wait to come back and try other food items and their Aguas Frescas. I may live in Orange now, but Santa Ana is my hometown and food spots like this one here The Taco Connection make me proud of the town I came from. They get down for real!

    chuletas, asada, and ribeye tacos
    Emi O.

    Loved trying this place for the first time! I tried the chuletas ($3), asada ($3), and ribeye ($6) tacos and they were all super good. I would pick chuletas as my top choice and then the asada. I've never actually heard of chuletas before but I'm glad I tried it. It's pork but pretty different from al pastor. Both the chuletas and asada had great char and flavor. The ribeye was noticeably more tender than the asada so if you want a better cut of beef, definitely try the ribeye. The workers were very attentive and friendly. They checked in with us and made sure we liked our food and even gave us samples of their homemade drinks like horchata. Overall great experience in terms of food and service. Will be back for sure!

    Ribeye burrito
    Madeleine L.

    This rating is solely for the rib-eye burrito--quality that's worth the price. Yes, it's pricey, but if you want a good ribeye burrito, this is it. Stuffed with cabbage slaw and beans, it's juicy, flavorful and filling but doesn't give you that heavy feeling afterwards. The ribeye is tender, soft, yum! Combined with their habanero sauce, I could eat this once a week.

    Chorriada de chuleta with cheese and cilantro with grilled onions on the side
    Josefina G.

    Tried this spot for the first time today and omg... the tacos are so amazing. The service is even better. Try the chorriada de chuletas and agua desebada. I'd never had either and I'm amazed at where they've been my whole life. Tacos de carne asada were amazing. Large sitting area and the service is the best.

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    Bandito Taqueria

    Bandito Taqueria

    4.6(478 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    I got introduced to Bandito when they catered for a friend. I loved the rice and beans and knew I…read morehad to visit this restaurant. I was surprised by how vegan-friendly the menu is. It's not always easy finding good plant-based options at traditional spots, but they actually have a nice variety to choose from. Service was friendly and attentive without being overbearing. The restaurant is downtown so the parking isn't great but it's worth it. Overall, it's a solid choice if you're craving Mexican food and still want satisfying plant-based options. I'll definitely be back to try more from the menu.

    PREMISE: I went here on a Tuesday night with a group of 10 friends…read more WAIT TIME: Not long! You order at the counter and then you can rather take it to go or sit in their restaurant. There's plenty of indoor seating and some outdoor seating as well. Food came relatively quickly as well for all of us, and drinks came out right away. Wait was maybe 5-10 minutes but all the food was freshly made! FOOD: They don't have too big of a menu, but that's not bad. I tried the carne asada, el pastor, and the mushroom tacos + queso tacos. The tacos were a lot bigger than larger tacos, coming at roughly $4 per taco. I would recommend the queso tacos because i LOVE cheese but the regular tacos are good. The quesadillas were very filling and there was a lot to them as well if you want something that'll fill you up more than a taco. SERVICE: Service was good. Everyone who helped us was very nice. PARKING: There is street parking and parking lots around the area for you to walk in--all of which are paid parking. You can use an app for the lots or use coins for the street parking. I've gone here during the day and night and I haven't had any issues with parking at all. INTERIOR: The interior is very simple: warm tones with benches. If you have a big party, you most likely will have to split up between multiple tables. For us, a party of 10, we divided it between 4 and 6, though the 6 was a tight fit. BATHROOM: Clean. Nothing crazy when I went there. I'm pretty sure you can use the bathroom too even if you don't buy anything. LOCATION: This place is in downtown Santa Ana, so there are a lot of shops for you to look around, eat at, or shop at if you go during the day. Very fun to eat tacos here and then go on a walk afterwards :)) TLDR: A very good taco spot to go eat if you want good tacos. They're open till 10pm weekdays and midnight on weekends as well. Decent variety that's fresh and very flavorful

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    Nice spacious dining room.

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    Al pastor with everything and pineapple passion fruit fresh juice (no refill).

    Navarro's Taqueria - Cabeza Taco.

    Navarro's Taqueria

    4.3(571 reviews)
    3.9 mi
    $$

    I came here with my coworkers for lunch and so glad that we did. I'm disappointed that I have not…read morebeen here sooner! There is a decent size parking lot for Navarro's. It is next to a gas station. It looks like a pretty popular place during the lunch hour. It's a smaller place inside, but they do have an outdoor patio. We were able to find a small table, not too far from the front counter. Ordering at the front was easy. The staff was friendly and quick. We could see the cook grilling up the meats as we placed our order. There were at least five different salsas to choose from as well as cucumbers and a chili oil at the self-serve salsa bar. I noticed a customer in front of us ordered a kids plate which included two street tacos and rice and beans. That's what I ended up ordering with Carne Asada and chorizo. There were four or five proteins to choose from for the kids plate. I loved the grilled meats with the char flavor. It was delicious! Everything was well seasoned. I wish I would've ordered a third or maybe even a fourth taco because it was that good! I will definitely come back many times and it's going to be on our lunch rotation for sure.

    I love Navarro's but they keep messing up my order. I ordered asada super fries with extra…read morejalapeños and added carnitas. It was all carnitas with no jalapeños whatsoever lol I thought maybe I ordered incorrectly but the printout matched my order. This isn't the first time this has happened, but I've also received the correct order from them before so I know they're capable of fulfilling the order. The food is good otherwise I wouldn't keep coming back but they only get one more shot from me

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    Menu

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    Tacos Gutierrez - Now open Sunday.

    Tacos Gutierrez

    4.5(106 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $
    Family-owned & operated
    LGBTQ friendly

    Taco Gutierrez you have my whole heart!…read more After having moved to Santa Ana last year this has become my go-to spot for tacos close by. It's hard to find a good Taco Tuesday but they do a great job helping the community and keeping the prices $1.50 for basic meats like pollo, asada, and al pastor. I personally love my lengua and this truck has some of the best I've tried! It is a bit pricier but definitely worth it given the taste/quality. A couple things about the condiments--green sauce is spicier than you think, red one is more of a salsa and not that hot. Radishes are unfortunately not very crunchy/juicy at this location so I don't get it as often as I would at other taco spots. If you're ever in a rush, they do phone orders AND DoorDash. I've done all the methods and quality stays up there each time! However, if you do wanna enjoy your tacos right after they're prepared, you can always sit at their tables next to the truck. They have quite a bit of dining space and I've never seen it too crowded to the point of having difficulty finding a spot to sit. In terms of finding the truck, you just need to turn into S Hathaway St. Very close to the train tracks. I park in any free space they have there, since the businesses are usually closed after 5pm (which is when the truck opens).

    Came here on a Tuesday. Place wasn't too crowded and we were helped promptly…read more $1.50 tacos are a bargain these days, and they were reasonably sized. I got 3 asada and they were great! Small counter with radish, cucumber, and salsas as well as some Mexican lollipops (def took a few for the road) I definitely will be coming here on Tuesdays from now on!

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    Tacos Gutierrez - Come make your own combination.

    Come make your own combination.

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    Taco Tuesday come get your tacos.

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    Tacompadre - ALAMBRE DE SUADERO

    Tacompadre

    4.7(274 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    Been to this place a few times, and have not left disappointed. The speed of service was top tier,…read moreand the wait for a burrito was minimal, less than 5 minutes. The salsa bar was out of this world , be careful though. You will feel the burn! Fuego Must try their pineapple salsa Lots of seating and good vibes all throughout the dining area.

    We usually order food from this spot whenever we go to Twisted Tiki which is in the same…read moremarketplace. Tacompadre has tacos, burritos, quesotacos, alambre, loaded fries or nachos, and a few other miscellaneous items. They also have a good selection of proteins including asada, pastor, birria, chicken, chorizo, suadero, and conchinita, as well as a veggie option. The same space is shared with Mongiello's Pizza and Wings, and we ordered items from both menus at once at the register. We ordered our food to go to take to TT, but there is also a common dining area in the center of the market. My girlfriend had three tacos plate ($11.99), two pastor and one veggie. It comes with rice and beans, and we ordered a side of chips ($1.99). They have a self-serve station with utensils and several large covered steel containers of different salsas with small cups to fill. Each of the tacos have two tortillas, and she thought they were good, but she didn't care for the rice or beans. The chips were fine, and the two salsas we tried were good. Our food from both menus was ready pretty quickly, and the staff member was friendly.

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    Grand Opening 8/12/22

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    Taqueria El Gordito

    Taqueria El Gordito

    3.9(375 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    This place is a great place just reading the bad reviews other people left I just know there mad at…read morelife lol always friendly great food and fast not one complain I live 5 mins from here and I wouldn't go to no other taco/mexican spot this is the place to go you just can't hate on it my favorite thing to order is the asada fries super good ! And the workers are always on point with the great ambiance good place to go.

    Taqueria El Gordito is one of my go-to late-night taco spots, especially after work--and it never…read moremisses. They're open until 3am, which already puts them in a clutch category. This is the kind of place you rely on when you need something solid, fast, and satisfying. My usual order is the asada or cabeza tacos--and they don't hold back. The tacos are big, flavorful, and consistently good every time. Every now and then I switch it up with the chile relleno burrito, which is also worth it. Everything I've had here hits. The salsa selection is solid too. They don't have it laid out anymore, but you can just ask at the counter--and they'll take care of you. They've always been cool about giving extra when needed. They've also got a good variety of drinks to go with it. I usually take my food to-go, but the outdoor patio is there if you want to sit and eat. Service is friendly, quick, and consistent--another reason I keep coming back. If you're looking for a reliable late-night taco spot that delivers on flavor and portion, this is it.

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    Ah Carbon Tacos

    Ah Carbon Tacos

    3.8(25 reviews)
    3.9 mi

    I stopped by this taco truck this past weekend, and after trying quite a few taco spots, here are…read moremy thoughts on this one. First off, I really love that they use charcoal to cook their meat. That smoky flavor is something you just can't replicate with other cooking methods, and it definitely stands out. They also give a generous amount of sides and avocado with every taco, which I really appreciated. I ordered the tripe, chorizo, and carne asada tacos. The carne asada was good--nice flavor overall, though it could use just a touch more salt. Still very enjoyable and easy to overlook. I'd give the asada a 8/10. The tripe taco was where I struggled a bit. I usually like tripe with a bit of bite and crunch, but this one was way too crunchy. At one point I genuinely wondered if I was going to crack a tooth . It also needed more salt.If they cooked this a little less honestly this would be much higher on my rating. I'd rate the tripe a 5.5/10. The chorizo was well cooked and flavorful. Like many places now, the seasoning was lighter so you can adjust it yourself, which I don't mind at all. I'd give the chorizo a 7/10. Overall, this is a decent taco truck with some solid flavors and good portions. Worth checking out, especially if you appreciate charcoal-grilled meat.

    Really good tacos , Muy buen savor tortilla Frescas tambien pedimos asadas fries y estaban super…read moregrandes y ricas 10 de 10

    Photos
    Ah Carbon Tacos - El taquero prepping the meats for that mesquite fire.

    El taquero prepping the meats for that mesquite fire.

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    Ah Carbon Tacos - Outside

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    Outside

    The Taco Connection - tacos - Updated June 2026

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