OVERALL By way of Brazil via China, brothers Mingo, Wing and Ed Lee introduced Wahoo's Fish Tacos to the world. It always excites me to read about these types of experiences and upbringings. Wahoo's is authentically theirs and I enjoyed it immensely. RATING BREAKDOWN | Food: 4 | Service: 5 | Environment: 4 | Price: 4 | PARKING This chain is located within the Irvine Spectrum Center dangerously close to the Interstate 5. Lol. There is ample free lot parking which is usually packed. There are also (if I remember correctly) 4 "decks" or parking garages in addition to valet parking (which I hate. No one touches my Jeep but me. Lol.) LOCATION/AMBIANCE If you can find the Giant Wheel (ferris wheel), then Wahoo's is close by. I love the vibes... skater and surfing vibes even though I've never done either. It's so laid back and I enjoy just looking at all the decor - including the super rad skateboard bench at the entrance. THE GRUB To order, hop in line and order with a friendly staff member at one of two registers. They will give you a number and call it out within a matter of a few minutes. My girls and I had time to use the women's facility with hot water to wash our hands! + Maui bowl ($12.49) Teriyaki marinated Angus steak over white rice with black beans and melted cheese (extra $1) and avocado slices (extra $1.50)... oh, mama, I loved this. The steak was flavored nicely and so tender. This is a meal I could eat every week. + Salsa bar! It's self-serve... they offer 4 different kinds in addition to jalapeños and roasted tomatoes. I tried them all. My favorite was Maria's (green) salsa because it has a greater kick, but it also has nice flavor. They also provide: fuego, green sauce (no, too weak for me, lol, but my 8-year-old liked it) and pico de gallo. + One of my girls enjoyed her kid's quesadilla with fries. ($5.99) and a plain 8 oz Horizon organic milk carton ($2.25) + My other daughter gobbled up her kid's cheese enchilada with red sauce and black beans ($6.29) and the same milk LITTLE YELPER'S CLUB They have a really great kid's menu. Refer to the previous section. SERVICE I'd like to commend the staff on their pleasant attitudes and for checking on us half way through our meal on 4/10/22. MY FAVORITE PART... How hot and fresh everything was served all at once! And the salsa bar! NOT SO FAVORITE PART... The Shangri La tea from the soda fountain area. No, no, no... The tea was too weak for me. Next time it's a margarita for me. read more

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I ordered a veggie burrito It really tasted like it mainly had just rice The staff was friendly and the atmosphere was pretty casual Maybe they are more famous for their fish taco dish !! The vegetarian burrito was not able to really be modified, and I didn't really have much in it regarding veggies. It was mainly filled with rice. I don't think I would come back here, but I definitely probably recommend coming here only for the fish tacos which I did not try since I'm vegetarian. They did really have a nice fresh tomato pico de gallo sauce and a pretty good salsa bar read more

Omg this place is amazing. Everyone knows that good customer service is hard to come by but theirs is GREAT!! I had to place a large order for my office and called it in. Spoke to Priscila and she got everything right and went the extra step of writing everyone's name on their order so distribution was a breeze. When I went to pick up the order the boy at the front (not sure his name) greeted me with a big smile and had great energy. There was maybe 10 orders and the price was just around $190 which is so affordable as well and the food was fresh and yummy! 10/10 experience thanks y'all read more

Super nice staff, fast service and really clean, fun interiors. I only had the wahoo tacos and they were delicious! Thanks for the sauce bar as well-very fresh and tasty read more

Ordered few different things there, with not much to say the food was good but not for the price is ask for in exchange. Salsas and drinks are good the place was clean and the staff friendly and attentive. That's it. You have plenty of options in their menu to choose from. I'm sure you'll be okay. read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - 1st time Visiting wahoo's fish tacos Let's see what's the fuzz is about.. - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Was craving fish tacos so decided to stop by Wahoo's for lunch while at the Spectrum. The line was out the door, but moved at a decent pace. Getting my food took forever. I feel like if I didn't ask twice and stand right there the second time, I would have waited even longer. Yes, they were busy, but I definitely didn't think it would take that long to get my order. If I had known, definitely would have grabbed lunch elsewhere. After waiting almost 40 minutes (yes 40!) for my order, the food ended up to be just eh. Fish taco was crispy, but on the dry side. Definitely not what I was expecting for a place known for their fish tacos! I also had some of the ceviche, which wasn't flavorful at all. Needed some freshly squeezed lime/lemon and more seasoning. At least it came with a decent amount of chopped up shrimp, though. No pictures because everyone was hangry by the time I brought the food to the table. Do yourself a favor and skip this one. Grab food elsewhere while at the Spectrum. read more

Tasty chain Mexican food, with a twist. Wahoo's Fish Tacos is a chain of Mexican food mixed with Brazilian and Asian flavors, that STARTED in Orange County, California. Surfing and skating culture seems embedded in Wahoo's and the location build-outs. The Irvine Spectrum location has been a staple since 2002. This spot has received a few upgrades over the years, like "Da Bar" in the back of this location. During the pandemic, Wahoo's at the Spectrum has done their best to be flexible during this weird time in the world. From improving their to go offering (margaritas to go, anyone?), to changing how they do full service dining to have customers picking up their food once it's ready, Wahoo's seems to care. PROPS: Fair prices, good food, and unique flavors. SLOPS: If you order online (even for in-store pick up), it increases the price of EVERY item by roughly 20%. read more

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The food excellent. I came here with my hungry boys. We ordered the Outer Reef Burritos, Crispy Tacos, and nachos. It is delicious! And we will come back for more. This location has outdoor sitting, practices COVID protocols, and has free drink refills. Most importantly the staff is friendly. They are very accommodating given the number of food allergies that exist. This place deserves 5 stars but, because they use NON-environmental friendly materials I had to dock them one star. They serve the salsa in styrofoam containers. And serve plastic forks and plastic covers (including plastic straw). So despite the deliciousness the non-biodegradable material will last longer... read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - Styrofoam takes about 500 years to decompose and 30% of landfills. - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Service was great; food huge disappointment. Have been coming to this location for years, without issue. Ordered the protein bowl with double protein (fish) and there were only three small pieces of fish in it. Burritos had minuscule amounts of chicken in them, and were mostly rice. Large up charge for beans and rice on the side. Two sodas. Onion rings $7 for a very small amount, and 2 rings were over fried. Total for three people over $70! Will rethink ever coming to this location again. read more

My daughter picked this place for my birthday and i am so glad. I ordered the Outer Reef burrito with shrimp . It was enormous. Full of flavor and filled my stomach. My daughter ordered the carnitas and LOVED it. Authentic Latin flavors and suave. We ordered the tacos de papa as an appetizer to try. I think they got confused and gave us a meal with rice and beans. But so flavorful and good. My daughter said next time it's the tacos de papas for dinner. Ambiance is light and noise is appropriate. Luz our cashier was friendly. Service was quick and the food was fresh Lovin me some Wahoos today! read more

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I've been eating at Wahoo's for nearly 30 years... all over the place. This is by far the worst location so far. Fish was beyond dry .. strangely rubbery.. not to mention the bones. And what's with corporate owned places not having cajun fries any more? Or the ability to modify orders? Not very customer first forward thinking... read more

Wahoos is a bit nostalgic for me. Also love they have more health friendly options. I ordered a combo plate. I have to admit that I've been to better locations. My fish tacos though were nothing to write home about. Not bad but not great either. Maybe I'm just spoiled going to Ensenada Mexico often enough by having the real deal and being a brat by comparing. 3 stars read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

A quick place to pop into for a tacos in the middle of a shopping spree. They have a large menu filled with tacos, bowls, burritos and more. They also have a large selection of salsas! Highly recommend the crispy fish tacos! $3.99 each and worth every bite! It's the perfect combination of crispy and tender. I also tried the Mr Lee spicy chicken burrito with brown rice. The chicken is super spicy on it's own and delicious when prepared with one of the hot salsas. The burrito didn't feel like anything special. It had tons of mushrooms which I appreciated, but would overall recommend the crispy fish tacos. read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

First time at this location, ordered and asked for a salmon bowl with rice and beans, and surprisingly received a cold white precooked white fish that was so cold , since I had no time to wait I eat it , Place looks nice and casual, however food was very cold read more

I've eaten Wahoo's at various SoCal locations for over 20 years & still am a fan of them. Yehhh it is a major restaurant chain but Wahoo's is a solid unique restaurant that does serve up fresh & tasty fusion of Brazilian, Asian & Mexican fare. Coming here is like stumbling into a chilled out surf's shack with a super laid back atmosphere. Skateboards, surfboards, rock bands, stickers are placed all over the restaurant. Being different is what makes you stand out & that's what Wahoo's does. :: PANDEMIC DINING / SERVICE :: This is a fast/casual & not a full service restaurant. During this pandemic time, aside from take-out & deliveries, the outdoor seating option is available here for dining. There is decent amount of seating with adequate shade & fans. Currently, no dining inside. I've seen people wait on the inside for their order (masks is required). When you place your orders for dine-in option, they package your food to-go. They give you a buzzer to be called when your order is ready for pick-up. If you want any extra salsas or condiments, make sure you tell them when you are ordering. Beverages is still self-serve. The staff has been pretty friendly & helpful. I haven't had a bad experience here. :: THE FOOD :: I have always enjoyed the food served here for it has been consistently good. Everything is cooked to order. They got great protein & non-meat options to choose from. Food comes out in a fairly quick manner, but during peak hours it'll take just a tad bit longer. I love their spicy maria's green sauce & their fresh salsa. The only con I have is that they use Styrofoam for their take-out. My favorite items to get are: :-: Maui onion rings :-: Crispy baja rolls :-: Chicken tortilla soup :-: 2 Enchiladas entree w/ green sauce & spicy cajun beans :-: Maui steak bowl :-: Protein bowl "Food brings everybody together." - Wing Lam :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: | -:: OVERALL RATING ::- | | | | 4.0/5.0 :: Venue | | 4.5/5.0 :: Service | | 4.0/5.0 :: Take Out | | 4.5/5.0 :: Food | :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: read more

I recently had the pleasure of dining at a Wahoos restaurant where Hector served as our waiter, and I must say, he was absolutely outstanding! From the moment we sat down until the moment we left, Hector went above and beyond to ensure that our dining experience was nothing short of amazing. Hector's attentiveness was truly impressive. He greeted us with a warm smile and made us feel welcomed right away. Throughout the meal, he was always there when we needed him, promptly refilling our drinks and attending to any special requests we had. He paid attention to even the smallest details, ensuring that our dining experience was seamless and enjoyable. throughout our entire meal. If you have the pleasure of dining at this Mexican restaurant, I highly recommend requesting Hector as your waiter. Trust me, he will make your dining experience truly extraordinary! read more

My coworkers and I came here for a work lunch. We were pleasantly surprised with the variety of food that was able to support our diverse diets. This place has keto friendly options as well as options for those that don't eat seafood. Food was 9/10. Salsa's were 10/10. However, the reason I'm writing this review is the service. The cashier, Hector, was super accommodating and attentive. I will definitely add this spot to our work lunch rotation read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - Chips & Guacamole & Salsa - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

I had craved seafood but since I was by myself I came to this place and got the shrimp enchiladas. The shrimps were super tiny and didn't taste good at all, probably the cheapest shrimp out there. Everything else OK was average, but service was ok. Honestly 3 out of 5 is too generous of rating, only because the staff were friendly and helpful. read more

I did not realize that they were closing and I had come in so there were still people here and the manager Hector was AWESOME!!! I have not been in a really long time so it took me a minute to order and he was just making the best suggestions. He was fast efficient effective so welcoming so nice! It was such an awesome experience after having a very very long day! read more

Average chain food: overpriced and lackluster. The portions were underwhelming, and the flavor of the food was right in the middle, not amazing and not bad either. I got a shrimp burrito and my partner felt adventurous and tried the fish sandwich, and I think we would've been better off sticking to the fish tacos. $28 for both, and I definitely think for the size of the burrito and complexity of the sandwich it was overpriced. Customer service was not great either. But the fish quality wasn't bad, so if you are craving fish in a fast foody environment it's not bad. read more

This place has gone down over the years. I came here last week with my son for lunch. I got him the quesadilla and fries, which he ate. I myself ordered a spicy chicken bowl that came with beans and brown rice. The brown rice was mushy and looked like oatmeal. The chicken was room temp. I guess they microwaved it , or was just sitting out? I had a few bites but couldn't bring myself to finish it and risk a trip to the hospital for food poisoning. A small smidge of Mr Lee's sauce in a micro sized container is $1.15. Really? Literally smaller than a teaspoon. The inside is dirty, and don't get me started on the women's restroom. It needs to be remodeled asap. There's puddles of water everywhere from what I guess are leaks? It also smells like sewer. I lost my appetite after visiting the restroom. This has been like this for years from what I remember. Not coming back. read more

This is almost the worst food I've ever had. We saw the turkey soup poster outside and wanted to give a try. We ordered two turkey soup and a shrimp plate and fish plate. First we got the plates, the shrimp was so tiny, fish was so dry, black beans tasted awful too. It took them half an hour to make the soup, they even forgot about we ordered two, only gave one. It looked not bad until I ate the meatballs. I had no idea why they added rice inside the meatballs, and the rice wasn't well cooked, so I felt I was chewing small rocks. And they didn't tell us the soup was spicy, so we barely drank it and left. Terrible experience, never never again! read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - Meatball from turkey soup - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Wahoos is one of my favorite spots because it has an option for everyone. I'm vegan, so I typically get the banzai bowl because it naturally comes that way. Add tofu and maybe some guacamole and it's bomb!!!! This time I ordered a side of chips as well to eat with it....mmmhmmm, it's was just perfect! I noticed that they have a plant based al pastor burrito today....I tried to google if it was vegan but nothing came up. Hopefully next time I can learn more about that because that looked mouthwatering. :) read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - Banzai Bowl with Tofu and Cauliflower Rice - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Thank you Sergio. The food was delicious yesterday and great service, everyone were nice. We love your recommendations.

The salmon bowl was delicious and I don't normally like Certain salads but the one I ate was really Delicious. The service was great. The ambiance felt like I was near the beach. read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - Salmon Bowl - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

My bf and I stopped by for the first time, just looking for a light quick lunch while at the spectrum and we were completely surprised at how generous Wahoo's portions are! I ordered the wahoo enchiladas plate with red and green sauce and my bf got their battered fried fish burrito. My enchiladas were packed with fish and veggies, I really liked it with their picante salsa! The fish burrito had a nice and flaky tortilla and their battered fish was well seasoned and perfectly crispy! All their salsas had great flavor, and we both had half our dishes leftover for dinner :) read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - The 1988 Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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Not a huge fan. Shrimp tacos were bland. Food is expensive. Lots of standing around because they were short staffed. Had to bounce back and forth from the ordering counter to the bar. Our food came out last; long after the people in our party were served. Maybe it was an off day? read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - Cool bench - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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I hate leaving bad reviews, but I have little other choice. This location can never seem to get my very simple order right: banzai bowl, chicken, black beans, white rice. It's either rung up wrong (I usually catch it when they read it back, but strong accents can be difficult to decipher), or the person in the kitchen makes the wrong dish and the server doesn't catch it. Or, it's the correct dish but has terribly over-cooked or over-sauced banzai vegetables. I'm fed up. Tonight I didn't have time to send it back. read more

Very good Kalua pig bowl the white beans very good w great smoky fresh flavor the buttery rice is the best Kimberly the cashier is very nice and pleasant :) can't wait to try diff bowls here read more

Five stars for Hector, professional and great customer service. Also Lana! Will be coming back regularly, thanks. read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - Crispy fish tacos - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

So far this the best place for a quick Mexican Baja Hawaiian food , definitely recommended, my food was to good that I too know a picture afterwards. read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - My food - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

One of my favorite things about visiting SoCal is being able to get Wahoos because the majority of them closed down in the NorCal area. I was surprised to see new locations opening in Japan as they are mostly focused on SoCal along with a Fresno location and some locations in Nevada, Colorado and Hawaii. I usually get the Wahoos salad, but today I opted for what they called the Sunset Salad, which had chicken and avocado. Just as good as I've always remembered and located conveniently in the Irvine mall. read more

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Came into this establishment with very high hopes,.............................hoping to get grenadine! Was so excited and skipping into the store, skipped my way to the bar, happily ordered a pepsi and some grenadine (i love a cherry pepsi) to add to my PEPSI. Did i receive said grenadine???? NO! THEY REFUSED ME GRENADINE! I CAME ALL THE WAY FROM HUNTINGTON BEACH FOR THIS SPECIAL BEVERAGE. JUST TO BE DENIED. i went and got my own grenadine. Don't come here with grenadine wishes!!!! You will be DENIED. My day, No my WEEK, no my YEAR has been crushed. read more

Thanks to Luis for the hospitality. I hate being the last customer at any resturant and get was pretty chill about me ordering last minute. I'll be back read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - Shrimp burrito is about to go DOWN - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Good food but the location is just suuuper crowded. It took about 20-25 minutes to get our take out order, not to mention it was about $50 for two bowls and a drink. Inflation is no joke There's one restroom for men/gender neutral, and multiple stalls for women. I had never seen that before so it was good for me, but not so good for my husband who really had to pee and wait in line for the first time ever. Would eat here again bc I love Wahoos overall! read more

Wahoos is always one of my favorites place to eat.. at every location I've been to, the food is always good & the staff are always nice. Today I really want to applaud Natalie, Alexander, Priscilla & the cooks in the back for their hard work & amazing customer service. The restaurant was packed & extremely busy (& looked like they were a bit short staffed), but the entire team was working diligently the whole time with a smile on their face. *Natalie: She had customer after customer coming in to order... She was very helpful & attentive to each customer. An elderly man was a bit confused as it was his first time there, & Natalie patiently & kindly helped him *Alexander: This guy was doing so many different things at once. He was running around servicing both the inside and outside tables. He was helping customers if they needed something. Kid was doing amazing & super nice to everyone. *Priscilla: You can tell she's the lead of the team. She was multitasking from preparing the long line of orders & online/ phone orders, taking orders, and just overall doing great. *Cooks: The food was still tasty & good! I'm sure they were crazy busy back there, but they still executed the dish beautifully : They were apologizing to everyone for the wait, but it honestly wasn't bad. Kudos to this team and hope everyone enjoys their time here! read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Dirty tables. After waiting 35 minutes for my family's food it never came out. When we asked when it will they had no idea. Got a refund and left. read more

We've never had poor service here. Food is good and is consistently good. We appreciate the counters, chairs and floors being clean. Pricey?... maybe but comparatively prices aren't that high. read more

Wahoo! I love wahoo. This was my first time at wahoo and I think I'm already addicted ... I personally LOVED the 1988 fish taco. Oh my god. Seriously a trip to flavor town. I tried the crispy fish taco too, it was also fantastic. But the 1988 taco is where it is at, just so rich in flavor!! Absolutely to die for. I also loved their salsa bar! My favorite was the yellow one? I don't remember what it's called but it was the spiciest one. I am totally in love with their tacos and I cannot wait to try more. I see there's a closer location to me, so I might start frequenting Wahoo's in general. Honestly, Too bomb. Clean dining area too. If you want fish tacos come here. Hits the spot and you probably will become obsessed too. read more

Wahoo's Fish Taco - Crispy Fish Taco (top) The 1988 Taco (bottom) - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Me and my buddy had lunch at wahoos Héctor amazing at his job explained everything to about menu ! He help me order! I got 2# taco n enchiladas 10/10 delicious highly recommend 2# perfect for a meal! Food came out fast we Will be coming back! read more