Holy Taco! That's exactly how I felt after I had my visit here. Me and my wife decided to stop here for dinner just to see what this place offered. Believe it or not they can make one of the items vegan here which is pretty crazy. I highly recommend getting there taco dinner that they have here and actually skip out on there chips and guac since their taco dinner actually comes with chips and salsa. They use pretty cheap chips by the way. Food wise, the tacos were absolutely delicious and my sides came with a good portion of beans and rice as well besides my chips and salsa. They have a pretty good drink menu as well featuring a great deal of rotating drafts and it even has some hard cider as well for my taste. Staff here was absolutely friendly and social with us throughout our entire time here. The price is here on all the items are absolutely affordable. This place felt very comfortable as well though I do feel bad it gets as quiet as it does at times. Bathrooms here are a little beaten up as well but overall, I highly recommend checking this place out for their food, their drinks and the atmosphere. read more

Authentic! When you eat here you'll know great Mexican food can be had in the hills of Tennessee. We arrived at an off hour and there were few patrons but I think that was about to change on that Friday afternoon. Inside offers a homey, comfortable atmosphere where a solo customer would enjoy as well as a family or group table. The tacos are delicious. read more

Great taco salad and service. Loved the marinated shrimp topping. Nice restaurant interior and fast service. read more

Holy Taco - Holy Taco Salad with tortilla chips and salsas - Mexican Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

Food is average, I didn't have anything that was spectacular but not bad either. Neat ambiance tho for sure. read more

Holy Taco - Mexican Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

See all

love this little gem. Been coming here for weeks now! Always get steak tacos but obviously not today! love Thai pace though and service always good too. read more

Holy Taco - Nachos steak - Mexican Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

Purchased 4 meals for take out. Paid over $60. All the rice was cold and each platter had no more than 6 tortills chips. LITERALLY. The tacos were smaller than a McDonald's wrap! Very surprised they served this. Assumed it could've been due to our late order at 10:15 p.m. Called to rectify the situation. They offered us some rice and chips at a later date. Not the best customer service. read more

I'm sorry I went the holy taco downtown Johnson City was to say the least disappointing I can always eat three tacos. A meal came with two so I ordered the extra one like I always do. I was so hungry also I think that's the only reason I two and threw the other one away. The inside of the restaurant just looked dirty Now I'm talking about the structure of the ceiling, walls and behind the bar. The service was OK but I personally did not like those tacos because it tasted like they had a beef stroganoff mix from hamburger helper with the taco meat. read more

Food was really and came out quickly. Everything tasted great. Even my picky kids cleared there plate. Will definitely be going back! read more

Holy Taco - a plate of nachos - Mexican Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

First time eating here, very nice outside dining and chill atmosphere. I ordered the Southwest nachos and will definitely be getting those again! Service was 4/5. I guess they were busy, but only got checked on twice. Didn't really need much anyway after we ordered, but I would definitely come back. Food was great! read more

Holy Taco - Southeastern nachos are the BEST! - Mexican Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

The skinny marg was super refreshing and the ruby red was spot on!!! We came in for a drink and was served right away! HAPPY 4th to ALL read more

Holy Taco - Skinny Marg & Ruby Red Draft - Mexican Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

The service here was very friendly and quick. The food sorta fell flat. The food was more cold than warm and just ok. I was hoping for alot more considering the reviews. read more

The Holy Taco proved to be a mighty tasty place to eat in downtown JC. It came recommended and my friend and I figured we'd give it a shot. I'm glad we did. It's a quaint a little place with a few TV's and a bar. The location is hard to beat as it's within a stone's throw of pretty much everything else in JC. The service wasn't great but certainly could have been worse. Our server always seemed to be running around but it would it would take her awhile to get to us. Mildly annoying but nothing to get bent out of shape about. The fact that she was hustling all of the time made it a lot easier to accept. The food was far and away better than I would have expected. I had the taco platter and we got the chips and guacamole to start. Both were really solid. I was expecting something par for the course but this was a pleasant surprise. They also have a basket full of various types of hot sauces to choose from. The prices were decent and the portions reasonable. They had a few drink specials which were also a plus. I'd absolutely return if given the chance. read more

Holy Taco - Mexican Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

The good: margaritas were $3 and tasted great. The decor was fun and my friend using an app on her phone was able to play songs she chose. The queso on my tacos had a great flavor! For vegetarians, they have tofu and mushroom options. The not so good: I found $9 for what I ordered to be a bit pricey. I hear there is a good lunch special though and I would consider returning for that. The tacos themselves were kind of plain (tofu and queso) and there wasn't much filling in the two tacos. My husband and I both thought the beans on the side were bland and kind of gross in texture. The rice was okay. There was a tiny side of chips and two small salsas (red and green). Service was kind of slow. Overall, I though this place was okay. If I do return, it'll be for a lunch special. read more

Holy Taco - Tofu taco platter $9 - Mexican Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

Probably my favorite mexicano cuisine I have had in Johnson City so far. The menu is limited but taste delicious and is reasonably priced. They have great taco lunch specials as well as excellent margaritas which is really important when eating at a tacoria. I love their guacamole! The atmosphere is real chill and they have a private outdoor patio as well. The staff is friendly. Highly recommend for a great downtown dining/bar experience. read more

Holy Taco - Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

See all

I like this place I've only been here 5-6 times but they have been consistently good. Not sure why everyone likes that nasty white creamy cheese sauce but i don't like it. so if you're not a fan of the east coast cheese sauce definitely ask that they not put any on. Guarantee west coast Mexican food will never have that kummy sauce in it. I usually get their steak and egg breakfast burritos always on point. Service has always been good. Tall booths and plenty of seating. Their north location next to the food city is good too. read more

Chorizo queso was to die for (literally). Each of my friends for the taco platter, and they were all delicious. Plus we happened to show up on the night they were having Singo, so there wasn't a second we were bored there. Great place! read more

My family moved to the area a couple months ago. Holy Taco was recommended to us, and it did not disappoint. My wife had the Nasty Nachos (that's the menu name) with Carne Asada. It was delicious. Best Carne Asada either of us have ever had. Our children had Tacos with Mezclar le Carne. They enjoyed the tacos. The kids meal came with their own chips and cheese dip, which they also enjoyed. I had a burrito with Mezclar le Carne. It was very good. We also had the Our Kind of Queso and Chips. The queso was delicious. Definitely coming here again. Great service. Nice people. read more

We loved the cheese dip. Also the carne asada taco was amazing. Very spicy steak. Not for the faint at heart. The pollo taco was awesome too. The chicken wasn't as spicy as the steak but still very flavorful. We sat out on the patio with a huge party with 7 kids. The server was so great with us and the wild children. Full bar menu. You can order a la Carte. We really enjoyed it. The food is definitely worth checking out. And the prices are very inexpensive. read more

See all

In or around Johnson City and looking for a place to grab a drink, a quick and tasty meal, or to meet up with friends? Holy Taco & Cantina is the answer to your prayers, delivering cold beverages and a plethora of Mexican delights from the "Holy Guacamole" to the burritos. Located in the heart of downtown, snag an easy parking spot on the street and head on in. Not only does Holy Taco have a range of local brews, but they also offer margaritas and other mixed drinks as well. As for the food, consider starting off with some of the thick, Southern-style queso, which is a blend of queso blanco and smoked gouda cheeses with mezclar la carne (a mix of fresh ground chorizo and ground beef). Then maybe order some tacos, which do typically come with flour tortillas, but for a slight upcharge can be wrapped in blue corn. Fillings run the gamut from the more typical Carnitas to the Thai Portobello. In addition, those craving a bit more heat can spruce up their plate with a choice of hot sauce from the basket of options they offer. TVs, a juke box, and all kinds of events only add to the list of reasons to check out Holy Taco & Cantina. Definitely a praiseworthy choice when you are in the area! read more

I have been here several time. They have great food & kind workers -- Couldn't ask for anything else!

I had stayed away from this spot since the menu looked so meat focused. Met up there for an event recently and I am now hooked. It turns out the owner is making his menu more vegetarian friendly. I ordered the taco salad with the tofu and the cilantro dressing. It was wonderful. I was also able to try the guacamole and I am in love. I will have to return and ask for the queso without the meat because that looks delicious. The patio is such a nice spot to sit and enjoy a meal. I spoke to the owner on my way out. He said it isn't on the menu yet but they have portobello mushrooms as an option and named a few more vegetarian items that are coming. Yum, now I'm craving a taco salad. They may need to happen tonight. read more

Holy Taco - Holy taco salad with tofu - Mexican Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

See all

Flipping delicious! Great location in downtown Johnson City with easy street parking. The prices are good for the amount of food you get. I got the burrito plate with tofu and it was really delicious. We also got the guacamole and chips appetizer, also delicious. Both of my friends really enjoyed their meals. Our server was very kind and helpful-and tolerant of our continual questions. If you're into music you can download the jukebox app and pick some songs out to make your meal even better. read more

Hands down the best tacos and atmosphere for eating tacos in Johnson City. Yes this is more a bar then a restaurant - it used to be a bar with live music before Holy Taco arrived. What you can expect is the best prices on tacos anywhere and really great quality. You can also expect a full bar and cheap beer. Really not much to not like here .. everyone loves tacos and they have plenty to choose from. This is a no brainer for an inexpensive meal and a few brews. There is no better place around if that is what you are looking for. In good weather they have a patio out back to enjoy as well. Give it a try you won't be disappointed. I gave it 5 stars because it is exactly what it is supposed to be - no more, no less. read more

See all

We with here on a recommendation from someone honestly it was OK but I wouldn't go back. The beer was almost room temperature. I asked for a cold beer and they said all the beer was the some temperature read more

Good, fun atmosphere. Very good handcrafted margaritas! Very! Chips & queso was good but could use a bit more heat, as in jalapeños. I had a burrito & a taco. Carnita & carne asada respectively. Not a burrito fan at all - ordered it on a whim - but this one I'd order again. Taco was darn good. Guy with me ordered a tamale & carnita taco. Based on how his plate cleaned up, he was a happy diner too. I'm back next time I'm in the area! read more

Any food you eat when you are drunk tastes good. This is Holy Taco's selling point. My wife and I are always looking for good Mexican restaurants. We tried one in JOCY and it is a small place with minimum seating, and when going back, it was full and we decided to try Holy Taco this time, instead of waiting for a to-go order and parking to eat. This was our first time there and both of us do not drink alcohol, yet, we knew it was a cantina style place, this didn't bother us for a first time try; other places, both in Elizabethton and JOCY we often go to serve alcohol, as well. But, when we walked in, being it was a Saturday for Lunch and we were too hungry to wait in a crowded small place and also waiting for food, we went ahead to Holy Taco. There were about 6 tables with people, and some were leaving. This is certainly a bar atmosphere, when we walk in you can actually smell the bar wells, perhaps from last night's college rush. This was our first red-flag. Next was after being asked for a drink order and receiving menus(it wasn't immediately when we sat down that this happened) we ordered and waited, without chips, salsa, or ordering any appetizers. We literally waited forour order for more then 15 or 20 minutes, the grill counter was right in front of us. They used unwashed rags when serving ready to eat foods after wiping the counters down, and using their hands to load the plates; this left us with Questions to ask after receiving our food many minutes later, no drink refills (Regular Iced Tea): Did DoorDash Deliver their food in the Back Door? The Steak tacos I ordered seemed to be as if, they ordered Steak tacos from Taco Bell, pulled a tortilla from a bag and half filled the rest and made two, and wrapped them on the grill counter in aluminum foil. My wife noticed one guy telling the other on the grill that he forgot to unwrap the plastic from her Tamales, she let me taste, and it was over microwaved, dry and similar to the frozen tamales from Food City. (which is next door) Each plate had beans and rice and I ask about the beans: Will the Museum of Modern man accept my beans for their next display exhibit? The plate would be perfect next to the "Planting Maze" exhibit-Titled, "Yaqui Indian tribe planting Beans for next season" The beans were crunchy, undercooked with an after taste similar to a sweet shellac smell. These beans would certainly stay preserved for the next 100 years displayed in the exhibit as long as it was regularly sprayed with Raid. (Further about the beans: When you go to Dairy Queen and get the Sundae and they turn it upside down, right? Need I say more about the beans?) The rice was undercooked and crunchy, as well. It seemed to be over seasoned with Chef Paul's Blackened Redfish Magic seasoning. The only thing that I can gather from the other Yelp reviews giving Holy Taco 5 stars is the following: The first thing when you walk into Holy Taco would be the host, bartender, waitress, etc, asking you to give them good rated comments for free booze, because the reviews are contrary to what the food actually is with bad taste and texture; it was cold and unpalettable . It cost us more than 30 dollars; and I can get hotter food from an easy bake oven- and that little girl that served us was using a 40 watt light bulb! A 40 watt bulb! One more thought is this: Imagine the old Cantinas in such movies like The Good ,the Bad , the Ugly, the first thing that goes down on the table is a large bottle of Tequila, Beers in a bucket (are you with me?) Then you are drinking and twenty minutes later you you are way to high and put your food order in. Well they always say to have some food in your stomach when you are drinking , but I also would eat just about anything when I was a slobbering drunk. Some drunks would even get by on the Turkey/Giblets -easy opening canned Dog Food they recently bought at Sams Club just to get home. Being in Theater Production most of my life working, I have been to some great Mexican Restaurants across the whole country. I have also been to C health-rated dives, or roach coaches and managed to escape with at least good taste, heat and flavor. Holy Taco gets a - 10 + -10 (a new low in all my travels) read more

Soooo good! Got the southwest nachos with carnitas and was enough to share with my hubby as a whole meal. Highly recommended! Sit on the quaint little patio out back and enjoy a cold brew while watching the world go by. We will visit again soon! read more

Holy Taco - Southwest nachos with carnitas. Yum!!! - Mexican Near Me - Johnson City, Tennessee

Just got two tacos from them downtown. They were very dried out with no cheese on them. I open them up, and the chicken was dried up and hard. I'm guessing old meat. Well I threw them away because I can't get food poisoning again from tacos! read more

Yum! Best tamale I've had in a long time! Shrimp tacos were great too. A very nice surprise to find good Mexican food in Johnson City. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and service. Tortilla chips were crisp, guacamole was delish, and nice assortment of tequilas. Check it out. I've heard they are opening a second location, with a patio. I think it will do well since the food is so good. read more

I would give them LESS than a ONE if I could..I am very UNHAPPY with their service. My husband and I stopped in today, Saturday Sept 7th after attending the "TREE DISTRICT" Community Yard Sale. So, we decided to stop and walk around downtown Johnson City and we were displeased with three locations...But by far this was the worst one of the three... Tony and I went into the Catina and we were really excited about trying it out. It had a great atmosphere!! The girl behind the bar was extremely busy and she shouted across the room, I will be with you in a second....so we sat down and looked at the menu. She never did take our drink orders. But she was busy!!! Then another couple came in and sit behind us..and she yelled the same to them!! Both of our tables continued to set there about 10 minutes..then this guy came out of the kitchen..and apparently knew the other couple..Immediately took their order for the drinks and then brought them over to them, took their food order and went back to the kitchen..NEVER even looking our way!!! The lady behind the bar continued to laugh and talk to the men at the bar she was making drinks for..she was swamped but she could have at least yelled to us..what do you want to drink????? she was yelling everything else!!! So we sit for another 5 minutes, the guy brought out the shrimp taco and the other tacos that the guy ordered...and then went back to the kitchen...AGAIN..never even making any notice as if we were there!!! I looked at my husband and said...ARE we INVISIBLE? so we walked out...I yelled at the lady "Thanks for nothing"...and no remark back!!! If this is how they are going to do business on SATURDAYS during FOOTBALL season...GOOD LUCK!!! I am relocating to Johnson City soon, and I will give them ONE MORE CHANCE...but if it is another BAD experience...I will YELP IT ALL OVER TOWN!!!! and the INTERNET...if its much better..then I will cancel out this review!!!! I know everyone should have a second chance, and every one has busy and bad days...but the guy taking care of his friends and NOT us....UNACCEPTABLE !!! read more

Probably THE best patio in Johnson City! The patio is a very cool old city lot with partially exposed bricks, ivy climbing the wall, and these great ladies that bring you a cold beer or cocktail whenever you want one. David Lee Roth must've had a premonition of the Holy Taco & Cantina patio when he penned the lyrical masterpiece, "Thiiiiiis Must Be Juuuuust Like Livin' in Par-a-diiiiiise!" There are tables with sun umbrellas, which you might need for the occasionally sly Tri Cities Pigeon, a local species that has evolved to have precise military grade weaponry guidance systems in their crap. I shit you not. Well, OK maybe a little bit. The food has always been good and sometimes great. 10 years ago they would've had the best Mexican food in town, but it's just too competitive now for me to say that. They do cater and I totally recommend HT&C catering for an event. We've had them a couple times and really, WHO DOESN'T LOVE A TACO BAR? I'll tell you one thing, Mister, I don't want to know that person. They must've struggled when they opened based on these reviews here. My advice is to give it a chance, drink a margarita or a shot of tequila, have a cerveza and put off your troubles 'til manana. read more

Food was phenomenon. Started with the chips and queso and some guacamole...queso had chopped up chorizo in it which made it fantastic. I got a steak burrito with added shrimp to it for my entree which was also amazing. Giving three stars though because out server just assumed I didn't need change back and kept everything I gave him. I'm a good tipper, but assuming I'm giving you $8 on a $17 tab is a bit bold. I'll go back, but I'll definitely be sure the server and I are on the same page when I pay for my bill. read more

I can't quite grasp the bad reviews for this place. Do people expect Cheesecake Factory-size portions when they order tacos? It's absolutely bonkers. Stopped by for lunch on a Saturday and had no problems with service even though there only appeared to be one server. We had two babies in our group, which can be a bit of a handful, but our server handled them with ease. We ordered the bean dip for an appetizer, which was pretty standard but had a nice little kick to it with chopped jalapeños mixed in. I had a margarita, and two tacos -- the pescado and the camaron. Holy Taco has a great lunch deal where two tacos (plus chips and salsa) is only $4. Margarita was tasty and fresh, but I was really impressed with the tacos. The shrimp were cooked in a yummy avocado-based sauce, and the fish came in a blue corn tortilla -- a pleasant surprise! Someone else in the group got the bill, so I can't attest to the price, but overall the experience was great for a little hole-in-the-wall Tex-Mex place in NE Tennessee. read more

Ate here today for a friend's fundraiser. Great buffet and the pork tacos were great. The patio is an awesome spot! Definitely will be back here for an after work drink. read more

I have been going to Holy Taco for a while now and it's always a good time spent with friends paired with an awesome atmosphere and great food. read more

We had a good waiter and other staff also went around filling drinks... service was fast and order came out very quickly ....A+++++ on that Now the food ...ordered Mezclar La Carne ..1st time trying this combo of meats and will order this again ..great job Green salsa ...made as good as any Red salsa ..., actually tasted like marinara sauce Carnitas...was a insult to the 1000's of street taco vendors of the world ..bland dry are two of the best words I can use read more

Get the nachos!! This place rocks! Great service and even better food! Love it here. Indoor and outdoor seating available.

I don't understand the terrible reviews for this place. Yes, it is a dive place, but their food is very, very good. They have a great $6 lunch special (2 tacos, chips, and a drink). People bring kids in during lunch. It is a non-smoking establishment, but they have a great patio in the back with its own bar. The staff is also really nice. Helpful hint: if they are super busy sit at the bar. Overall, I love the atmosphere of this place. Their skinny margarita is also very good. They offer a tequila shot with cinnamon and an orange slice that I am now obsessed with. They generally have a very good selection of beers on tap. Give it a chance! read more

Boones Creek location- Great service but poor experience with the food today. I had fish & shrimp tacos. The corn tortilla for the fish tacos was soggy. The pico looked old, and the flavor was bland and very fishy. The shrimp taco wasn't much better, it was a flour taco with about 5 baby shrimp. My wife ordered the steak quesadilla, I was equally unimpressed with it. The beer selection and service was great though. Very limited menu for the kids! read more

Great place!! Give all the staff more money!! Especially laci and James rob and all the others working the bar