Tacos Calafia North Phoenix — Restaurant in Phoenix

Full Disclosure: I was (past tense a couple of years ago) a cashier at this establishment, because I was intrigued with the "trompo" similar to a Shawarma meat spinning to a flame.

I enjoyed the food when I first tried thier food, that I applied to work with them. This location was my family favorite as well. I'm writting this review for other Tejano traveller's that enjoy eatting & to give my recommendations; Plus us Veterans / Law Enforcement (get 25% discount thats a quarter of the bill for you big families):

☆Tacos (they are all great just depends what type of filling you in the mood for)

the asada tacos are a go-to for your meat craving I prefer a corn tortilla with cheese added &/or on top of nachos.

-the cabeza (meat from the head) taste very similar to a very tender (soft) pot roast, prefer this one with a flour tortilla. Bet if you ask for a sample you'll order more, these remind me of Sunday with the fam.

-the pastor is similar to layered marinated flavourful pork chops, prefer this one with pineapple (which you can see roasting on top of the spin trompo) prefer this one on a flour tortilla.

-the noplas (cactus) plant-base option, you're in the desert why wouldn't you try a cactus taco topped with cheese, on a corn tortilla.

-the chicken I prefer in a quesadilla.

-a mulita to me is like a quesadilla but with corn tortillas sandwich instead of folded, my go to for these were the pastor & asada

the vampiro to me are like tostadas or chalupas if your from the RGV (south texas) chicken & noplas mix was my preference for these.

There are other items like beans, or family packs just see what works best for you.

I do recommend after receiving (so you know how much you would need to ask for to have the right ratio to your order) ask for: -the consome (it's like a au ju sauce just not rendered. A beef flavored broth); along with some grilled jalapeños & sautéed onions. -the salsa bar spice level from mild to hot

Wait till your order is out so you can just add the salsa and guacamole to your order rather than in the cups. Its was faster and your not just putting all the salsa in little cups trying to guess the ratio to your order. For me, the quicker I start to enjoy my food the better.

At the time the jalapeños/onions/consome/salsa were complimentary

summer time a nice cold mexican coke because they are made with cane sugar rather than with corn syrup

winter time I enjoy a horchata

If you enjoy an adult drink I would get a large Jamaica (hibiscus-tea) light ice and split it with margaritas among friends/family for hibiscus margaritas.

Hope this review is helpful for you foodies, Veterans & Tejano...

We love Tacos Calafia. We meet as a large family there every other week. You stand in line to order then find your table and wait for your number to called. It’s a large dinning room. They have an open salsa bar with a few different salsa’s, guacamole , onion cilantro mix, and a few other things. You can load up your tacos, quesadillas, nachos, burritos, mulitas, vampiros and more with these unlimited toppings. You pick your protein for on your items, carne asada, El pastor, chicken , cabeza, beans, cheese. Corn or flour tortillas. Onions jalapeños roasted as a side free when you place your order. Family pack dinners are a great affordable price. We have done large catering orders to go for gatherings. Truly the best street tacos. I love tacos so we have tried them from all over and this place ranks number 1 for us. Simple yet great quality real food. All kinds of drinks. We have been to their location on Thunderbird & 75th Ave too. We do our large family gathering at the 16st & Bell location. We move tables around for our big party and it’s no problem. What a great time we have eating socializing its easy and so affordable. The kids even love it. It’s very clean and bathrooms are well taken care of. I’m super picky about eating out with cleanliness. I’m gluten free and have no problem eating here. Finding a place that everybody love is really remarkable. Easy parking, kid friendly and wheel chair accessible . I highly recommend...

The ambience is pretty good here, the best part of my visit... but it feels like they are in no man's land between being a take out taco joint and a sit down restaurant. Its the more authentic version of chipotle tbh. It's a big cafeteria like space. I ordered a Carne asada taco and an al pastor burrito. The sides/half the ingredients are diy in a salad bar thing in the dining area. This screams laziness like oh I have put half the stuff on my food myself? Eh. That's fine for taco but the flavor meld for the burrito was sub par. That would also feel like a chore for takeout I would end up with a bunch of little containers for the stuff that should already be on the food.

The al pastor was too marinated. Just give me the meat sliced off the block! The asada was a bit dry... to be expected. I've subtracted one star only because I was waiting for a great bite of food. It never came it was only ok/ mostly good.

I did find a black nasty piece in the al pastor it happens I get it. The "hot" salsa had an offness flavor to it... like it's mole sauce with some heat added, a little weird. Medium was OK. Green just ok. Seems clean and well run.

Some little fixes and it's a 5 star place. If they had added one more nasty black piece to my burrito and it's 3 stars. Somehow it's a 4 star place but as I'm leaving I hesitate to say I...