Salsa’s Taco Bar

Super bland, kind of expensive. The portions are huge, but we didn’t even bother taking our leftovers.

Get the supreme burrito with carne asada, it’s an extra buck-​something now but it’s worth it, it’s so delicious. (Especially on Sunday afternoons).

So far the best Mexican food I’ve had in Santa Cruz! I’ve lived in SC for 20 years and have eaten at every Mexican food place around and this one tops my list.

Really really good Mexican food. Did you know you can buy a five pound California burrito here? I almost did just to say I got one. I got the mini one instead and it was fantastic. Great food great service, will definitely come again

Hmm well let’s start with customer service. I ordered a supreme chicken burrito and 10 minutes later it still wasn’t ready. 3 kids walk in and it turns out one of the workers is their mother. They get there food I’m less than 5 minutes. Yes, I know what you’re thinking… wtf?! The only reason I decided to give this place a try is cause it’s close to where I live. Definitely not impressed with customer service.
Food: their breakfast burrito is okay. Nothing more to say on that. The chicken supreme burrito… well I’m still waiting for it –_​_​–

Probably the best taqueria in Santa Cruz. I’m calling it. Their specialty burritos are amazing and diverse. Johnny’s Burrito as well as the (mini) California burrito are my regular choices. The nachos as well as the quesadillas and enchiladas are a favorite of my friends. The place is pretty small so I usually order for take out. They have a wide variety of salsas and the chips are provided with each order and are also quite delicious (and crispy!). If I’m taking people out for a bit before hitting the beach, this is a great choice. The service is quick and friendly as well.

Went back again on this trip. A bit more expensive and carnita mini taco pork were not as tasty. Meat a bit bland.

Exactly what I was looking for. Comida autentica ! Fantastic, homemade salsas from mild to scorching. Fish tacos, burritos, etc. fresh and tasty everything. And great service by the owner and his family.
Add this one to your list !

Food was really good, i had the cheese burger with fries and it was yummy. Although the fries needed a little more seasoning. Had to wait a while because it was busy but other than that it’s good.

I am a lover of a REAL chile relleno. Unfortunately, most restaurants use chile’s out of a can which are soggy, mild, and flavorless. But not at Salsa’s Taco Bar — They use fresh chile’s and roast them in-​house. They are fantastic! It would be great if they made a vegan option… hint hint (I don’t always feel like eating a bunch of cheese). The staff here are really friendly, upbeat, and seem to be enjoying themselves. The salsa bar serves fresh salsa’s of all varieties. The only down side for me is that they use plastic to-​go plates. I like to get food to-​go, but we can’t keep throwing plastic away. Plastic does not «go away.» Can you please find an eco-​friendly, biodegradable, compostable container??? Please…

Wow! What an awesome vegan selection! Super stoked on this vast amount of vegan goodies! The 5 pound burrito looks like a 20 pound burrito! It’s massive! I love the sope with a side of beans & rice! My only complaints would be that
1. They aren’t all vegan.
2. The chips they give you were a little bit more in quantity cuz sometimes it’s like literally 10 chips. Even when you pay for them.
Otherwise, this is one of the best taco bars I have ever been to! Highly recommend.

They sport an entire menu of vegan goodness… They have Tofutti Brands Inc. «better than sour cream» (the only publicly traded vegan food maker circa 2015) and Daiya cheese-​alternative.
Question: What could be better than an entire vegan menu in a tex-​mex restaurant?
Answer: A vegan menu with faux meat proteins.
Salsa’s has yet to offer vegan mock meat proteins which is just kinda strange. A 5^th star would be warranted if this protein source came around. Products from Gardein, Beyond Meat, Yves & Tofurkey are available in bulk from restaurant suppliers. It’s cruelty free and provides as much protein as their meat counterparts. it’d be easy for the restaurant to get the new ingredients as well. Vegan vegi-​protein crumbles are similarly easy to find. Places like Dharma’s & Saturn Café all offer vegan mexican dishes currently. In case the business owner/​manager reads this review I’ve supplied a link to a resource that explains exactly how to get these veggie protein bits: The full list of restaurant suppliers is on page 17 here:
Please add these to your menu? Salsa’s is one of the few good ones who understands the vegan clientele. We’d really appreciate it if you did. :-)

I love this place. Yes, the tables do get a bit messy at times, but that is usually because the staff working is swamped with orders and also in charge of having to clean up after everyone. Plus, there is Diet Coke – can’t complain about that!
The salsa options are vast but I wish the chips were also homemade (maybe they are?) because they are pretty bland. Happy to have created a good relationship with the staff, who always make my chilaquiles extra special. Thanks, ladies!

Although there is a great variety and vegan menu the restaurant is just too small. The two ladies cooking were doing a good job but the shrimp quesadilla was light on shrimp and a bit overpriced. The supreme burrito was really big but I do prefer Taqueria Vallarta 2 on 41^st for both of these items. If it weren’t for the coupon on the back of the Savemart receipt I would have gone there instead.

I was hoping it would be good based on the reviews, but it was meh. IDK, maybe relative to other SC restaurants it’s good? Dirty tables, floor, and salsa bar. Salsa just ok. Shrimp tacos, beans, and rice were kind of bland. Shrimp tacos were too fishy.

Besides the food being great, the service was fantastic! There were 6 of us and we all ordered different things. We had our food on our table in about 8 minutes! They checked on us several times, brought us cups for salsa, water, and were just super friendly. Chicken tostada was wonderful. Not huge, but super tasty.

We get chimichangas to go probably once a month. They are HUGE (it usually takes me two days to eat) with a ton of filling options. I call the restaurant ahead of time and they’re usually ready in 10 – 15 minutes. The staff are really friendly, and their selection of salsas is unique and quite tasty. They always accommodate my partner’s request for no cilantro, even going so far as to substitute their guacamole (which has cilantro in it) with fresh sliced avocado on his chimichanga.

Salsa’s is a great place for just grabbing Mexican food to go (or you can sit if you want). It’s a pretty small place and their hours are sometimes really random, but I’ve been there several times and the food is always good!
I like that they have a lot of options, such as different tacos with fish and shrimp, aaand they have a whole menu of vegan options! It’s overall pretty cheap, but the prices seem to fluctuate every now and then.
Also, free chips and salsa bar! Yum!

They have a full vegan menu that includes tortas, enchiladas, tacos, and a handful of other traditional dishes with a vegan spin.
I ordered some chips while waiting for my friend to show up, and was grateful the guy behind the counter didn’t scoff at me when I asked if he could fill up the bowl…
The salsa is a self serve mini bar. I’m always glad when they have a breakdown of what the salsas are and their intensity (yeah, I’m a gringa…). I would prefer if they had reusable bowls instead of trying to dunk my chips into an itty bitty plastic cup. But maybe they’ll change that at some point.
I was surprised to see coconut water offered in their drink case. Not traditional Mexican fare. But it IS Santa Cruz, after all.
The chips were solid. They had a salty flavor to them that I couldn’t place — like it was baked into them instead of just powdered on top. Yum!
I ordered the vegan spinach enchilada plate, which comes with refried beans and rice. Sooooo good. So good! And quick too. The enchiladas were impressively filling. I had to sit in blissful agony and minimize my movements for about an hour after my meal. And I had leftovers!
The place isn’t air conditioned, so it can get a bit warm. But there are a couple tables out on the side if you want to catch a sea breeze during your meal.

Shrimp, Baja taco, regular quesadilla, juice: total 18.3 + 1.85
When we drove to the area, stopped by and ate the yummy taco and britto.
This is the place I could say to eat !!!