La Estrella Tacos #2 — Restaurant in Pasadena

I have always loved going to La Estrella. I have very fond memories of this place. Like when it was just a toco truck at the corner of Fair Oaks and Villa and how we picked out cassette tapes as we ate our tacos. Always have had good food and service, until tonight. Ordered my food to go. Waited and when my number was called I left home to eat my food with my family. When we got home part of my order was missing. Called in right away and was given the option of going back for it or getting one at a later time. I said since I drove home and now I gotta go back, I think it's fair if I get my torta and a refund. When I got there I was offered my money back or my torta but not both. Edward, the owner, was called and after speaking with him, he decided that my suggestion was fair. He was very nice, handled the situation professionally. However, his cashier was nothing but professional. He handed me the torta and said that next time I better make sure I had everything I ordered. Excuse me? If you've been to the Estrella, you know your receipt is taken back to check you are getting the order you placed. As a business, you are obligated to make sure your customer is getting what they paid for so that they, nor you, waste time. So I told this to the cashier who instead of making sure the customer left happy, he stood there arguing about how he was right and we were wrong for leaving without checking our order to begin with. Very poor judgement on his part to do that. Needless to say, the food was cold once I got home and I didn't enjoy it after arguing with that employee. Not the person I would pick to represent such a great...

Been eating tacos from here ever since they were selling tacos out of a taco truck set up although i was a child back then the tacos still taste exactly the same amazingly delicious way just slightly less greasy nowadays with all the same nostalgia and i can't forget to mention their unmatched hot sauce which in my opinion spice without flavor is no sauce at all and La Estrella's red taco sauce has a wonderfully balanced taste not sacrificing spicy or flavor at all. 😁

This location seems to always have a steady flow of constantly busy with periodic rushes which their long time employees handle well keeping food flowing out reasonably quick without sacrificing quality. It has outdoor patio type of seating and from my experience is most crowded in the evening to late night hours especially on the weekends. Bilingual cashiers some speaking perfect english while others with a thick accent nevertheless communication is possible if you only speak english. They have a restroom, accept major credit and debit cards without a fee, do over the phone orders for pickup, have fairly small amount of parking but some street parking available (although i've never needed to park on the street regardless of how busy it gets), also there isn't much seating but it seems like this location has a lot of customers showing up with the intention of takeout anyway.

I hope this ends up being useful and I hope anyone who visits...

Let me start off by saying, that the food is delicious, but the down side besides that the restroom are always dirty , i have recurrently been coming to order food here , and on the last few visits i notice that they rotate the staff , on some occasions the staff making the burritos or tacos are wearing gloves, but lately on the last two opportunities i have ordered food there, was the same guy making the burritos or tacos, and on both opportunities he was not wearing gloves while preparing my burrito, lastly when the guy gave me my order, I also notice the nasty long nails & just to think that they don’t probably wash their hands and on top of that they do not use gloves , it will most def be the last time i will be coming back , next time i will be going...