Hola Tacolicious!
I made a visit to this gourmet taco eatery in the Marina over the weekend.
Sure, you can say it’s just another “Marina hot spot”, but it’s also the result of Joe Hargrave’s success in proving taco-crazed San Franciscans with delicious food. That’s right; Tacolicious started as a stand at the Ferry Building’s farmer’s market and has grown into a hip, jam-packed restaurant that offers fresh Mexican cuisine and vibrant cocktails. For that, you gotta give Joe some credit!
Does it live up to the hype?
It depends on what you’re looking for. It’s not your Mission taqueria – nor should it be. For what it is – a gourmet taqueria in the Marina - it’s a solid place.
I give the team props for packing on the meat – which makes the $3.50 per taco price justifiable. But, some of the tacos can be dry.
I must disclose that I haven’t tried all the tacos but from what I have tried, here are my recommendations:
- No doubt the fried rock cod taco is tasty. The breading offers a nice salty cover to the juicy fish. Combine it with crunchy red cabbage and cool cream sauce, and you get a scrumptious combination!
- The carnitas taco is decent but it’s not as flavorful as the one you’d get at say Taqueria Vallarta (review to come) in the mission. In my opinion, when you’re making a taco that really is just meat; that meat needs to be FLAVORFUL. This fell a little short.
- The shot-and-a-beer braised Petaluma chicken taco was a little dry. All-in-all, the name is cooler than the taco itself. That said, I’ve had the chicken tacos to go, family style, and they were delicious.
- If you select the made-to-order guacamole as a side or starter, you won’t be disappointed.
I also must give them recognition for the selection of hot sauces that come with any order. They deliver a solid range, and the hottest sauce is actually hot – which isn’t always the case at other places.
Since many taco-crazed San Franciscans have come to be repeat customers, it can be difficult to get a table, and if you go on a weekend night, you should expect to wait up to an hour for a table.
This place is definitely going to give Mamacitas a run for their money at night, and is a GREAT lunch spot.
Pros: Fish tacos, hot sauces, solid service
Cons: can be noisy, a little pricey
Food: 3
What $10 will get you: 2 tacos, 1 beer, chips, salsa and an assortment of sauces OR the taco deal: 1 taco, 1 shot of tequila and 1 beer.
CONTACT: 2031 Chestnut Street (near Fillmore) • San Francisco, CA • (415) 346-1966 • tacolicioussf.com
Tags: fish taco, san francisco, taqueria
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