Tico’s Tacos

I give this place two stars because of the convenience of location to the aquarium. In any other location, it would get zero stars. The food is bad. Like, really bad. Like, probably the worst fast food Mexican food ever. Had a surf and turf burrito (gross), hubby had al pastor burrito (bland) and in-​laws had fish tacos. Also bad. The only redeeming quality is the staff was nice.

The food is ok. The service is like any fast food place. You order then you come up and pick up your food. Why the tip line on your credit card slip? If you are down on Cannery Row and most of the places are busy, then this place is would be a quick place to get a bite.

Came here after a good day at the aquarium with my sis mom and nephew, it seemed like a decent/​clean place to eat. Unfortunately the customer service killed our appetite, they didnt welcome us and were rude, i mean would it kill them to smile at least a little? Our order was ready quite fast and tasted okay. we got the torta with fries, ceviche tacos, chile rellenos, and a quesadilla for my nephew which was wayyyyy to greasy. They served the chile rellenos in a to go box when we were actually dining in. When customers tried to walk in the cashier rudely told them they were closed. The food overall was okay, but we wont be coming back .
P.s they only have one baby booster seat

Don’t go please …
Had Carnitas burrito, looks authentic, worse burrito ever, a wad of lettuce and slice of tomato on side burrito tortilla too small not even rolled properly, all leaked out of back, burrito was cold, carnitas not cooked all the way. Was sick afterwards. Worse experience both food and service ever. Their «Super» burrito was anything but «Super» try disgusting. They should be embarrassed. Regular burrito is $ 4.95 with nothing but tortilla and meat that’s it. Super burrito is $ 9.50 with what you should get in a normal burrito outside of the tortilla. Total joke, actually shocked too at the rude service and behavior of the cashier. Took forever to get food, cashier left it I the window as it got even colder and then was rude to me that I was waiting. Please save yourself from a terrible experience. Not worth your hard earned money.

We had the super California burritos. Food was good, don’t get me wrong, would have given 4 stars but it was well over 22 $ and it was probably about 6 $ over priced– which I guess is to be expected on Cannery Row.

Just had a burrito at Tico’s after walking around and it was on the average size, but it was only $ 5 so I wasn’t expecting a big burrito. I’m glad on the size because we just worked out too.
Carne asada was tender and great, salsas were appropriately spicy. Everything tasted authentic, place was clean and we will be back here later for a beer

Wait time was not horribly bad considering location. Price was good considering location. I had surf and turf burrito and it was great taste j think had something like potato bake inside, I never taught that would be great combination. Yes I would come back.

If you are looking for something inexpensive and really good try this place. The surf and turf and the California burritos are excellent.

Stopped in for a quick bite but they weren’t that quick. We had a couple asada burritos and at $ 5 each, it’s not bad. The burrito was decent. The wait to get a water refill was hilarious.
Several reviews mentioned the woman taking the orders as hating being there and i couldn’t agree more. It’s amazing how a smile and decent (not great) service would up the grade for this place.

This place is a rip off. $ 8 for two small tacos that anywhere else would be $ 1.50-$ 2.00 each. They also charge you for chips! Food wasn’t very good and it cost a ton of money. I would never go back to this place. Don’t try this place.

Stopped in here for lunch before heading to the aquarium because we were looking for something quick and inexpensive. The girl who took our order was not happy to be there. My husband placed our order and when he asked about what was included it kept getting more and more expensive. «It’s a dollar extra to add sour cream… it’s a dollar extra to add this sauce…» It was a little ridiculous. I don’t think Mexican restaurants should charge extra for these things. I also think that tortilla chips should be free. We ordered a chicken quesadilla for my daughter and she can normally gobble them up but it was so greasy when she picked it up it was literally dripping. I had a cheese enchilada which was pretty good and my husband said his burrito was okay. I wouldn’t recommend this place and will not be back, there are better places on Cannery Row.

Echoing a lot of the other reviews. Pricey, but that’s expected from the location. Didn’t taste like an authentic Mexican meal. I probably would’ve enjoyed a better meal at Chipotle’s or Taco Bell. Chips were bland and the salsa was watered down. I had a chicken quesadilla and they somehow managed to make it taste like a tuna sandwich.

Decent food, not great, but not horrible. Okay service, the girl helping us was not completely rude, but definitely hates her job. The prices are kind of high, but you should expect that being on Cannery Row. $ 1 for refills was a bit steep. We were hoping for a better experience for what we paid though.
Upside, they did have Mickey Mouse Clubhouse playing, and my 1 year old is obsessed with Mickey, so that kept her busy during eating.
We most likely will not be returning here on our next visit to the Aquarium.

We tried this place yesterday when we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium on Cannery Road and were not quite impressed. We could have done better with our $ 20 meal for two. However, the service was good, the place was clean and the staff went over and beyond to take care of our special request for our toddler son’s «cheesy fries»
If you are looking for some good Mexican food and don’t want to spend an arm and a leg, we recommend this place. If you are willing to spend more than $ 10 on a meal we suggest you try some of the fine dining cuisine places located on Cannery Street or nearby. The quality of the ingredients and the food in these parts is awesome! So we recommend an private Mexican restaurant establishment rather than the common chain restaurants if you are in this part of town.

It’s better than el Torito down the street.
The girls at the counter are friendly. Our food came out in about 10 minutes.
Pitcher of beer as an option was nice.

Who’d have thought fish tacos could be good for breakfast? Wow! Grilled (not breaded) fish, cabbage, savoury spicy sauce. A fish taco fan, this is one of the best! Chilli verdi burrito is «really good» per the boyfriend (who’s enjoying a little Pacifico instead of coffee for breakfast). Vacations are fun! Great little find in the most expensive city by the sea. Going to check Unilocal to find our next stop!

My friend and I went in here because we were on our way to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and wanted to grab a bite to eat. I ordered first and got a quesadilla. Then my friend ordered fish tacos, no sauce.
My friend’s fish tacos arrived first with sauce. My friend went back and asked for tacos without the sauce (due to her food allergies). She commented that the staff was rather put out that she asked for tacos without sauce even though that is how she ordered them. The fish tacos came back with no sauce, copious amounts of cabbage, and no fish. My friend was embarrassed to go back and ask for fish on her fish tacos since she had already sent the tacos back once. So I did it for her. I also inquired about my quesadilla since several people who ordered after me were getting their food. The staff begrudgingly put fish on the tacos and told me my quesadilla was on the way.
I sat with my friend while she ate her tacos. By the time my friend was almost done with her tacos and several more people (also ordered after me) had received their food I went back to the register to get a refund on my quesadilla that never came out of the kitchen.
The staff seemed irritated that I wanted my money back for a quesadilla I never got. They silently handed me my money back. No apology.
I would not go here again.

In a place where one goes specifically for the seafood, why come here?
Well I wanted a snack while I waiting for my fiancé to finish his conference call, then we could walk over to Fishermans Wharf for real food. So 3 hours later, I couldn’t wait anymore and this was across from our hotel.
It was packed and obviously in the best spot for tourist who don’t know any better.
The combos looked rather small and my California burrito was just that. No complementary chips. the meat was totally lonely and the cheese not really melted. The tortilla was warmed up on one side and cold on the other.
However, the salsa bar was kick ass. It’s do, but I suggest go up a couple block on Lighthouse and try the Mexican join next to Sakura.

Wonderful spot to grab some tasty Mexican food on the commercial-​ridden Cannery Row. It’s a nice welcome to have a locally-​owned venerable restaurant with affordable eats on the Row. This is an order-​at-​the-​counter casual spot with well-​priced small plates and combo plates. There’s a salsa bar with assorted salsas, dressings, peppers and lemon wedges at your disposal.
I’ve been a fan of Ticos Tacos for decades, frequenting the Salinas location since it’s inception but very happy to have a location closer to my dwelling spot.
Today we watched the USA v Belgium World Cup game (grrrr) and chowed down some carne asada burritos, crispy carne asada tacos, cheese quesadillas, chile verde quesadillas, chips and made numerous trips to the salsa bar. Everything was delicious and just as I remembered from some of my memorable by-​gone trips to Tico’s.
Selling Points:
*$ 3.85 carne asada or chicken burritos, $ 3.50 breakfast burritos (chorizo, ham & egg, potato & egg and bacon & egg), $ 4.00 quesadillas, $ 6.25 huevos rancheros
* casual and clean setting with a peek of the ocean
* Family-​owned and operated, long-​standing restaurant established in 1957 (first restaurant opened in San Jose followed by the Salinas location in 1980)
* vibrant salsa bar with fresh prepared salsas, dressings and peppers
*3 large flat screens
* friendly and helpful service
Keep ticos tacos on your radar for a well-​priced breakfast, lunch or dinner on Cannery Row. Forgo the greasy corn dogs and go for some tasty Mexican favorites on the cheap. I gotta get back over here soon to try out some of the items on their breakfast menu (breakfast served 8 – 12).

I remember eating at Tico’s Tacos in downtown San Jose while attending SJSU. The original Tico’s Tacos served up burritos and tacos at that location for 56 years.
The family name and recipes live on at a new location in Monterey on Cannery Row.
The restaurant is modern and super clean, actually kind of antiseptic which is better than the alternative. The menu is simple and if you need help beyond the description there are pictures of the plates scattered about the place.
I ordered the shredded beef chimichanga that came with rice and beans. The (not really crispy) chimi was delicious. The beef was not dry and the flavor was rather deep for counter service Mexican food. The beans were average but the rice was dry, cold and absent of any flavor.
My wife had the Sonora. This is a shredded beef burrito drowned in enchilada sauce. Guacamole and sour cream drape the concoction. It comes with a small salad. It’s the same beef as I had in my chimi but it tasted better mixed with the mild flavored red enchilada sauce.
While we were eating we studied the giant menu board. Breakfast is very inexpensive but the most obvious deal in the place is a chili verde burrito for $ 3.25!
The location is premium, it’s straight across the street from Bubba Gump and steps from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
As locals we don’t venture onto Cannery Row during high tourist times but on nights like tonight, (rainy and off season) parking is easy so we may stop in here now and then.