Tacos Ricos

This place is no longer in existence. Old news, I know… Just going through and updating all my old reviews.

Attention … attention! I just saw an ad in the UH Manoa Ka Leo Magazine — Tacos Ricos will be reopening «soon» at 1391 Kapiolani Blvd. BYOB.
Hopefully they will honor our old vouchers!

For those who seem to think Tacos Ricos is out of business and discount vouchers can’t be used anymore, in response to my inquiry I received mail (from HotDeals) as follows:
«Tacos Ricos is temporarily shut down while they relocate to a new location. They plan to reopen during the first quarter of next year and have agreed to extend the expiration date of the voucher for the amount of time that they are closed… If you would prefer a refund, we can do that, too.»
Sometimes it’s best not to jump to the most pessimistic conclusion. Aloha one and all!

If you have not been here, this place is a treat. Though, parking can be a little difficult and can be scarce sometimes. There are several options. You could park across from Uncle Bo’s in the public parking lot and pay for parking. You can also risk a ticket and park right in front. Finally, street parking, if available works too. We risked it and settled for VIP parking, right in front!
Ordering food consists of going up to the front of the restaurant, by all of the Lucha Libre (Mexican Wrestling, think Nacho Libre) masks. Menus were handed to us and we settled on 6 tacos. Tacos were 5 for $ 10 and we ordered one more for $ 3 because we wanted 6 of them. We also ordered a beef burrito.
I must say that the burrito was one of the largest burritos that I have ever seen. In fact, what I’m holding in my picture is only ¹⁄₃ of the burrito! It was very good with 3 types of sauce, red cabbage, cilantro, beef, cabbage, and rice. The burrito is very customizable with many different choices or styles of meat available and different choices of veggies or sauce. The tacos were small, but also great. All tacos are also customizable, but you have to top them off yourself. We were given a choice of 3 different sauces to choose from and all of the same veggies plus jalapeño peppers. I especially liked the fish tacos.
I really liked my Jarritos here! I chose the grapefruit flavored one. It was just a grapefruit flavored soda, but I’ve never had one before. Nothing like combining my love of grapefruits with my love of soda!
There was only one worker, but he was very efficient on what he did. He was able to take multiple customers orders quickly while also making their orders! He was very polite and very helpful with everything.
Overall, a good place to get some Mexican food if you’re in town.
#Yelp 365 — ¹⁰⁄₃₆₅

Tacos Ricos? More like Dia-​ricos!
Seriously — skip this place. It was pretty terrible in all respects. As if having to watch the sweaty rude employees slop together your food wasn’t disgusting enough, they then procceed to charge you an absurd amount for this gut-​bust. Aside from the food being of poor quality and over-​priced, the place is filthy dirty with no AC to boot. We were already so turned off BEFORE getting our food, we asked for it to-​go. My husband and I are from Phoenix Arizona, so we have had our fair share of good Mexican food and real street tacos. Tacos Ricos is just no good.

I’m not usually a big fan of tacos but after being dragged here to eat I can say that I’m slowly getting used to it. I had their three taco combo plate and you can choose three types of meats to fill it. It was kind of pricey, about $ 13 dollars a plate but I can say that it was a good expense due to the fact that I had to tap out at taco number two.
My boyfriend had the chimichanga and it was HUGE. The man wasn’t kidding when he said that it was huge. Both of our plates came with rice and refried beans and those were good too unlike some other places.
I would suggest you try this place. very very very very good =)

Kind of expensive ($ 2 per taco, except for lengua or tripas which are $ 3) but it’s nice to find a taco joint off the tourist beaten path.
My favorites — and obviously the most popular based on the price — were the lengua, which was soft and flavorful, and the tripas, which was crunchy like chicharon or really crispy bacon. Jeez. I think I literally ate like 6 tacos.
I don’t recommend the chorizo con papas, which had a funky underlying odor I couldn’t place, and the horchata, which I found kind of powdery and gross. On the up side, you can bring your own beer.
I grew up 5 exits from Oakland, work in San Jose and am a major taco fiend so I guess my expectations are high, but given that this is Hawaii, it’s a pretty solid effort.

This place reminds me of LA! Street style carne asada carnitas delisioso! And I was surprised they even had Mexican Candy :)

Living Social deal, $ 5 for a $ 10 coupon! I thought w00t! First taste of Mexican since moving to the island. Our trio decided to get one of everything.
Blah Blah Blah, but wait… whats this last taco I’m tasting?! Hallelujah~ ONE good taco out of 8 varieties.
The saving grace for Tacos Ricos is one of their carnitas variety taco. One of the carnitas was bland and dry, but this other one was juicy fatty nommy goodness. If I ever go back, I’ll make sure to come back and clarify which one is good…
And yes, amazing condiment bar! Try to come back during their happy hour for $ 1 taco deal.

I always passed by this place, wondering if it’d be too crazy for me – with all the graffiti outside. It was a pleasant surprise to see Tacos Ricos was pretty calm inside, not very bright, even with the wide-​open windows. One of the workers and the owner greeted me for my order. Note: I’ll say it here and in the conclusion, but there isn’t much info about ordering, which would have helped me. In addition to the tacos, you can also order toppings, which I totally missed out on. There are tons of options, once you get acquainted with it all. I settled on two each of three different ‘street-​style’ tacos.
They are all prepared first by grilling white corn tortillas. I think it was corn, because those have a richer flavor than anything flour. Two slices are topped with your choice of meat; hot and fast. I sat down with my bottle of Jarritos Mandarin Orange soda, ready to enjoy my six tacos.
Lengua (Cow Tongue) — 3 ½-​stars– As someone else has said, this part of the cow definitely provides the strongest flavor. (Although I wasn’t able to try the cheeks as I wanted, nor the fish, they were both sold out!) This tongue has a deep, almost ‘gamey’, iron flavor. I’m generally used to the chewy, thin sliced cow tongue, so this thicker, crumbly version was totally unexpected, yet still delicious. All the meats are chunky, and not heavily processed, which give them a rough texture, which I appreciate. I don’t know if this adds to the ‘street taco’ aspect or not. Definitely less oily, and definitely for the carnivore in us all. I would consider this farther up the ‘bravery’ scale than anything else I tried.
Cochinita (Marinated Pork) — 3-​stars– This meat is marinated in vinegar, sauces, and red peppers. Overall it provides strong, pork flavor without going extraordinary. It is extremely juicy and oily – there are even chunks of fat mixed into the taco. The fat adds flavor, but for me, I can go without. I think the marination adds enough moisture, which adds to the drippings.
Chorizo Con Papa (Pork and Potatoes) — 4-​stars– I would say this had the most mellow flavor of the bunch; it reminded me of pork hash browns. Very wholesome and filling, the texture of the potatoes made this dish both soft and satisfying. I’m quite sure the potatoes absorbed a lot of the oils, too. Yet, the oil lends it’s flavor to the tacos in a very positive way.
All the pictures show how much variety you can get, and I think, with these toppings, all of these dishes would be pushed to the next level. Sadly, I wasn’t prepared to face the toppings, since it was my first time here. And yes, the soda was delicious. Thanks for asking.
Atmosphere– There is both an ATM and a video game machine on the premises. I assume they take cash only – also no $ 2-​bills, it’s bad luck! There are two round tables to seat four people. There are also two bars at the window, which seat three chairs. So once 15 people arrive, it’s standing-​room only, or take-​out. But, you can call your order in ahead of time, too. The music in the background sets the mood, definitely.
Service– I was sad two of my options were immediately nixed as ‘sold out’. This left me with more ‘usual’ and unexpected choices to pick from. The food was prepared quickly in front of me. If anything, I’d say they could push the toppings, and give advice on what’s good with what. That would definitely help with the initial confusions I had.
Conclusion– I was a bit disappointed, all the reviews I saw were so unclear, there wasn’t much description or understanding what’s going on. I can only wish more reviews try to explain how ordering works – and what they ate. Definitely, look into the toppings – unless you’re a hardcore carnivore, because many of the tacos are just meat. They are small, which has comparisons to fast food brands, but these dishes have a quality and authenticity which must be accepted, too. I much prefer the flavors and options offered here than any fast food chain. Still, the price can get high once you put everything together. This is definitely a flavor experience waiting to happen. Come prepared, know to look at all the options, and I’m quite sure you’ll leave with a unique experience compared to your usual flavors and dishes. Be brave, get some tongue in cheek. You know you want some.

Ordered carnitas tacos and got a flat tortilla with pork on it. That’s it. (see photo). Are you impressed with the two 4-​inch tacos for $ 4? Yeah, I wasn’t either. They looked so dead. I ordered pork and got dead pig on flat tortillas. Lifeless. Colorless. Disappointing. Condiment bar was virtually empty. Makes taco bell look like a 4-​star joint. Next tenant welcome in this space please.
Fail. Will not repeat.

Finally got around to trying this place.
We weren’t very happy with the Carne Asada.
But REALLY Liked the Marinaded Pork Taco.
Plan to try again soon. $ 2.00 ea

Tacos Ricos is that neighborhood restaurant that you go to grab your meal and be on your way. Located right off bustling Kapahulu avenue and open late, you rest assured that it will help with the hangover the next morning.
The tacos are reasonably priced considering they are very authentic and full of flavor. The condiments bar is lovely and the machego (I’m sure I butchered that) was heaven! The burrito was huge and could probably go for two meals!
The ambiance is nothing, just a casual eatery and the service is good. Beware though, its cash only, although they have an ATM inside.

I like to think that I am a pretty «fair» Unilocaler. I do not think that I am hypercritical nor do I give stars when they aren’t warranted. This place deserves ZERO stars. It was so bad that I did not eat my meal. Where do I begin?
Upon entering this dirty hole in the wall you are greeted with a warm rush of a smell similar to vomit. It smelled terrible. Everything in there was dirty. Service was fast and friendly but I am not going to eat poop because it is served with a smile.
The steak was lukewarm at best and had a flavor that I can not describe other than disgusting. Their «dressing bar» consisted of cabbage floating in water, some kind of radishes or something, onions and a few other things I could not determine. Now I did not expect cheese and diced tomatoes like taco bell but cabbage floating in water was just gross. The bright red chips were not warm and were stale. They must have kept the Tostitos bag open too long.
Seriously this place is disgusting. A gross waste of time and money. Go to Taco Bell. It may not be authentic but at least it is edible.

Ahhh, where to begin with this one?
First, it’s not like an L.A. taco truck that you’ll find, so don’t come expecting that! They have a special where you get five soft small corn tortillas and you can mix and match however you want. They have two newer ones, the carnitas, and the cabeza (beef cheek), then they also have carne asada, lengua (beef tongue), and beef intestines.
I love the lengua, carne asada, and the carnita the best! It’s well seasoned and you can really tell they put a lot of time, effort, and love into this place.
While it doesn’t taste the same as Cali, I LOVE that an actual Mexican that speaks very, very little English is cooking all of this up! He’s a VERY nice guy and you can see the passion he has presenting this food to people!
And yes, the horchata is AMAZING!!! I’ve had many horchata, a lot of them good, but you can tell this one is homemade! It’s such a refreshing drink on a hot day and a perfect match with the savory tacos and sauce!
The condiment bar is awesome and that’s something you wouldn’t normally get in Cali either. They were out of the salsas and the guacamole when we went, so that’s just another excuse to go back there!!!
I definitely love Mexican food, and besides some of the choices not being very flavorful, the tortillas are also not very good. The meet could be a little less oily, but all in all, I would definitely come back! Maybe I’ll try the burrito next time!
Definitely check this place out and have an open mind :) You can find the good in it, I promise! It is kind of pricey for 5 small tacos, but hey, it’s Hawaii!

Well I decided to make the short drive to Tacos Rico despite the horrible weather this past week. Although its location is well known and very visible on Kapahulu, finding street parking is near to impossible. If you’re not lucky enough to find street parking, there is a paid parking lot directly across the street of Uncle Bo’s.
This being my first time at Tacos Rico I got the 5 tacos for $ 9, pork. The first thing I you’ll noticed is that the taco is roughly the size of your palm. The second observation is that it’s VERY OILY. The pork was alright, but Tacos Rico’s saving grace is their pickled onions. These things are delicious!
All in all, 5 of these tacos will not fill you up, they may give you an upset stomach from all that oil.

«I need to Unilocal about this!» seems to becoming the norm between my Chinese counterpart. Its a new place, got good reviews on Unilocal,and around the corner from a friends home. Lets check it out!
I’m not quite sure what I was expecting but I can tell you this is not it. Huge signage line the exterior of the building’s windows. You cant miss it. The posters look appealing, «I would.»
They got a good deal $ 2 tacos, 5 for $ 9. Lets get five: 2x carne asada, 2x carnita, and a lengua. I know tongue. Eww. I’ll try anything once. They offer us chips and point us to the salsa bar.
Here I find two salsas: green and red. I quickly hold them up and ask for clarification, «Which one is hotter?» Green is mild. Red is hot. «Whats this?» holding up a bottle of mystery AstroTurf juice. Guacamole.
Wrong! Its water with purée of avocado. Green salsa? Maybe with less water. Red salsa? No, its water with hot pepper. I look at my counterpart, «I’ve got to Unilocal about this!»
It went downhill from there. I cant even bother commenting on the rest of my sad affair. Does anyone know of a good divorce lawyer?

My husband and I just had dinner here.
I ordered 3 tacos and my husband ordered a carne asada burrito. The carne asada was really dry, the carnitas was good, but really oily and finally the ground beef w/​bits of corn was my least favorite.
The presentation of the food and mini sauce bar was okay.
The rice was decent, well you get my drift, it’s just A-​OKAY.
The owner seems super cool and had the movie «Nacho Libre» playing on 2 flat screens, which I thought was appropriate.
Oh yes, this place is BYOB and he’s open till 2 in the morning! Cash only for now, because there is no credit machine.

Boy and I were gonna drive around the block to try the BBQ Stick Man until I read «Mexican Street Tacos». He immediately pulled over to the curb since he loves his authentic tacos. BBQ Stick Man have to wait another day!
We came in at a perfect time because from 3−4PM it is dollar tacos. It came in five tiny tacos and we get to pick and choose our meats. The tacos come with just meat and there is a salsa bar where you can dress it however you like.
The tacos had good taste. The tortillas were really small and they broke apart if you add too much guac or cream thingy but nothing like a fork wouldn’t do the trick! The tacos were close to what Boy got in Mexico, just meat, onions, cilantro and lime.
Tacos Rico is where Waiola Shave Ice used to be on Kapahulu so you know parking will suck. The prices can’t be beat and service was extremely friendly. I will definitely be back because of Boy since it’s down the road from where he lives.

During my 15 – 20 minutes spent in there eating my meal, know how many people came in fixin’ to order shave ice? I’d say over 60% (mostly tourists). It’s probably because the Waiola signs are still up, hence why it’s so misleading. Then again, they’ve only been re-​opened two days now from their previous location. No real taqueria indicator outside (cept for a banner with the old number) and no take-​out menu’s or website for ready for the public just yet. At least they’re ready to serve la comida. The only thing that really counts, right?
Greeting you at the counter is a very friendly Mexican American man that reminded me of a younger and all Hispanic version of Martin Sheen. Still a good sport, even after being bombarded with the buildings past, he asked us, «Shave ice or Tacos?»
On the wall is a blackboard with the menu, and although straightforward, it still might throw you off a bit. Prices aren’t listed and you might catch yourself asking what a «lengua» or «conchinita» is. Just remember the first column listing of meat options (there are 4 of them. taco, burrito, nachos, etc,) has the translations in parenthesis. Lengua = cow tongue and conchinita = marinated pork. You think I’d know any of this if I didn’t read the fine print written in chalk? :P
Hearing that the nachos here were huge, I went with the Nacho Ricos de Conchinita ($ 9). They packed it on, sure. But did I like it? It was okay. Them using homemade chips were a plus. Though I was a bit disappointed that they used 7 – 11 style melted cheese and re-​fried beans which tasted like it was from the can. Seriously. As for the cochinitas AKA marinated pork, I didn’t really care for it much either. It looked spicy (but wasn’t) from all that red sauce it was in. Also, even if the vinegar and lime mixture did give the meat a unique flavor, it still didn’t win me over. It was also a little sweet. With the exception of some Chinese dishes, I DO NOT like sweet in my meat!
My friend however had their taco special and raved about their Spanish rice and individual tacos: lenguas (beef tongue), ground beef and chili corn carne. Then again, he and I do have different tastes as he likes (the new) Cholos in Haleiwa more than Maria Bonita on Hotel Street. Go figure.
Something I’ll admit that’s neat here is how they have their fresh foods (onion, cilantro, lettuce, lime, etc) in a chilled condiment section at a corner of the dining room. As with squeeze bottles of sour cream, guacamole, alongside red and green chili sauce to name a few. Thing was the guacamole didn’t have much flavor and the sour cream was really watered down.
Although I was REALLY craving nachos, I felt what I ordered was generic in comparison to their home-​style tacos and burritos. However, I still feel l need to be honest with my rating. Am I willing to try Tacos Ricos again one more time, hopefully to shoot for 4 stars?
Si, por favor!
2 stars
Tacos Ricos on Kapahulu Avenue