Hella Good Tacos

Been living near here for 2 years and didn’t know this gem existed! Went in today (they are open Sunday’s!) and was in love! Their tacos are certainly «Hella Good!» And their homemade sauces were delicious! I will definitely be going back for more!

Wicked good tacos! Hella good shows! You’ll find me there at least once a week. Try the nachos!

*Mexican Approved* (Lol)
I really reaaaallly like Hella Good Tacos. From the décor of the place right down to the rice and beans — which FINALLY a Mexican restaurant in this area just simply nails the rice and beans. Love it.
Great selection of both meat and non meat options for the tacos.
I still have yet to try their tamales — every fricking time I go they don’t have them or they ran out — Argh!
This is the best Mexican food I’ve had since being here in Maine. This isn’t Tex Mex, but more California style. Ya know, the tacos with the cilantro and onions instead of lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese. They have a great (and interesting) selection of sauces.
You order at the counter, then wait for them to call your name. My ticket order was lost one time, but without a fuss they made my food rather quickly and fed me until my tummy and taste buds were happy.
Excellent food. I always rate a Mexican restaurant by the rice and beans — to me that’s the foundation. You can’t build without a solid foundation and their rice and beans are pretty solid.
Great spot! Highly recommend!

Great beers, wonderful staff, excellent décor. Love the salsa bar and the carnitas burrito with everything is my personal favorite. Very Highly recommended.

I not a Mexican food aficionado by any means, but I thought this food was solid. I used the 2dinein app and got delivery. I ordered the pulled pork burrito. I thought is was excellent value for the price, and was well prepared and flavorful. The menu is traditional Mexican street food… and most items are under $ 10 for a complete meal. The pricing is sure right. I haven’t gone in side so I can’t comment on it, but it’s located in the old Steve & Rene’s diner… but I’m sure they must have changed the décor. I give it a thumbs up…4stars for value and decent taste.

What kind of restaurant can’t break a hundred dollar bill on a 40 dollar meal at 7 pm on a Saturday night? Two huge thumbs down. Will never attempt to eat there again and I seriously doubt the business will be here this time next year. Save your money and go eat at taco trio, they at the very least actually have money to run the business expected on a weekend. Amateur hour at hella good taco

After being in Maine for 2.5 years, I can say that this is the closest you will come to real Mexican food in the Portland area.
Maine is infamously plagued with tons of American-​Mexican food, which isn’t bad, but it definitely isn’t authentic Mexican food. Luckily, this place breaks away from the Maine Mexican mold and serves up actual Mexican affair.
First, the chips are out of the country. Totally homemade, and fun to try with all that is offered at the salsa bar. Also, you actually get your chips before the meal, and you actually get a decent amount (I’m looking at you Taco Trio…)
Next, the food is amazing. There’s too much to say, so you should just try the food for yourself. Simply put, it tastes like the Mexican army invaded Maine and made their food the law of the land. And that’s just the short version…
Also, the service is fantastic. The nice man who always works the counter during Taco Tuesday ($ 2 tacos) remembered my name after visit #1. Plus, the beer and drink selection is legit for a place of this size.
My roommate works for 2DineIn and has talked to the owner many times. I am told many items are limited availability because the owner travels to Boston each weekend to gather authentic ingredients. And simply, when an item sells out, he can’t restock it until his next trip back to Boston.
Overall, this is my favorite Mexican place in Maine and stacks up comparably to authentic Mexican places in Chicago, Texas, and beyond.

Definitely my go to spot in Portland for my taco fixes! My wife is from San Francisco, so we are very picky about where we get our tacos. It has to be a combination of good prices, homemade salsas, seared meats and an amazing local beer selection. These guys are killing it in all departments.
Recommend the Cabeza and the Pollo Verde. And if you don’t order the torta you are a chump!

I tried this place after hearing rave reviews. Unfortunately, the food was just so-​so. I ordered a burrito, chips, and salsa. The carne asada burrito I ordered contained lettuce and had some sort of stewed shredded beef instead of carne asada. The free chips were pretty good, but the salsa and other items from the salsa bar were way too vinegary. Perhaps it was an off night? One star for the friendly staff and another star for the free tasty chips. There is also plenty of parking.

I really wanted to like this place as I had heard awesome things from multiple people, especially when I considered the name of the restaurant. «Hella» is slang from the San Francisco Bay Area and I figured the food would be great as I used to live there and had many a good taco and burrito. Unfortunately, my experience here fell flat.
The décor is really cool with bright Mexican colors and neat Dia de Muerte art work on the wall. They had a large salsa bar spread, but most of the salsa was very unsavory. The tomatillo salsa tasted sour and the smoky one was just plain bad. Only the pico de Gallo was okay. On there bright side, all orders came with free chips that seemed homemade and were tasty enough.
For my entrée, I ordered a carne asada burrito. I am pretty sure what they have me was not carne asada, but it was beef, and the carne asada was there only beef item on the menu other than cabeza. It tasted like shredded beef and it wasn’t very good.
I wish I could say better things about this place, but I cannot recommend this place to anyone. You are honestly better off going to Chipotle or Qdoba, but maybe not Taco Bell.

Ordered a seven dollar burrito with carnitas; pretty dang good! Definitely very filling. The meat was delicious and it comes with awesome (likely homemade) tortilla chips! Great place.

First, to answer everyone’s question about why the sign still says «Steve and Renee’s», it is because Josh and Melissa are leaving it there until they are able to pay back the previous owners for the chance at having the space.
Ok, with that said, the place is laid back. Order at the counter and then help yourself to a spot. I love that the food is not overworked and is simple and fresh. The prices are right. 2 taco plate for under $ 7.
They also have a nice selection of beer and hard cider as well as other drinks, including the (housemade?) iced tea w. mint. The salsa bar is stocked with salsa verde, two types of pico, etc. as well as hot carrots and limes.
Mid-​afternoon is generally pretty quiet and my new favorite time to stop in. With few people there I don’t feel rushed and can meet with friends and hang out having something to drink or eat or both without feeling like I have to rush out.

Imagine my surprise pulling in here yesterday when I realized: holy smokes, I was here for breakfast on my recruiting trip a year ago — before I lived in Portland, and a couple months before this place got a Mexican makeover.
Well, the makeover happened. It used to be called Steve & Renee’s Diner (or maybe it still is?), but now there are Mexican blankets hanging from the windows, and a Mexican menu. You order from the cashier, there are fewer tables, and there’s salsa.
***DISCLAIMER****
I’m originally from San Diego. I grew up on Mexican food. My daughter was raised on proper carne asada, and my wife makes homemade carnitas once every couple weeks.
***********************
The great:
— Super convenient with its own parking!
— Awesome tunes kicking in that place
— Whoa, awesome chips!
The good:
— Pretty fair prices
— Good tortillas (best I’ve had in Maine, actually)
— Solid carne asada; it’s not done the Mexican way, but it’s tasty
— Friendly lady working the register
The could be way better:
— They were out of chicken, soyrizo and cabeza. On Saturday. That’s half the menu.
— The salsa bar was really, really disturbing to me… and it was all because of the salsa verde, which had clearly gone off. I have never seen salsa that has a milky appearance to it, but this one did. My 9yo actually commented on it and wouldn’t eat it (despite it being her favorite). I didn’t blame her.
— The lettuce in my carne asada burrito (that’s right — there was lettuce in my BURRITO) was muy wilted. No pep left in that lechuga, sadly.
— The burrito method/​recipe appears to include rice in every burrito. Again, that’s not Mexican… and in a carne asada burrito, it’s almost heresy.
Conclusion:
We’ll go back, but we’ll go back with very specific instructions to evaluate properly:
«Carne asada burrito with guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, y nada mas.»

Another food find thanks to my dad. Came here for breakfast on our way out of town last visit. The food wasn’t bad and the portions were large. The hot sauce bar near the back was a big hit with both my dad and my hubby.
I ordered pancakes, customized to have chocolate chips and banana. Big as the plate and very filling. It’s kinda hidden of Back Cove near Exit 8 on outer Washington, but if you know where that little location for Beal’s is… it’s in the complex across the street by the on ramp.

Ever since I moved to Maine I haven’t had any Mexican food… Sad right? 5 months. No Mexican food.
So on Valentine’s Day I found out that Hella Good was right around the corner from the Farmers Market aka. UFF so obviously that was a sign from Cupid that Mexican food was to be had.
First impression? Doesn’t look fantastic but shoot sometimes I don’t either so I and my Valentine went in.
From the music to the feeling of the building itself, it was like going back to old 1940’s Buffalo. Mario Lanza, Judy Garland, the Stylistics and other gems were playing. It was great.
Our waitress brought over some pretty well loved menus and the salivation began. I settled on a burrito with soy chorizo with a 21^st Amendment brew and guacamole for an appetizer.
Our waitress was great. She had a great amount of sass and I loved that.
The food was really yummy but to be really objective… It wasn’t the best but it really hit the spot.
You can bet I’ll be going back if only for the sass and the good vibes.
On a side note, if you haven’t had Mexican food in several months… Proceed with caution. ;-)

I feel like this is a placeholder review until HGT is up and running at full speed. At least I hope they’re not at full speed yet, based on my recent experience.
Stopped in for dinner one night after a trip to the gym. If you hadn’t heard that Steve & Renee’s diner had been converted into a Mexican joint, the signage certainly wouldn’t help! Everything still reads ‘Steve & Renee’s’ except for the flashy ‘tacos’ sign in one of their windows. And you know what? I kinda like that the old signage is still up. It gives this place the feel of whatever the Mexican food equivalent of a speakeasy is. Or that ‘Steve & Renee’s Diner’ is a front for Mexican food. Edgy.
And the place totally still feels like a diner. With a few modifications, I could dig this too — especially the counter, which is where I sat after I ordered. I think the owner is remodeling soon, because I believe he was talking floor plans and layout with someone while I was awaiting my order.
While most Mexican establishments might be tempted to blast some cheesy mariachi music to create an ‘authentic’ ambience, a special shoutout to this place for bucking that trend and playing a solid mix of early 80s rock: Talking Heads, The Police and the like we’re all in the rotation, and I enjoyed every second of it.
The service was friendly… and patient as I studied the new menu. I was drawn to the taco plate option: three tacos, beans and tortilla chips for what I remember to be $ 8.99. Great deal! I decided on the chorizo, carne asada and chicken tacos and an ice-​cold Bunker seasonal beer — you know, to rehydrate after the gym.
Food came out fast and I was immediately impressed by the presentation… and the taco fillings. The tacos were overflowing. This, unfortunately, is where the love affair ended. I felt like the carne asada taco was a bit dry, and that the chorizo and chicken didn’t have much flavor beyond the cilantro. In fact, I feel like the tortillas was actually the dominant flavor. Perhaps I came on an off night? Or maybe I’m just a taco snob.
The salsa bar is a nice option. I liked the variety.
Sigh. The search for Best Mexican Food in Portland trudges on… but I’ll give HGT another shot to claim this title in a few months when the boxes are all unpacked.

My slightly Mexicanish dog, Chuy, loves food a lot. All food. A LOT. But the only food that will make him jump up and down and spin around and try and climb onto the table, is takeout from Hella Good Tacos. Trust me, this dog knows his tacos.
Definitely the closest you can get to legit California style Mexican food in Portland. Are the tacos quite as good, or as cheap as you’re going to get from a truck in East LA? No, of course not. But they’re still pretty damn good and pretty damn cheap. And most California taco trucks don’t have a suprisingly good selection of local Maine beers either. The owners are really nice and the staff are friendly. There’s really not much else to say, other than that the cabeza tacos are my (and Chuy’s) super duper favorite.

Finally got to swing by in the middle of the day to check out the tacos and have a couple of beers at Hella Good.
I actually had a sneak preview at an event a few weeks prior and was impressed enough to make it a point make a return visit on my own dime.
Both Josh Bankhead and his wife Melissa get it when it comes to providing a non-​pretentious place to get authentic grub that’s great-​tasting and inexpensive as well. A taco will only set you back $ 2.49.
On this visit, I passed on my favorite taco, the fish taco, and went with the carne asada (shaved steak) and the pollo (chicken) varieties. I also opted for the rice and beans platter special because it was mid-​afternoon and I was hungry. It was $ 5.99 for the plate. With two Bissell Bucolias (always a local micro on tap, too!), I was still in and out for less than $ 15 bucks.
Hella Good serves their tacos in double corn tortillas, which I like. The meat and chicken were accompanied with cabbage and cilantro, and I think the chicken had verde salsa.
I like the vibe sitting at the counter. If Josh isn’t slammed, he’ll talk with the regulars and Melissa also knows how to engage with their customers.
While Hella Good Tacos isn’t downtown, it’s still pretty darn close, plus there’s parking in the lot.
Oh, and the sign outside still says Steve and Renee’s, so don’t let that fool you.
Anxious to try a burritto on my next visit, although it’s hard to pass on their tacos.

I discovered Hella Good Tacos at the Old Port Festival June 2011. I’ve been a loyal fan of Josh, his hard-​working and committed family, and his delicious Mexican food since then. Finally, after years of waiting (and I have been… patiently for the most part, but you have no idea how thrilled I was when I found out I could come sit at a counter, drink a beer, and stuff my face consistently without hunting for this former «Easter egg» of food cart), HGT has a brick and mortar to call home.
Is it perfect? No. Do I care? No. For the most part, Hella Good Tacos consistently puts out delicious, thoughtful food and has — always at its core — been all about family and community. These are all things I can get behind.
To start with, Hella Good Tacos is (IMHO) revolutionizing Mexican food in Portland for vegetarians… very few places offer anything but vegetables or rice and beans as a «filling» or «protein» source for us. That isn’t what I crave when I crave Mexican. What I crave is something spicy, something hearty, something filling. And that HGT has soy chorizo? IT’S AMAZING. Sure, I can make soy chorizo burritos at home… only I don’t. Because they never come out as good as when Josh (specifically) makes them. (Okay, I know it’s just soy chorizo, cheese, lettuce, onions, rice, beans… but as everyone knows [especially if you’ve ever read this:
, putting them together in just the right amounts and layers can be difficult. Hella Good does it effortlessly with total perfection.)
And Josh hasn’t upped the price on his food stuff since moving into his Washington Street location. For under $ 20, my cohort and I can each have a burrito, a couple beers, and a staggering amount of homemade fried tortilla chips (which I believe are complimentary).
And can we talk about that salsa bar for a second? I believe there’s only one other Mexican place in Greater Portland doing it… but it’s historically filthy, and they actually watch you like a hawk to make sure you’re not taking too much. The salsa bar at HGT is plentiful, fresh, clean… and I can indulge in gluttony and take as many limes as I darn well please. Besides limes, I always get the salsa verde and the ranchero. Ever put those two together on a chip? Mind blowing experience, friends.
Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. And yum.
Hella Good is STILL doing it hella good here in the 207.

Authentic? Not according to my taste buds that have experienced the real deal in Southern California and Mexico. I suggest that people from New England visit the southwest area of the nation prior to deciding wheather this is «authentic.»
Over and over again have I gotten disappointed by the Mexican cuisine in Portland. I’ve even gone back through my other reviews to adjust my ratings according to my expectations of what Portland has to offer.
This place is decent. Big portions for the prices. The service is great and friendly. It’s just not the same taste as you would get back in SoCal. It may be due to the ingredients that they get from the New England area because according to another Unilocaler’s review, the owners are from Cali.
Also, I found it very amusing how people are so surprised about the free-​for-​all salsa bar. I’ve grown accustomed to having a salsa bar throughout my life and it’s become an expectation when I go to taco joints back home. Hearing the waitress mention to customers that there’s a salsa bar reminds me that the East coast is way far behind the food curve when it comes to having diverse cuisines (just like its healthcare system in Maine).
The «carne» (= «meat») in the carne asada burrito were bland and overpowered by loads of beans. The tamale was surprisingly good and all it needed was some hot sauce. The salsa bar is just as how I remember it back home and it’s actually a relief to see that they have this here.
Overall, would I come here again? If I crave the closest thing to «authentic» in Portland, Maine, then yes I would. However, to crave something as sub-​par to what I’ve experienced back home, then no.
My advice to the owners is to see how they prepare their food back home in Cali because there’s just something that’s missing. Possibly bring over carne asada fries??? If you’ve lived in SoCal, you should know that carne asada fries are everyone’s favorite.