Pocho’s Healthy Mexican Food

I visited Oahu earlier this year to soak in some Polynesian culture. We had nothing but loco mocos, short ribs, and every heart attack special you could think of. Needing a break from Hawaiian food my wife and I were craving Mexican. As a true Angeleno not a sub burb death LA county transplant I’ve been to several Mexican taco spots. This place is good if you have the itch to take a siesta from all the awesome plate lunch specials. Not too salty and drowning in lard like back home but definitely
doesn’t take away the flavor. Piggy backing on what other posters have said not sure if less grease and salt equal healthy. Maybe a better name would be ”not as unhealthy Mexican food but still tasty.” Not a patent specialist but the personable owner obviously knows what he’s doing in regards to cooking.
Now I usually would give a place like this a 4 but had to just had to counter an idiotic review that gave them a low rating based on not actually eating the food. As you know if you can read beyond a 2^nd grade level, Unilocalers get a bad rap for posting reviews and actually not eating at the location. For example, «they ran out of chocolate donuts I’m giving them a 1.» That’s pretty «lame.»
Being from Los Angeles delivery is a Minority Report swipe away. However there are times with mom and pop joints when delivery is not available for whatever reason. Usually these mom and pop joints will deliver if resources and time are available. They are not a corporation that has delivery as a staple of it’s existence. Unless they are wearing a red, white, and blue polo shirt carrying pizza delivery for small businesses can be a little iffy.
So if you haven’t eaten here and your ass was too lazy to walk 6 blocks to try it don’t write anymore. Mom and pops need clear reviews to help them keep up with corporate «delivery» giants.

Better Mexican than the restaurants here. And much cheaper. I came because of the reviews. I’ll be back because of the food. Very good! And definitely the best value in Waikiki.
Get the tacos!

Been disappointed by almost all «eating out» experiences here in Honolulu. Yet food trucks/​street-​food/​fast food have consistently impressed.
The chicken tacos blew our minds. Lean, salty, spicy and perfectly offset by fresh fresh fresh cilantro, lettuce and salsa. 3.95 $ and this ain’t no bite sized taco.
The atmosphere is down and dirty. You’re going to see the sink where all the trucks wash up their dishes. But there’s a covered area with picnic tables right next to the bus. The proprietor will watch you devour your spoils and ask you how you like it and chat with you about the weather. He may subtly hint that you should write a review on Unilocal if you enjoyed it and if you’re like me, you will happily comply.

Meh. It was alright but since the name of the place is indeed Pocho’s Healthy Mexican Food, it was bland. A bit disappointed after getting excited from reading all the good Unilocal reviews. I ordered the carne asada burrito and my husband ordered 2 chicken tacos. I liked my husband’s tacos better than my burrito. Our food didn’t even have queso on it! What kind of Mexican joint doesn’t serve cheese on their dishes? Gave it 2 stars. Would rather go to Maui Tacos instead.

Owner seemed a
Bit stressed, so he was a lil abrasive but I am here for da
Food right, not to make new friends. I ordered 2 chicken soft tacos & da wifey ordered da carna asada burrito. We are both Mexican food specialist, and overall da food is Okay, food on da bland side. Best thing was da tortilla itself, other than that it was just basic Mexican food made from
Stuff u buy from Costco, nothing authentic or eye opening here. But long story short eat here if u are really, really craving Mexican food and so happen to be right next to the truck, otherwise if u can walk I suggest, going to Maui tacos in the royal Hawaiian for a step up in experience and food.

Visiting HI from California … craving some Mexican food (since it is a staple at home). Found that this joint has free delivery and decent reviews. Called them to place an order to be delivered.
Them: «We dont have delivery tonight».
Me: (In my head) Lame.
Me: «so, how far are you from the Hilton, I will walk it»
Them: «about 6 blocks. i guess… i dont know were you are located maam»
Me: Click.
I cant stand shitty service.
I cant stand incorrect advertising.
Will NEVER spend my money at Pochos. The end. ALOOOOOHA!

Mexican food in Hawaii. Why does this not seem to work? Ok so on my way home and I decided to try this place out. So I roll up and ask the long haired Japanese guy for 2 cheese enchiladas. «No» he says. «No?» I say. He says they have no sauce. This is about 2:30pm. Ok I say np and get back in my car. Another guy comes out and says if I can wait 15−20min they can make the sauce. Sure, whatever, I have nothing better to do so I thank him and say I will wait. The guy that said he was making the sauce was not the one actually making it which was made clear at the end of the 20min and the original guy who I talked to grunting and thrusting the bag at me. Nice ok, thanks… hope this is good. Yeahhhhh… no. They have no rice or black beans so not sure how «healthy» comes in. The food was oddly covered in chips and the «enchilada sauce» he spent time making and got grumpy over was a thousand times more a marinara sauce than an enchilada sauce. I will continue to be on the look out for good Mexican food and always in support of killer lunch wagons. This was neither.

So I’m at this house party, and I manage to get there without eating dinner, which is my own fault, even though the party starts really close to my bedtime (8pm, anyone?). I get a little hangry when I haven’t eaten. I don’t mess around with dinner time. Seriously, you are warned.
Anyway, as I’m eye-​ing up my friends’ new kitchen, looking for the knives for the inevitable, but regrettable, eating of a party guest I’m about to engage in, the host of the party says «I am going to Healthy Taco. Do you want a Healthy Taco?»
Little does he know the flow of carnage he stopped with those simple sentences. Anyway, he returns with taco and it is pretty much exactly what I wanted. A toasted largish flour tortilla stuffed with shredded chicken, all of the southwestern accoutrement (lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese), and a nice salsa. I stuffed it into my face, and only his vigilance kept me from eating the Healthy Taco he had acquired for himself. Not that I needed it, the one was actually quite filling.
I would never make a special trip to Waikiki for it, the parking in Waikiki is relationship-​threatening, but when I’m in the area I would certainly hunt them down.

Best meal deal in Waikiki. If you want lunch, best you show up after noon.

Huge and fresh portions while the prices are low. One soft taco is enough! It’s always a risk eating from a cart and I’m a man who thrives on risk, this cart however, not really a risk, it’s just good inexpensive Mexican food in the heart of Waikiki.

As someone compares his drinking level with that of Norse Gods… (usually after drinking of course), I’m a fan of good cheap drunk food. So when I literally stumbled into a taco truck yesterday you can imagine my excitement!
3.75 for a huge pile of taco right in the heart of Waikiki…
SOLD!
(I should mention that it’s stumbling distance from my house and the owner was REALLY nice… that bumps it up a star.)

This is NOT authentic Mexican Food. All I have to say is that I got the Pork Chili Verde burrito and was shocked when I opened up the box.
1. There was nothing verde (green) in it, not even the salsa. It was rojo (red) kidney beans.
2. It looked and tasted like it was Hormel Chili that you would get out of a can or a side soup at Applebees.
3. It was 7 bucks.

I’ve been eating at Pocho’s for about two and a half years now. I was amazed that he could convince my neurotic ex-​girlfriend to eat shredded beef, she almost shit when she found out there were no steak tacos and made a beeline away. He was containing his offense when he set her straight, which I really relished. Since I’ve been back though, I have seen Carne Asada there regularly.
If you are wondering why the sign says «Healthy» Mexican, just ask him, he seems really proud of the food and for me I can really see why.
The tortillas are fresh made, and maybe just because I go there so often, he knows how I like them cooked. The salsa is made fresh that day and the meat is fresh, tender and delicious. I have had the Carne Asada but I prefer the shredded beef. His Pork Verde special is great as well. But I just stick to the two taco plate 9 times out of 10.
The tacos are big so you might only need one unless you are hungry. The burritos are no joke either. I really feel that this is the best quality mexican food I have had in Hawaii since La Bamba on Kapahulu and Lulu’s Lunch Wagon on the North Shore have closed.

I first went to Pocho’s after a long craving for the Mexican food I ate in California. Yes, it is food from a truck, but what many people call a «roach coach» I call a «culinary adventure w/​added protein».
I ordered two tacos for $ 7 — one chicken, one beef, and a side of nachos for under 5 bucks. It’s outside seating in an area of picnic benches shared with the adjacent shrimp truck. The tacos were a good size and filled me up which was a surprise. They had fresh onions, cilantro, jack&cheddar cheese, salsa and a good portion of meat wrapped in locally made flour tortillas. Pretty good actually. The nachos, however, seemed like they were made from ingredients bought at Sam’s Club (i.e. mission tortilla chips, generic can of beans, etc.). They were nothing special really and overpriced in my opinion, but definitely filling. Will be back to try the burrito.
Pros:
1. If you actually get to meet Pocho, he’s a pretty cool guy and fun to talk story with.
2. Tacos were good and worth the price surprisingly
3. Lots of cool people to meet in the general seating area.
Cons:
1. Overpriced, generic nachos.
2. Long wait since there was only one worker cooking and taking orders.
FYI: according to the regulars this place is BYOB, but it might be illegal so don’t blame me if you get rolled!

Ordered 2 veggie tacos from the friendly guy manning the lunch truck. It was $ 7 and lots of food. It covered the whole paper plate. I probably woulda been OK with just one ($ 3.75). It was not amazing, but it was good. It felt healthy. lots of veggies, and their salsa is light.
One coworker got the special = pork chile verde burrito $ 7 and said it was good. It was a huge burrito, packed large and covered his entire plate.
Another coworker got one veggie taco, and one chicken. He said he liked the chicken better.
For what it is, it’s pretty good. Nice to eat at the tables they have set up out there.

It is food from a truck.
It has a very limited menu.
Not sure healthy and mexican food belong in the same sentence.
I ordered nachos, they were not spectacukar but worth the $ 4.50 I spent on them (no meat).
They accept call-​in orders and they are open until 10:00pm