La Takeria — Restaurant in Jacksonville

I never thought I would be writing this review… I consider myself a taco connoisseur, and truly believed I had found the best tacos between Jacksonville and Tampa/Ybor. I was wrong.

Having recently opened, I had never heard of La Takeria. Last night, mostly because my normal taco joints were closed, I gave this place a shot.

Summary - La Takeria has the best Carne Asada, Al Pastor, and Chorizo street tacos I have ever had. I spoke with the owner Jonathan and his right hand man Joseph while they were preparing the tacos. Their passion for quality and attention to detail for their food and sauces (the homemade verde is absolutely incredible) shines through. The Al pastor had huge tender pieces of pork, with fresh cilantro, onions and thin pickled onions. The guys there gave me some type of homemade avocado crème sauce to put on there.. tied all of the flavors together perfectly.

Same with the asada - huge tender pieces of steak… no fat just juicy marinated high quality steak. Even more, I have never found a rojo (red) sauce I enjoy.. I always opt for verde. I tried the red sauce here and couldn’t get enough.

The chorizo was seasoned perfectly, and surprisingly wasn’t dripping with grease. Perfectly sauteed pork with the right balance of crisp and tenderness.

Portion size is generous. Given the quality of the meat and attention to detail with sauces and garnish, the $4 - $5 price point is beyond reasonable.

I highly recommend trying the food here. My only complaint is I reside in Tampa the majority of the time, and they don’t have a location there.

I’m sure this sounds like I was paid to write all this. Look at my handful of other reviews… I almost never leave a review unless I am completely blown away. Jonathan - don’t change a thing.. the food is absolutely ridiculous in the best way. I will be coming through again tonight for more.

Jonathan - I’m on a mission to convince you to sell me an entire bottle of the verde sauce to take back to Tampa with me!!

A+++ food...

WARNING: Got Sick After Eating Here — Major Health Concern

If I could give this place negative stars, I would. This wasn’t just a bad meal — it was a health hazard.

The sweet tea tasted old and sour, like it had been sitting out overnight (or longer). That’s basic food safety, and it was already a red flag. The waiter told us the tortilla chips were made the night before — and they tasted stale and unpleasant.

We ordered a steak quesadilla and a birria quesadilla. Less than 30 minutes after eating, both of us were violently sick in the bathroom. That’s not a coincidence — that’s foodborne illness, and it ruined the rest of our day.

It makes you wonder what else is being served past its prime. Clearly, freshness and food safety are not a priority here. The only decent part of the meal was the salsa and queso, which actually tasted fresh — but that’s nowhere near enough to make up for getting sick.

This place should be inspected. Until then, avoid it at all costs. No one should have to pay to get sick. There are plenty of other restaurants that care about cleanliness and safety. Save yourself the regret — go...

What an outstanding new taco spot! My husband humored me by stopping here after breakfast (yes, we had just eaten... no shame in my game) for a taco to see how it was and we finished our tacos with an enthusiastic high five. The restaurant itself is very clean and bright with a wall of floor to ceiling windows and vibrant soccer murals across the walls and the game playing across multiple big screens. The service was outstanding, we were seated and served right away by Fernando. He was extremely warm, welcoming, and accommodating. Despite having just eaten we showed very little/no restraint when greeted with complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa has to be some of the best in Jax- it's fresh and delicious. My husband got a birria taco and I got a chorizo taco with scrambled eggs (a special request I am grateful they accommodated! I discovered they have some breakfast specials that made me instantly regret not arriving hungrier but there is always tomorrow...). The tacos were delicious, the service impeccable, and the vibe was great- I can't wait to come back! Thank you, Fernando...