Cilantro Taco

I absolutely love this place. They come into Swamp Head every Tuesday, where I’m pretty sure I’ve had every item they offer. Nachos are amazing, but their burritos have my heart. Something not to be missed is their red hot sauce. I don’t know what’s in it, but it’s complex, earthy, and HOT. I’ve never been disappointed

Tried this little dive based on the positive reviews and wasn’t completed blown away but nevertheless it was a decent overall experience.
We went maybe an hour and a half before closing and they were at the end of their sweet tea which meant I squeezed the last out of their self serve barrel and I let the waitress know but I heard her tell the next patron that she didn’t make anymore sweet tea that close to closing.
I like that the drinks come with the meal but the chips and salsa does not. The 3 taco meal is what I ordered and though I liked you could mix and match taco meat choices I felt the portions were very small. I got the grilled fish and the other 2 were steak. The steak was seasoned really well, tasted marinated. The fish though was bland.
I also felt that they didn’t add much salt to anything including both the homemade pico and guacamole. Both were really fresh though. Chips were also homemade.
The soft taco wraps were not that good, grainy and fell apart really easily.
My husband got the steak fajitas and his portion seemed to be good.
Service was a bit slow considering there was less then 3 tables filled but the staff was friendly and willing to accommodate.
Don’t expect anything fancy but for a quick bite it’s better than stopping at a Moes.

There are two things I love about Cilantro Taco –the super delicious tacos and the people who make them!
I have visited both the brick and mortar in Newberry and the food trailer that can be found out and about in Gainesville. Service and food at both locations are totally on point!
Now let’s talk tacos… the ingredients are fresh, the tortillas are tasty and the fillings are divine! My husband (who isn’t easily impressed) loves the carnitas tacos. They’re amazingly delicious and have a really unique taste. I love the veggie tacos. They’re loaded with rice, beans, veggies and topped with cilantro –yum to the maximum power! I’ve had plenty of veggie tacos over the years and most are just okay, but these are something special.
Aside from serving up some of the freshest, tastiest mex in town, they spend a great deal of time supporting our community and other local businesses. In my opinion, that’s pretty darn awesome.

Cilantro Taco had a truck at our art party and it was delicious. I had their shrimp tacos and they were absolutely the best shrimp tacos I have had in a very long time. I want to check out their restaurant now.

I had their ground beef burrito from a food truck. It was a religious experience. Enough said.

Absolutely the best Mexican restaurant ever! Every thing fresh, healthy and cooked to order (which takes a little longer, but you can enjoy fresh house made pico de gallo and chips while you wait.)
I asked for a burrito bowl which is not on the menu but chef made it up for me anyway. This is kinda like Nachos grande but replace the chips with rice. There are 5 meat choices, I ordered it with barbicoa, a marinated shredded pork. It looked so good, the people at the next table ordered the same thing. It was delicious.
The servers, chef and owner are mostly family and they treat guests like part of the family.
We love it here and come here often.

Delicious tacos! The first REAL food I’ve been able to find in the south so far. A little gem of a place with reasonably priced, freshly made fare.

The only thing that is stopping this from being a complete 5 is their service. While friendly, it is slow and you may have to get up from your table to get someone’s attention.
Other than that, this food is fantastic. Easily the best «authentic» Mexican joint in the Gainesville area. If you go, make sure you get some of their homemade, fresh, Pico de Gallo. I could eat it with a spoon for dinner. For the main course you have got to go with the 3 steak tacos served «authentic» style (includes only cilantro and fresh onion). So delicious!

Just a side note, I never ever write «bad» reviews unless absolutely necessary. I love local businesses and Mexican food! I was so excited to go to Cilantro after hearing great things about it!
So, today I went in for a quick bite with a co-​worker. Didn’t expect such a long wait. Apparently they were catering three different events that day and they ran out of tortillas so we had to wait 45 minutes for our food; it was just us and another couple. We ordered a rice and bean burrito and lengua tacos. The owner apologized but didn’t offer any sort of consolation for the exceedingly long wait. $ 2 Up-​charged for lenguas so 3 lengua tacos come out to $ 9.00. So incredibly overpriced and not worth it.
Our waiter was a very nice guy. He brought us two drink cups and chips and salsa without asking if we wanted it. He said to help ourselves and that it was all self-​serve. We figured it was complimentary, at least the chips, right? It wasn’t. We were charged for the chips AND THE salsas… even after I found a long white hair plastered on one the chips and told the waitress about it. They STILL charged us.
Taste wise. It was alright. As someone who has had Mexican food in Mexico and in Mexican family gatherings and my co-​worker who is actually Mexican, we both agreed it is nothing special. I would suggest La Tienda in Gainesville for some actual legit Mexican food. Also, I don’t think the owners are Mexican just FYI.
We won’t be returning. Super bummed because I heard such great things about Cilantro. :/

Cilantro tacos made me tacos for the first time last night, via food truck. They were excellent, but not quite transportive. Either the steak or the sauce I put on top was slightly over-​salted. The barbacoa and pork tasted fresh and just a touch fatty. I’d like a tiny bit more flavor from the meat and something simple and extraordinary from the other ingredients, to place them atop the regional Mexican cuisine competition. Right now they share that spot, in my view, which is quite awesome of them. The ingredients were authentic and fresh. As typical with food trucks and taco orders, the portion is a bit small. I will be returning regularly.

First off, a must eat place if you’re in the Gainesville and Newberry area. A true hole in the hole and hidden gem. The Guacamole and Chips are the best I’ve had. Most guac I’ve tried, the onion overpowers the whole dip. Cilantro’s guac is very neutral and the pepper accompanies the guac very well. I ordered 4 different tacos, two soft shell and two hard shell, I didn’t really enjoy the fish but the steak, carnita, ground beef were amazing. The homemade salsa made the tacos even better. The food arrived quickly, and the service was excellent. The owner stopped by to make sure my girlfriend and I were enjoying the food and made a few recommendations for us to try next time. I’m already looking forward to my next visit!

We decided to check this place out because we heard it was good. I’m really glad we did. They have a sign up saying «we aren’t fast food, please be patient» but after we placed our order we probably only waited 5 minutes. The drinks are self serve and you grab your own silverware. They have one girl working the front. She takes your order and brings you chips and salsa. They charge for the chips and salsa ($ 1.99) but it’s well worth it. We got three types of salsa to try. They were all really good. The chips are homemade and ours were served warm. They were also seasoned which was a pleasant surprise. We ordered nachos and a chicken burrito we were both pleased with our meals. We also ordered the queso which was really good.
Basically we had a great experience here. The food was amazing.

If you’re ever in the downtown Newberry area, you should pop in and try Cilantro Taco. It is your quintessential Mexican hole in the wall, with eclectic nautical, Mexican, and Gator décor to match. I’ve heard many good things about Cilantro, so I decided to make the 30 minute drive to try it out.
The menu is quite simple. You can choose from tacos to burritos to quesadillas, etc. They have all of the basics with a plethora of meats including lengua, three kinds of pork (carnitas, cubed pork, and the off menu, but delicious ‘Al Pastor’), whiting, and more. There is a minimal surcharge for the fancier of meats, but this won’t set you back for more than two bucks. They will only charge you the most expensive upcharge, so don’t be confused by the menu! We were given chips and salsa while they cooked our meal. Everything is made to order and extremely fresh, so good food takes some time.
The chips were pretty standard. I usually like mine piping hot, but these were okay. It came with a milder avocado based salsa, medium pico, and a spicy roasted chipotle salsa. I thoroughly enjoyed the spiciest sauce. The waiter was extremely nice and gave us an extra roasted poblano salsa on the house. This one was equally as tasty and reminded us of black beans. Our food came out as it was cooked. I ordered the Al Pastor (pork cooked with chunks of pineapple), chicken, and steak. Our tacos were topped with tomato, cilantro, cheese, and onions. They also have a house made hot sauce on the counter that is pretty great.
Our service was exceptional. The server was attentive, caring, and quite generous. The owner was equally as friendly. We spoke to him for a long time. He was a very nice man who fostered great relationships with all of his clientele. Restaurant patrons all seemed to know him very well and hugged him on their way out. He always made sure that everyone was taken care of the minute they sat down. It was great getting to know the owner and his family. He also gave us a few menu items to try on the house. It was very generous and nice of him. I really appreciated the gesture, but felt a little bit uncomfortable accepting free lengua and flan. (It may have been because my friend brought a DSLR camera or because he was happy to see Asian people since the family is from Southern California. I wouldn’t doubt that it was out of the kindness of his heart since he was a very thoughtful man. I just would not expect this every time.)
Overall, my experience at Cilantro Taco was great. The food was really tasty. You can taste the freshness in their salsas and the juiciness of their meat. It was not out of this world amazing, but I can see their business flourishing more as time progresses. They just need a few minor tweaks here and there with their décor and hours, but they are definitely on the right track.
Make sure to ask the staff about their off menu items. The Al Pastor was definitely my favorite meat! It had the perfect mix of sweet and savory. I also overheard other restaurant patrons order Carne Asada fries, which are a west coast staple that are not on the menu. If you are ever feeling adventurous, or are in the downtown Newberry area, I would give Cilantro Taco a try. They are open until 8:30PM, so make sure to head out early! The family will definitely make you feel right at home.

Oh my goodness. We ate here once when they first opened on a recommendation from a friend, and fell in love. We’re treated like family, fed tremendous portions of fresh-​cooked and fresh-​stored food, and always get our money’s worth.
From handmade chips and salsa’s to some of the tastiest meats you’ll ever encounter, Cilantro Tacos has become our go-​to for quality dining.
Try the al pastor, the lengua, and ask for the meth fries! OMG…

Not a fan of «Americanized» Mexican food so it is rare when I happen upon a Mexican restaurant that comes pretty close to being authentic Mexican as advertised. I travel to Tulum, Mexico at least once a year to cave dive. This year I made two trips to Mexico and as always I stop into their many local taco stands during my visit.
I had Cilantro’s soft corn tacos (one steak and two of their pork aka al pastor). In Mexico they do not put shredded cheese on their soft tacos but they did at Cilantro. I did not mind as it did not take away from the flavor of the well marinated meats nor the fresh onions, lettuce, and cilantro in my tacos. My friend had their shrimp plate which comes with fresh tortillas, rice, and beans. He proclaimed his dinner delicious and noted how fresh everything taste. He said his dinner did not come out of a can.
Our server was excited when she learned it was our first time to Cilantro. She took time to explain that the owner makes all the sauces and dips every morning. The meats are not cooked until an order is placed. She answered all our questions about their menu items. She also mentioned they just started a food truck and its location would be on their Facebook page. The owner came out to meet us and was appreciative of my feedback in what we had eaten.
Thrilled to find a local place that will satisfy my soft taco cravings until my next trip to Mexico.

Amazing tacos for less than $ 2 each!
Pros– Cheap but delicious, well made tacos. Tortillas are warmed and lightly charred so they’re a little crispy. I got 3 kinds– steak, al pastor (pork and pineapple) and sweet pork (carnitas). They were all topped with lettuce, tomatoes and cilantro. I did not get onions, cheese and sour cream but they are available. You can also get fresh made guacamole (it costs extra) and they also offer 3 kinds of sauces– green (mild), medium and spicy. Every single taco was really delicious but the sweet pork taco is probably one of the best tacos I’ve ever had. It had a sweet, smoky spicy Mexican vibe that was truly delicious. There are also other items on their menu like burritos, tostadas & more.
Cons– Super far in downtown Newberry, otherwise not much to complain about!
It’s really tough to find fresh, authentic Mexican food but I think I found it!

Ordered three soft and one hard steak tacos and a meat only burrito, total just under $ 20.
While the freshness of the ingredients and the presence of real, fresh springs of cilantro were wonderful, the portion sizes for the tacos were a bit disappointing; the tacos seemed kid sized, even smaller than a regular Taco Bell taco. Nonetheless the ingredients were fresh and the burrito was satisfyingly packed, though the absence of tomato in the burrito was a bit odd but maybe I’m just being picky.
Definitely a great stop for a snack in the bustling metropolis of Newberry!

This place is a little out of the way but if I’m in the area, I have to stop by! It’s definitely a hole in the wall, but the food is made fresh.
The chips come with two salsas. One is the cool, refreshing one with actual chunks of avocado and the other is more chipotle flavored with a kick of spice at the end. Sometimes they offer a 3 for $ 5 deal so ask just in case! Today, I got the barbacoa and carnita tacos and it was amazing. Both the meats are very tender, juicy, and full of flavor (savory with a hint of sweetness). I always ask for them authentic style which comes with onions, cilantro and lime. You can get them regular with cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes but if you’re going to eat here I definitely recommend trying them authentic. It really enhances the flavor of the meat.
definitely stop by :)

A small family owned restaurant present the best tacos in town!
For tacos, I think three factors matters: freshness, flavor, texture (of the protein). Cilantro Taco nail it in all three factors.
The only thing I want to complaint is: I have to drive over half an hour to get here! Otherwise I would love to eat there five days a week!

OK, I admit it. Based on creds no stronger than a couple of vacations in rural Mexico and two years’ living in San Antonio, Spouse and I have become Mexican food snobs. Spare us your fancy décor and your mariachis (tho’ a margarita or two won’t be dissed). Our favorite places are divey, preferably where we are among a handful of Anglos in the room. Well, we didn’t find that at Cilantro — yes, its décor is informal, the servers are friendly, but everyone except the owner/​chef was definitely Anglo. We were there today on the basis of Unilocal — and boy were we pleased.
The menu is small, but everything — everything — is totally fresh. Their barbacoa was excellent, and the fish tacos were to die for. Beautifully marinated fish, which the chef recommends you try with their absolutely fresh pico de gallo. (She says they make it at least 2 – 3 times a day.) The beans are like what I know as charro beans, none of those lardy refritos. .. and the rice was your basic, properly cooked Mexican rice, golden and yummy. Unless you specify otherwise, everything comes on homemade corn tortillas — and our only issue is that they are so fresh they crumble when you try to eat them. We ordered the combo plate — two tacos plus rice and beans, $ 7.95 — and had our tacos with the works — cheese, tomatoes, cilantro, onion — flavors blended beautifully.
Oh yes, you do have to ask (and pay a bit extra) if you want chips and salsa. The salsas are all home made — green comes gentle or fire-​roasted, and the red is fire-​roasted fire. The chips are from a grocery bag, not really worth it — I’d rather have a plate of tortillas to dip. Our only quibble: Cilantro Taco would do well to take a page from some of the divey-​er places we’ve frequented, and double up on the tortillas for the tacos — we’ll ask for this the next time.
Because yes, admitted Mexican food snobs that we are, we’re already planning when we can take the 25-​minute drive to Newberry again. There are other things on that menu I can’t wait to try.