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The Taco Connection

4.8 (188 reviews)
ModerateTacos
Closed • 10:30 am - 10:00 pm
Updated 3 weeks ago

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THE TACO CONNECTION ATMOSPHERE

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

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Pork (chuleta) chorreada. This was so flavorful! The pork has a nice char on it yet remains moist. Perfectly cooked!
V V.

My family was in Garden Grove running errands and usually when we are here we take advantage of being near Little Saigon and grab Vietnamese food. However, my son and I were craving Mexican food and I'm sure glad we did this day. A quick search on Yelp and Taco Connection came up, with lots of reviews and high ratings so we decided to check it out. Upon walking in, we were greeted by a super friendly gentleman that answered all of our questions and even let us sample their chuletas (pork). The pork was tender, perfectly charred while remaining moist which is very hard to do with pork. We ultimately decided to go with asada (burrito for me and torta for my son). I also added tried their ribeye taco and chorreada chuletas. Asada Burritio: 10/10 excellent flavor, beef was moist and tender. Habanero sauce perfectly compliment it! Asada Torta: 10/10 (per my son). He said "it tasted delicious". Ribeye Taco: 8/10-only because I realized that ribeye is great by itself but doesn't pair well in a taco. The taco itself was perfect (corn tortillas were cooked in a way that balanced softness and crispiness). I wish I had gone with asada here and I'm sure it would've been 10/10. Chorreada Chuletas: 9/10: The flavors within this dish are so good! The only reason this dish is not 10/10 for me is likely personal--I'm just not accustomed to having pork cooked this way in anything other than rice and I almost water to ask for white rice to balance the intense flavor of the chuleta lol. The dining area was very clean with plenty of seating. It was a hot day and they had the place cooled to a very comfortable temperature. 10/10 I would recommend this place if you're looking for great Mexican food with awesome service. It's completely worth it.

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.

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!!!

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.

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!

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! :)

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.

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.

Angela B.

The tall man that served me was very friendly! Kind of felt like an uncle helping me out haha Chicken taco $3.18 Lots of meat on two corn tortillas. The chicken was topped with onions, cilantro, and lots of green salsa. There's also a bit of grilled onions on the side. As you eat the chicken (which seemed to be of good quality). You can def taste the char from the grill. If you mix the avocado sauce with a little bit of the habanero (which is super spicy) it was quite tasty. My lips are still throbbing and it's been 10m lol Very clean inside and slow for a Sunday evening 4th of July weekend. Would come back to try a burrito next time when the hankering hits! Food came out in minutes and they accept Amex.

Inside

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Tasty food, friendly staff and good ambiance. Also, Plenty of parking. Taco Tuesday was great. Hopefully they have World Cup matches playing

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Bandito Taqueria

Bandito Taqueria

4.6
(487 reviews)
2.9 mi
•$$

I fucking love this place. I eat here at least two or three times a week, and it never disappoints…read more The al pastor is a 10/10..seriously, get it with everything on it. Their salads are delicious, and the quesadillas? Chef's kiss. I'm actually really picky about quesadillas because, for some reason, the cheese at a lot of places messes with my stomach. But whatever they're using here agrees with me perfectly. Honestly... not even a 1,000/10. If you haven't tried this spot yet, you're missing out.

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

Photos
Nice spacious dining room.
Nice spacious dining room.
Chicken Flour Quesadilla
Chicken Flour Quesadilla
Al pastor with everything and pineapple passion fruit fresh juice (no refill).

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Al pastor with everything and pineapple passion fruit fresh juice (no refill).
Navarro's Taqueria

Navarro's Taqueria

4.3
(574 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 ordered the BK breakfast burrito through Postmates since I was at work and really feeling a…read morebreakfast burrito. So I tried this out. I'm glad I did. The burrito was solid sized, I was definitely full after eating it. Great seasoned potato wedges inside, tasty egg, and plenty of bacon and sausage. Only thing with the bacon and sausage was that the bacon was actually bacon bits. I'm pretty sure they are pre bagged bacon bits, judging by the extreme salty taste...they overpowered the sausage inside so all I was really getting was bacon bits. There was supposed to be chipotle mayo inside as well, but I don't think mine had it. Or it was also overpowered by the bacon bits. Burrito was grilled on both sides and wrapped up nicely. By the time I got it, it was still super hot. The green and red salsas are also delicious.

Photos
Menu
Menu
Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Enchiladas
Birria Combo A

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Birria Combo A
Tacos Gutierrez

Tacos Gutierrez

4.5
(109 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!

Photos
Come make your own combination.
Come make your own combination.
Taco Tuesday come get your tacos.
Taco Tuesday come get your tacos.
Tacos Gutierrez

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Taqueria El Gordito

Taqueria El Gordito

3.9
(379 reviews)
4.0 mi
•$$

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.

I was in the area and decided to grab some lunch. Someone mentioned that the Horchata water was…read moregood, first of all it was from the machine so that was already a bad sign. The tacos had plenty of meat tho. I had 2 adabada and 2 cabesa tacos. Adobada Tacos - the tortillas could use a little more oil when you say TJ style. The meat was more in the sweet side 1-5 (1) Cabesa Tacos- The meat was nice and fresh and had good flavor 1-5 (4) the yellow corn tortilla is always a nice touch. The salsas 1-5 (1) are not spicy and lack flavor It's not sitting outside but I'd rather eat inside. The Horchata Water can also use some work. 1-5 (2) This is just my taste buds talking we all have different taste buds, but this would not be my first choice for tacos.

Photos
Breakfast grub.
Breakfast grub.
Breakfast burrito
Breakfast burrito
Burrito combo, massive!

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Burrito combo, massive!

The Taco Connection - tacos - Updated July 2026

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