Wahoo’s Fish Taco

Im sad knowing I can never eat here again. So many awesome memories here. Why did you have to go Wahoo’s. Im Sad that I had to finding out on Unilocal :(

I’ll miss this place heard its closing
Cheese enchiladas are the best. Are they having a closing party

Best fish tacos in SoCal. Prior to moving to Nor Cal. wahoos was and still is a family favorite. Try the grill fish tacos, they are perfect. My hapa boy loves the Maui bowl and the rice. We always stop at the Valencia location on the way out of So Cal as our last piece of home before heading by to crunchy granola Nor Cal.

I went here for the first time a couple days ago.
It’s located in the middle of a plaza and across from the mall. There was hardly anyone there and there’s plenty of seating. Everything is plastered with stickers and the TVs were playing BMX and surf videos. I know this is a chain, with the original in the OC, but the whole environment just seemed try-​hard and unauthentic. I was pretty turned off the moment I walked in.
The cashier was slow and confused and had to keep asking his coworker what to do. He also repeated all of three of our orders wrong. I’m guessing he’s new (I hope) so I’d cut him some slack. There were also only a few people working and it seemed like one guy (the one who had helped the cashier) was the only one who knew what he was doing.
On to the food… I ordered fish and carnitas tacos. Both were delicious, but the fish was just a little dry. For the fish tacos, you can choose original or cajun flavored. The cajun, of course, is spicy. The flavors were good, especially with that sauce they put on it. The tortillas hold up well and the ingredients tasted fresh. My friends also had good experiences with their food, which included chicken taquitos and a fish taco combo plate.
I would definitely come here again for the food if it wasn’t so much out of my way. Otherwise, I nice little gem for the Valencia community.

Wahoo’s whoohoo… You can never go wrong here. Hawaii inspired foods. My favorite here is the #8 Wahoo’s Bowl. It’s Grilled Fish, White Rice, Black Beans, and extra salsa. I’ve also had the fish tacos and they were excellent. Great portions, clean and friendly staff and love that they give you stickers! I love it.

I’ve been to a couple Wahoo’s locations in the Bay Area, so I know what to expect: sticker-​plastered walls, vintage surfing videos, and delicious fish tacos, burritos, and enchiladas that don’t pretend to be Mexican. I usually love the experience.
But today I was disappointed by the Valencia joint. I got a shrimp enchilada combo per usual, but the rice was dry and the beans were totally bland. No salt, no spices, nada. I ended up throwing away my plate after a few bites and doing lunch at Whole Foods instead. Not the quality of food I’m used to at Wahoo’s :(Hopefully it was just a bad batch of food.

Man do the people who run this place have people fooled.

Great freakin Shrimp tacos.
The beer hit the spot too.
Wasn’t feeling the rice though :/

Man, where has my mind been? I cannot believe I haven’t yet written a review for Wahoo’s Valencia yet, the Northern-​most location of Wahoo’s in So Cal, as the crow flies.
Having lived in Costa Mesa in the 1980’s and doing a lot of road biking along the Coast, I frequently ate at Wahoo’s (the chain started out in OC). This Valencia location remains faithful to the surfer food credo, and captures the feel of a surfer shack/​party/​flop-​house located on the North Shore, with something tasty cooking in the kitchen (although in Valencia, you’re 30 miles away from the beach; the looping videos of surfers and skateboarders can almost make you forget that fact).
Many prior reviewers apparently don’t understand that Wahoo’s isn’t trying to be «authentic Mexican Food» but is actually a fusion, well before there was even the category of ‘fusion foods’: a blend of Brazilian, Mexican, and Asian influences, the constant is that the ingredients are clean, fresh and healthy, the kind of nutritious food surfers need to conquer the big waves at Mavericks.
So that said, I’m in a rut ordering at Wahoo’s, as I always end up ordering the same thing: a two-​taco combo, where the cook mixes a protein source (typically, carne asada or chicken) with bonzai veggies; I go with corn tortillas, brown rice, and black beans. Having the cook mix the veggies and meat is apparently a distinctive-​enough request because I only go there once every few weeks, and they always know my order: that’s pretty cool, in my book.
(It’s interesting to see that they do experiment with the menu, eg there’s that «cole slaw taco» thing rolling out at the end of May. So even though I’m content not to expand my dietary horizons, Wahoo’s isn’t resting on their laurels, or playing it safe.)
Like most reviewers say, they don’t serve you and disappear, but come back and ask how the food is, if there’s anything else you need, etc. They really seem to care about what they do (esp Gerardo), so kudos for that! That kind of attention to detail is no accident, but reflects strong management.
So if you’re looking for food that is healthy and doesn’t leave you feeling drained and in need of a nap afterwards, then Wahoo’s is a great call.

LOVE the shrimp tacos. They are consistently good… never bad.

(Dined 02÷15÷13 F @ 1pm): Something fishy’s going on here, and that’s a good thing!
Work’s been hell and some of us needed to get out, vent, and throw back some drinks in a casual setting for lunch but far enough away from the office so we wouldn’t run into anyone. So, Wahoo’s Fish Tacos seemed like a perfect place located in the Valencia Crossroads Shopping Center directly across Valencia Blvd. from the Westfield Valencia Town Center.
It was my first time at this location, but from what I could tell, it’s basically like all the others I’ve grabbed some grinds and brew at over the years. However, I was highly disappointed in the lack of sticker artwork on the walls as it was a tradition to slap one (or a few) on any open available spot. It actually appeared they may have scraped some off which was flat-​out rude if you asked me.
Well, mission accomplished and my colleagues and I abandoned ship to regain our sanity if only for an hour or so. We pondered the menu on the wall for a brief moment of time before we ordered. The marketer in me usually fell for catchy headlines, titles, names, cool labels, etc., so with that being said, I ordered the Three-​Minute-​Burrito with blackened fish ($ 5.79) and a bottle of Dos Equis beer ($ 3.75). I opted against the beer-​of-​the-​month special, Heineken, which was cheaper. Come on, any self-​respecting person had to drink a Mexican cerveza with this grub. No need to mention what my colleagues ordered for this review since they got a plate of fish tacos and a beer, respectively.
With our brews in hand, we grabbed a table towards the back with a TV and room to spread out. Man, that first swig hit the spot and I honestly didn’t care much for my pending food after that. One colleague got her food rather quickly but mine took longer than its namesake. I eventually got my burrito but I babied my beer which I finished half of it at this point. My burrito looked and smelled really good so I grabbed it off the plate and took a monster bite. This sucker was also packed with white rice, cheese, and green sauce all held together in a flour tortilla. It came with a small side of salsa which I used up quickly. I hoped for a school of fish inside my burrito but it was more like a couple stragglers. The fish had a nice spiciness and light crunchiness to it. Everything tasted very fresh and healthy, and although I finished it, I should’ve stayed with my usual fish tacos.
The service was very good as they were ready to take our order immediately (but we weren’t quite ready), and when we finally were, it was a quick, courteous, and easy transaction. However, my «three-​minute burrito» was the last to be delivered to our table. It was more like a ten-​minute burrito.
Parking was ample as there were plenty of free spots throughout this huge outdoor mall. There was no street parking but it wasn’t necessary. As for us, we walked across the street so we built up our appetites and then walked some of the food off on the way back. A perfect situation.
Overall, Wahoo’s Fish Tacos has been a favorite of mine since I first experienced them in high school after surfing and bodyboarding sessions down n the O.C., and I’ve happily followed them as they made their way to the L.A. area over the years. I found very good value based on the prices and service noted above (total bill was around $ 10.00 before tip). The atmosphere/​décor was simple with many tables and chairs throughout, plenty of natural light came through the window walls, not as many surfing or action sports pictures like other locations I’ve frequented, and there were a couple TVs. The attire was totally casual, so it it weren’t for work, I would’ve been in a t-​shirt, boardshorts, and flip-​flops. And they accepted my credit card of choice… AMEX!

Sorry guys you pass plenty of better places before you get to this one
I tried both types of fish tacos and they were both dry and flavorless
The nachos were lackluster at best, they just threw beans and meat on top of chips.
I should have stayed home and made it myself or just stopped at a number of different places before this

I work a lot in the Santa Clarita area and have patronized this Wahoo’s more times than I can recall over the last four years. I’m not complicated; I just want two fish tacos, white rice, and black beans. The good ol’ #2 combo. And it is consistently fantastic. Every time I get it it’s delicious and just as delicious as every other time I’ve gotten it. I wish they didn’t downsize the portions for takeout, because sometimes I want to just take it back to my hotel instead of eating in the restaurant and I don’t like having the smaller portions, but whatever.
However, this Wahoo’s is not like every other Wahoo’s. No, this one is different. Why? Because I use 5 – 6 lime wedges every time I eat at any Wahoo’s. I put lime on the tacos, on the rice, and on the beans. And every single Wahoo’s I’ve been to ONLY puts out lemon wedges. You have to ask them to bring you limes and they inevitably bring you really thin wedges. Not this one. This one puts out lemon AND lime wedges, so you can pick the ones you want and not have to wait around for the servers to bring them to you while your food sits there beckoning to you to give in already. That makes this… greatest Wahoo’s ever.

If you like fish I recommend the Maui bowl with grilled fish. You get a large piece of thin cut white fish with nice grill marks and a portion that covers the diameter of the bowl.
For beef I recommend the Maui bowl — grilled teriyaki beef slices.
Both bowls are served on top of your choice of brown or white rice. The white rice is lightly seasoned and quite tasty.
Either bowl comes with black or pinto beans. Portions are generous and the service is good.
Try this place and check out all the stickers slapped all over the restaurant.

I often come here for lunch and I have to say it’s always consistent. The staff is always friendly and the food always comes out nice and hot. I tend to stick to the fish tacos, since it is a fish taco joint, but the other proteins are equally delicious. if you’ve never had it, try the tofu. It’s silky, but has a nice crisp shell on the outside. Everything on the menu is good.
Also, be sure to check out the $ 1.95. Don’t know where you can grab a couple of tacos, rice, beans and a beer for less than $ 10.

Good «American Mexican» style food… Yes!
Cheap beer deals… Yes!
Quick and good service… Yes!
Cool atmosphere… Yes!

The spouse and I love this place, but calling it Mexican is like calling something made out of ground turkey a burger: the food at Wahoo’s is light and fresh and simple. More Baja style really. You don’t and won’t find fried and greasy. Instead, it’s fresh and well seasoned with light sauces and simple ingredients. Portions are good sized and the rice is muy deliscioso!
We always go for the beer ala dia tambien! It’s a deal at under two dollars a bottle and it’s always ice cold.
Finally, the folks who work at Wahoos are genuinely nice, upbeat, happy humans and the place is never crowded.
Check it out! (we told you so!)

I like the california surfer atmosphere of wahoos. The staff is nice. I love the cheeses enchiladas and my daughter likes the pork bowl. I do not recommend the chicken. I ordered it twice and it was undercooked both times. If you order for take out, be sure to check your food before you go. Twice I was given the wrong order after calling it in.
The restroom is usually ok. It is hard to tell if the place is clean because it is covered in stickers.

So, we’re moving from Simi Valley to Valencia this weekend. (Which means I’ll be without internet for 4 or 5 days too…) We made a few car trips back and forth, and decided to pop into Wahoo’s for a couple of fish tacos and some cold beers. I went for the Cajun Fish Tacos and Honey had a couple Carne Asada Tacos. They have a «Beer of the Month» which sells for $ 1.95 per beer. June is Primo Beer. Unfortunately they had sold out of Primo Beer the day we were there, but the wonderful cashier said she could give us ice-​cold Newcastles for the $ 1.95 price. Yes! They were freezing and with the temp outside hitting 100 degrees, they totally hit the spot.
The Cajun Fish Tacos had just the right amount of spice and kick. They really pack a lot into their tacos and I was full with two of them ala carte.
The Carne Asada Tacos looked great. They had lettuce instead of cabbage on the fish tacos. Honey said they were delicious and filling.
If we didn’t have to get back to Simi Valley, we would have enjoyed hanging out longer with another round of beers and some chips and salsa. We plan on doing that next time ;)

Décor: skateboards and surfboards hanging from the rafters, thousands (literally) of surf/​skateboard stickers covering the walls (why paint when you can sticker?), posters of Roxy, Quicksilver, Billabong, Dakine, etc., and emo music pumped in LOUD.
Food: Kind of a Mexican and Asian combo — which sounds wacky but is pretty good.
Fave: The carne asada taco combo, with steamed seasoned white rice & black beans. The steak taco (s) are perfect, the black beans are good, and the white rice (vs. the normally dry Mexican rice you usually get in Mexican restaurants) is tasty and different.