Tacos Los Cholos — Restaurant in Anaheim

Tacos Los Cholos - Loaded Tacos, Lethal Salsas.

In a world where Taco Bell and Chipotle have become synonymous with ‘Mexican’ food, one begins to wonder - is there still room for a more authentic take on the humble taco?

It’s a Thursday night. The carpark’s looking like a game of Vehicular Tetris, while a line of hungry bystanders trail haphazardly out the door and onto the footpath. The restaurant itself is intimidatingly busy. Between hurried waitstaff weaving between riotous patrons, the bustling self-serve stations and orders being called out constantly, there’s an awful lot to take in. It’s loud, rambunctious, and in your face - but that’s all very fitting considering the food being served; after all, what good taco isn’t bold, punchy and a blow to the senses?

Inside, the interior looks a little gaudy, even tacky. Animated flames lick the menu screens, with eclectic font choices evoking memories of a junior high’s PowerPoint presentation (WordArt is still cool okay!). Despite the.. inspired design choice and general flair, the menu presents a ridiculous number of items on offer - while impressive, it’s undoubtedly overwhelming for newcomers and indecisive patrons alike. Saying that, with 14 protein options for tacos alone, there’s bound to be something for everyone, even if the average patron has no idea how to pronounce half of them.

Even for those of us familiar with the more authentic side of Mexican cuisine (and I’ve eaten my way through Chipotle’s menu, so I’m obviously well versed.. right?) the first bite of the tacos here is a near religious experience. Savoury, and zingy - with each bite a revelation, and every note hitting perfectly in this salacious symphony of salsas and spices. With mountainous mounds of meat atop each taco, it’s no wonder they’re cradled by double tortillas - there’s more than enough fillings for an extra taco with what drops out while they’re being lovingly obliterated by the hungry hordes. Needless to say, you won’t leave hungry - as if with food this good you’d want to leave at all. Naively, I thought I had a grasp on Mexican food before now, but little did I know I was about to transcend to a higher plane of existence, where the humble taco is elevated to something closer to a taste of heaven than the soggy $2 slop most have settled for on a night out.

The self serve saucing station is a spectacle in itself - with 6-8 salsas along with a lineup of traditional taco accoutrements, pure bliss is only a spoonful away. It’s a savoury pick’n’mix for the indecisive looking to level up their taco game, and man, does it ever deliver. Each salsa hits hard in its own way - no weak links, just liquid gold with a punch, every single one. But such praise comes with equal warning; select your (sadistically unlabelled) sauces carefully - while all are undoubtedly delicious, some will truly have you walking that fine line between pleasure and pain with heat levels ranging from the gentle warmth of a lover’s embrace, all the way to face-melting regret in salsa form. I tell ya, I’ve met the devil and I’ve tasted the fires of hell, fresh from the Taco Los Cholos’ sauce station.

It’s a testament to just how damn good the food is though, that despite the chaos within, the crowds keep coming - and really, that’s all part of the experience. Whether ordering to-go or eating in, there’s a buzz in the air, and you can’t help but be drawn in to the full throttle fiesta that is Tacos Los Cholos.

Say ciao to Chipotle, and ta-ta to Taco Bell; instead, treat yourself to a little TLC at...

The first time I was here, I had a blast. The food was great, both in taste and quality. However, today I came to grab food to-go for my family to show them how good the restaurant is. I placed my order for pick-up at 740 pm. I arrived at the anaheim location at 8 pm, just 4 minutes after the order was supposed to be ready. I went inside, asked a staff member where i could line up to pick up the order, and he said that my name would be called on their speakers. I waited, leaning against a wall. It was roughly 30 minutes when I figured something was wrong, because although there was a huge line and people also coming in to pick-up orders, many people who had gotten there at the same time as me had already been helped. I asked another staff member if they could check how much longer the order would take, and they went to ask someone who I think was a supervisor. The supervisor asked to see my phone, and im not sure why but he asked me on what app I ordered. Mind you, there is no way to order on any app or website that isn't their own website. I told him that I used their site, and he asked me 2 other times. I responded the same way. Finally he left, and came back 5 minutes later, and asked to see the order. He texted someone on his own phone, and took pictures of my order displayed on my phone. He said he was going to report this to whoever is in charge of their website. He left for another 4 or 5 minutes, and came back with a slip of paper to note my order. He said they had already run out of the churro cheesecake, of which I had ordered 2, so he asked if it was OK to substitute them for 3 flans. I said sure, I was fine with that. He wrote the order down, and handed it to another staff member. Another 30 minutes go by, and I'm still standing there. I know they have a system that they have to follow to keep pushing out orders, but why didn't they just help me out while completing other orders? Many more people were helped as I waited, and then the supervisor called my name and handed me my order. I waited in the drink line another 5 minutes, and again 5 more minutes getting salsa and condiments. I was in my car ready to head back home at 916 pm, an hour and a half after I had placed my order. I drive 20 minutes to get home, and am disappointed again when I see that they missed the adobada tacos I ordered. They also gave me an extra torta, and missed the 3 flans that were supposed to be the replacements for the 2 churro cheesecake slices I had ordered. I'm not sure what is wrong with their website or their system, but if it is causing such a delay or problem with receiving orders, why do they 1. Keep allowing orders through the site, 2. Charge you ahead of time for ordering, 3. Not allow alternative websites to order from? I really loved my first time here, but if I'm being disappointed so massively, why would I ever come back? I hope the ownership can see this and fix their site issue, and if possible give...

I met this couple on the beach and we were sharing our favorite taco places. They mentioned Tacos Los Cholos. I called my best friend and we went on a taco hunt. We live in Laguna Beach. It was a Monday and I thought it would be slow and empty. I thought not a lot of people go out to eat on Monday night. Boy was I wrong! The line was probably 20 minutes long, just out the door. The was a security guard in the parking lot, made me wonder why, but also made the space safe. The menu is very complete, and its counter order. Its listed as Regular, Premium, and Prime meats. A 3.9% Customer service charge is applied to all store sales if you pay with card. Bring cash for and you don't pay the Customer Fee. I went for the basics a from the Regular menu, 2 Carne Asada and 1 Pollo Tacos. My friend ordered the Adobada Papa Loka and I got the Asada Papa Loka to go. The papas are big enough to share. There is a very complete salsa bar, I wish the salsas were better marked. I asked a lady next to me which she thought was the hottest. You'll also find all the standard toppings. The tacos were packed with meat, and the meat had the delicious char, and the tortillas were not flimsy. If they sold tortillas by the order I could have made two more tacos. I had the Papa Loka the next day and it was delicious. Topped with meat, stuffed with cheese, and cooked just right. Reminded me of the ones I used to eat in Monterrey, MX. Now here is what I didn't like. Other than the guy that took my order, he was kind of friendly. I get it, it's really busy and hectic. I ordered and agua fresca, watermelon. The lady there was not friendly. The guy that delivered the food was not in a good mood. My mom used to say, "Si lo vas a hacer de malas, mejor no lo hagas" (If you are going to do it in a bad mood, don't do it). It did take a bit to get our food, but as mentioned it was busy. I would go back and try other meats and items. The have a Cholo Pizza that we saw on a table and looked interesting and yummy. I also want to try the desserts, the Jericalla and the Churro Cheesecake sound good. Suggestion, go if you have time to wait, take cash and...