Dining in Disneyland columnist Heather Sievers spices things up at Tortilla Jo’s Taqueria in Disneyland’s Downtown Disney district!
When you’re in the mood for Mexican and don’t have the time or budget for a full sit down restaurant meal, the small Taqueria outside of Tortilla Jo’s is the perfect dining solution. My family and I LOVE Tortilla Jo’s, however, a meal inside the “regular” restaurant takes a minimum of one hour (worth it if you have the time) and that’s with a reservation or without a wait.
Tortilla Jo's Taqueria
The colorful Taqueria can not be missed as you are walking through Downtown Disney. It is located directly across from Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, closer to the hotels than the parks. Their outdoor-only seating consists of a limited number of tables and chairs, which are all covered by either an overhang or individual table umbrellas. If for some reason there are no available tables, there are other benches and seating areas nearby just outside of the restaurant in the Downtown Disney area.
Outdoor Seating
The Taqueria has a limited menu, but it does not disappoint and your food is made fresh to order. On this particular day we all ordered the chicken tacos, which, by the way, are fantastic.
Taqueria Menu Board
The ordering process is easy: The first step is selecting your meal. The options are Tacos (2), Burritos (not sure why this is plural, you get only one, but it’s gigantic), Vegetarian Burrito or Nacho (not sure why this is singular, you do get more than one chip!). You then select your filling. Options are Grilled Abodo Chicken, which is a citrus marinade, Pork Carnitas, which is also citrus based with Mexican spices, or Grilled Steak marinated with fresh cilantro, lime & Mexican Spices. If you choose tacos, you can mix and match your fillings.
The final step, choose your salsa. You can ask for it on the side or have it put directly in your meal. There are three salsa options as well. Salsa Roja is mild; it’s my favorite, the same one they serve inside of Tortilla Jo’s with their chips pre-dinner. Salsa Verde is a green blend that’s in the “medium” spiced category, and if you like salsa spicy, Salsa Quemada is the choice for you.
Menu Boards
Chicken Burrito in the Making
The Fixings
Chicken Tacos with Cholula Sauce Packet (first time I've ever seen these)
If the menu items are not quite enough for you, the Taqueria also has some extra sides that you can order. Their chips & salsa or chips & guacamole make a great side dish as do their beans or rice. Also, if you are dining with children, there is no “official” children’s meal. However, they will make you a quesadilla or let you order just a side of meat (my 9 year old steak lover’s favorite thing). They are very accommodating to fit your needs.
Another thing that I love about the Taqueria is their drink selection. In addition to traditional bottled Mexican sodas, they also serve Aguas Frescas on tap — traditional fresh fruit juice served ice cold. I tried the peach lime and it was so delicious; refreshing, but not too sweet.
Aguas Frescas
Peach Lime Agua Fresca
AND for those of you looking for an “adult” beverage, they serve frozen margaritas and both Mexican and American bottled beer.
Frozen Margaritas
Lots of Beverage Options
Unfortunately we were in a bit of a rush this day, and I did not order dessert. I am however going to go back in the near future because there are some fun things on the menu. I LOVE Mexican frozen fruit bars, especially coconut, and they have Helados Mexico here in multiple flavors.
Helados Mexico: Frozen Fruit Bars
They also have in interesting looking caramel apple type of goodie, The Happy Apple: Manzarinadas. It’s a granny smith apple covered in sugar, tamarind & chili powder. Not sure I could eat a whole one, but I’d definitely try a bite! The Taqueria also sells fresh fruit cups and traditional baked goods such as brownies and cookies.
Manzarindas
Overall, I love the Tortilla Jo’s Taqueria. It’s a great place to get a quick bite to eat. Their food is tasty and reasonably priced. The atmosphere is relaxing, especially on a sunny Southern California day and the menu choices are simple so you don’t get overwhelmed. The next time you’re looking to try something new, check out the Taqueria. Es delicioso!
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The manzarinadas happy apples look great. Sweet, spicy and tart all in one dessert. That’s something I’d like to try and I’m not much for desserts. Nice review.
Great review! We have Tortilla Jo’s on our list of places to eat in June, but perhaps we’ll hit the taqueria instead if we decide not to invest the time in a sit-down meal. It looks delicious!
I’ve never been to Tortilla Jo’s but my husband has mentioned checking it out. We had some friends that went and didn’t really care for it but Andy and I are firm believers in you have to see for yourself. The Taqueria sounds really awesome and the pictures of the food look really good.
@Alan – The next time you’re in town, I’ll share one with you!
@Shayne – Both are great, but for a quick lunch, the Taqueria is a nice alternative to the typical “fast food” burgers and fries meals…
@Jennifer – We love Tortilla Jo’s and the Taqueria, but the Taqueria has become one of our go to places when we don’t want to spend too much money.
Also, I tried their chicken burrito there this past week. Really good and big enough to share.
Great review! I had NO idea there was a taqueria there! Thanks for the pictures and review. I’m craving a burrito now 🙂