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An expensive taco place with $5 tacos with little seating inside (self serve) and counter style ordering. There is extra seating outside and the food is brought to you as well as taken away. I tried the crispy shrimp taco, fish taco, gobernador, costra taco, and the Sonoran taco. The shrimp, fish, and gobernador tacos are bland in different ways. The fish is just straight up bland with a lot of pickled red onions but not a lot of other flavors to help the fish stand out. Not sure if they went light on the crema but it needed something else. The shrimp taco's guajillo salsa overpowers the shrimp and I wasn't a huge fan of the flavor. The gobernador has a soy sauce salsa on the taco which sounded interesting but tasted just like soy sauce and grilled fish which I wasn't a fan of. The costra taco needed some kind of salsa to cut the greasiness from the cheese as there is only cheese, onion, and meat on there. The Sonoran taco was pretty good but a bit too salty. As a side note, the water they have is absolutely awful. It tastes so bad I spit it out and didn't drink any of it. It is truly some of the most horrendous water I've ever had the displeasure of tasting. I hesitate to call it potable. It must be a war crime to serve water this bad even to prisoners. The spot seems to have nice vibes but I wouldn't come back for the food especially looking at the price.
Some of the best Mexican food I've had!! Really enjoyed everything we tried, all of the tacos were good, and so were the fried pork skins. I loved their horchata, and their strawberry horchata was so unique and delish! It's a cute spot too, and staff was very friendly!
This place is the best for taco Tuesdays. All day happy hour makes this spot super affordable and the tacos are incredible. They just got added on InKind as well so you can use your rewards here! Paid parking is limited out front so recommend walking from E Portland St.
A friend and I came here to catch up and we enjoyed the affordable aspect of this place as well as the vibe! Since this establishment offered various types of tacos, we tried a bit of different kinds and overall enjoyed the differences in taste and texture. Specifically, I thought the sonoran taco was very innovative as it involved two kinds of salsa to provide a color juxtaposition, which also offered the carne asada different experiences in flavor. I also enjoyed the costra taco which was made with caramelized cheese over it, offering a pleasant fried flavor on the tortilla itself. The barbacoa taco was very juicy since the beef was very well-made. In contrast, the carne asada taco was a bit dry for some reason, and relied on the avocado salsa for both taste and juiciness. The fish taco didn't have enough fish, and had a lot of batter around the fish along with excessive pickled onion pieces. Since this spot is located in a very nice area, the arts district, I would recommend it to anyone that's around the area. It'd be a nice lunch after visiting the Phoenix Art Museum, which is only a mile away from here!
So good! Awesome happy hour you can't beat. Service is fast! Love coming here before a concert or sports game or before bar hopping around Roosevelt row. The food is great and I always try to get something new each time
Really cool spot in the Ro Ro district! Stopped in today with a buddy and it was a great experience! We came in when happy hour was happening and good thing we snagged a table at 5:30pm, because shortly after, the place was full. I wasnt very hungry as I just had a snack with another friend so only got some chips, salsa, guacamole and also a michelada (they use Tecate light for the beer). The place is pretty busy and trendy and lot of people in here. Was a bit loud as I was literally shouting to my friend. Salsas were good, michelada was good and my friend said his quesadilla with beef was very good. Overall, a great place to chill and hang out on a Friday evening! I'd definitely come back!
I will forever come here every time I make to Phoenix/Scottsdale. Taco shells are made in house and make the tacos elite. They make my tacos just how I ask every time I come, and I make changes! Most recently was last night after a rough rental car situation (avoid NU check those reviews eek) and the bartender was awesome. Quick service, friendly and took my order perfectly. Strawberry lemonade is my absolute favorite and if you know me I'm a lemonade girl. Tacos are perfect, the meat has virtually no weird fat on them like most tacos do. Both carne and chicken. Delicious. I'm here for five days this trip and I'm going back for sure, may end up at the Tempe location too. I should mention the great atmosphere and getting I got, a "welcome in" from the ladies behind the counter as well as the bartender I wish I got his name. Thank you for making my night :)
The environment is really fun and lively. Louder music with an energetic vibe. Unfortunately they only have pastor tacos on Wednesdays which are amazing! Their margaritas are definitely worth it and have a good amount of booze so you'll only need one to two. We went before the baseball game. It was fairly crowded so if you want a table you have to get there and kind of wait for one to become available which I don't love but I get it because their food is so good. I just wish they did service instead of going to the counter to order because waiting in line makes it much more crowded. There are only 7 tables inside with one being a good size for a group of 5 or more. Their veggie taco is my favorite so if you like sweet potatoes give it a try. Next time I'm there I want to try the ceviche. Kinda pricey for the portions but the flavor is there for sure.
This place is so good! I was looking for awesome tacos, and I'm so glad I stopped here. They have an outdoor patio and plenty of seating inside- tables and at the bar. This is a casual spot where you order at the counter and they'll bring the food out to you. They also open at 11:00 and by 11:10 every table was taken. So I'd recommend stopping in when they open or waiting. I ordered the fish tacos, and they were the best tacos I've had. They had huge pieces of fish, cabbage, salad, and more. I could barely hold them. I should've used a fork, but I made it work. I highly recommend stopping here for great tacos!
Had a friend recommend we check this spot out for an all day happy hour on Tuesday and we were so glad we did! We sat right at the bar and everyone was very friendly. I had a regular margarita and it was the perfect refreshing drink after a long day. We also tried each of the tacos on happy hour. The chicken was my favorite but I loved the crispy shrimp too. Ambiance is cool and casual plus they have a patio. Will definitely be back!
We came across this spot while strolling around downtown PHX. It had a steady stream of customers and felt lively and fun. The prices were reasonable, and the staff was friendly and helpful. The restroom is shared with neighboring restaurants, so you'll need to ask for a key. Thankfully, there's a handwashing station right outside if you just need to wash your hands. Review on the food: Chicharrones - Just okay. The guac was made with real avocado but lacked flavor. Chicken & Barbacoa Tacos - My friends really enjoyed them. Crispy Taco - Super messy but pretty good. Carne Asada Quesadillas - Tasty. I liked it. Horchata - DELICIOUS! I really want to try their other house-made agua frescas and margaritas next time. Desserts- I think it was a tres leches with coconut - yummy, not too sweet. Overall, we had a great time hanging out in their outdoor patio. Good food, great vibes. I'd definitely go back for a light bite.
Hunted for some tacos and found some tacos. This is a pay first and eat next kind of establishment where it was super casual with water canteen for you to get your own water as well as plastic utensils. The weather was nice enough to enjoy seating outside in the patio area. Selections chosen: -Chips, salsa, and guacamole appetizer to start -shrimp ceviche- mexican wild shrimp, cucumber, cilantro, tomato, avocado with chips. Nice starter. -Fish tacos- beer battered fish, morita crema, cabbage, pickled onion, and pico de gallo. I enjoyed this taco. -Chicken - adobo style with avocado, sour cream and pico de gallo. -Carnitas (pork)- with onion and cilantro -Carne asada (beef) - avocado salsa, onion, cilantro -crispy tacos (with minced shrimp inside and then topped with tomato salsa, pickled onion, avocado and cabbage). I loved the first crispy taco. And then when I had my 2nd crispy taco where it was not enjoyable anymore. I only was able to eat 1/3 of this until I had the most spiciest pepper seed in my mouth that ruined the rest of the experience and had to load with 3 cups of water with watery eyes and burning mouth. I wasn't hungry anymore. A nice way to curb an appetite. -strawberry horchata- yummy - tres leches de coco - something was lacking as it wasn't as tasty as if it was missing an ingredient. I would like to come back to try the crispy tacos but will need to make sure it doesn't have the spiciest seed as I don't believe there was an indication for something super spicy.
3 years ago
THIS IS NO DOUBT MY FAVORITE TACO JOINT! Everything is on point from the drinks to the food to the ambience! Best part is that it's down the street from my apartment. The beans al Charro are so freaking good I get them every time. My favorite taco here is the Asada! You won't be disappointed coming here and if you are well you are just crazy. Can't wait to come back. I'll be dancing out of there like usual because the music is dope! Thanks again! read more
It looks hip. It's in a hip part of town. So I went for it. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either, and in a city where there's a world of options for good Mexican food, this falls somewhere along the lines of average. The idea is pretty similar to that of a Mexican food truck, but the options more limited; the burrito about half the size of what I'm used to at just under double the price. Quaint little place, and yeah, cool/modern in appearance, but there are better options out there to get my food truck fix. read more
6 years ago
8 years ago
Big difference between when I went during their soft opening and when I went this past Saturday night. During the soft opening mode the fish tacos only had red cabbage. My fish tacos from Saturday night had cabbage, pickled onions, crema, and pico de gallo (everything the menu states). I really wish I would've gotten a picture of my tacos from Saturday because they look significantly different than the picture I already have posted from their soft opening. I've stopped by a few other time, but just for a drink. I'm really glad that Taco Chelo has found their groove and adjusted well past the soft opening/grand opening stages. read more
Business owner information
Suny S.
Andrea,…
Came in on a Tuesday night expecting taco Tuesday deals, but were disappointed since they don't have any extra specials on Tuesday's. We decided to just try a taco each and drinks. We ended up splitting a chips, salsa and guacamole order for the table. The chips were actually very good, crispy and fresh without being overly greasy. The guacamole was good too, a plus since there were no onions in it because I hate onions. The salsa was decent, spicy and it was also the same salsa that accompanied our tacos that arrived shortly thereafter. I got a carne asada taco which I was pleasantly surprised with. The tortilla was sturdy and flavorful amongst all the carne asada and there as avocado garnishing the top, once again without onions! Our drinks took a long time to arrive, but once they did they were good. I got the margarita, a good balance between salty and sweet. Not watered down either. Overall it was a pleasant meal, albeit a little pricy for regular tacos even on a taco Tuesday. We were disappointed they didn't do any taco Tuesday deals, hopefully they may change their ways in the future. read more
7 years ago
Excellent customer service. I ordered a fish taco and my husband a Chorizo torta. Both taste homemade, the chorizo texture is like the one my dad makes from scratch. Clean restaurant and beautiful decor. Menu was simple and fresh. I wanted to try this place for a long time but I live about 40min away. Definitely worth the drive. read more
5 years ago
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8 years ago
I love, love, love this spot for many reasons! First, handmade corn tortillas, OG style and to die for. The taco selection is outstanding: carne asada, fish, carnitas, and chicken to name a few. Aguas frescos are refreshing and authentic. Must try place!! read more
6 years ago
5 years ago
I loved the atmosphere of this place. Small but homie feeling to the location. The decor was unique, I loved the Frida art work. Now lets talk about the food. I tried several different tacos, some were ok but others were just blain. There was a lack of flavoring. The prices, over $3 per taco, was step for a city where you can get less expensive better tasting tacos on any corner. I'll be fair and revisit Taco Chelo when I return to Phoenix. read more
Chef Aaron Chamberlin & I have had a somewhat lackluster relationship over the years. I've visited Chef Chamberlin's other Phoenix creations (Phoenix Public Market Cafe & St. Francis) with mixed results. Chamberlin certainly has a penchant for beautiful adaptive reuses of old buildings, but the food more often than not has left me underwhelmed. In Taco Chelo, Chamberlin is making his first venture into the Mexican food realm inside a building on Roosevelt Row that most recently housed Flowers Beer & Wine (a craft beer & wine store that I dearly hope will reopen again nearby someday). I don't always observe Taco Tuesday, but with a new taqueria just a few blocks from my apartment, I decided this Tuesday at happy hour was the right time. As of my first visit here, the restaurant had been open for just barely a month. You'll find it on the southeast corner of 5th Street & Roosevelt inside the old Flowers building (now part of a growing adaptive reuse complex called The Blocks). Taco Chelo takes up about half the space that Flowers Beer & Wine once did, and the space is a hip modern urban neighborhood design that dreams are made of. An absolutely gorgeous array of exposed brick, gold trim throughout the ceiling, wooden tables and seating, as well as turquoise hues throughout the bar area. You'll also find beautiful art on the wall courtesy of artist Gennaro Garcia. The space is completely unrecognizable from the Flowers days, but in this case I mean that as a compliment. Inside there's seating for close to 30 (including the bar) & probably room for 40-45 more in the picnic table seating area outside. They will most definitely need to get more shading for the outside before summer hits, but the foundation is solid. Here you order at the front register helpfully marked with a Taco sign, grab a number, & sit wherever you want. Dining solo for happy hour, I saddled up to the bar. The menu at Taco Chelo (co-created by Chamberlin & chef Suny Santana) is somewhat limited, but concise & easy to digest. You've got 4 apps, 5 tacos, 2 salads, & 1 dessert to choose from on the food side. On the drink side it's more diverse with a fairly wide array of cocktails, beers, wines, & non-alcoholic drinks. I haven't had mezcal in ages, so I started things off with their Mezcal Paloma. Lime, ginger, bitters, grapefruit soda, and of course the mezcal itself. I think they threw in a little house spice mix in there as well for an extra kick. A very pleasant refreshing beverage to start with a spicy tartness to boot. For the apps, most are ones you find at most sit down Mexican joints anywhere. Chicharrones however are somewhat unusual to see on a menu so I grabbed those. Basically fried pork rinds covered in cotija cheese and chimayo chili mix, with sides of guacamole and Cholula hot sauce. Mine came with ten pieces in all. Super crunchy (sometimes rock hard) & messy, but a pretty good vehicle for the guac. The cheese & spices also work well here (that is of course if you can keep them from flying everywhere). Now then, this is Taco Tuesday isn't it? And I was feeling particularly ambitious today. Taco Chelo's five taco offerings include: Vegetable, Fish, Carnitas, Carne Asada, & Beef Barbacoa. Although I'm disappointed they don't offer Al Pastor or Lengua tacos yet, I decided to give all five current varieties a try by ordering one of each. For those wondering about the veggie, just know that there's a ton of mushrooms in this version. Mushrooms aren't my thing so I wasn't a fan of their veggie taco, but you might come to a different conclusion than I did. As for the rest of the tacos, I was mostly impressed. The tortillas are made fresh by the staff for each order & the meats were quite delicious. The Barbacoa fell a little flat for me but the Carnitas, Fish, and Carne Asada tacos were perfect. After all that food, I had just enough room for their one & only dessert. Their Tres Leches cake dessert is about twice the size of a hockey puck & topped with almonds and orange slices. Its served cold with a smooth creamy texture, which certainly helps to soothe your mouth after all those spices from earlier. The flavor profile overall was respectable, though not spectacular. Total cost for all the food and my drink including tax and tip came to about $45. First impressions? A fantastic space and neighborhood hangout with decent (at times great) food & drink options. My biggest beef is really what's missing from the menu. Horchata? Al Pastor? Lengua? Nowhere to be found. Even the most basic taqueria should have those offerings (in my humble opinion). Its early yet so maybe that will be on the menu in due time. For now, its worth a look if you're curious & definitely a great hangout spot for small groups. With so much great Mexican food throughout Downtown, its not easy to compete. Taco Chelo has potential. Potential I hope they'll be able to fully exploit. read more
7 years ago
5 years ago
This place has gotten so good!! What started out lacking years ago with the original owner has turned into a gem! From the tacos ( I love the fish) to the beans (a la charra), you can't go wrong! Bless the OG for letting this go to people who could give the concept love! MARGARITAS AND SERVICE ARE GREAT TOO! read more
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8 years ago
Authentic Mexican street tacos which take me back to the streets of Saluita Mexico after a day on the surf. The corn tortillas are fresh, soft and thick; salsas on point; meats flavorful. My only two minor complaints, the carnitas just a little too authentic, i.e. too many pieces of fat in the meat mix for my taste. 2. Not enough guacamole with the chips. Otherwise 5 stars. read more
Damn good tacos - five different kinds to choose from. We had the fish, carne asada and carnitas, and all were excellent. You can save a couple bucks on your draft beer during happy hour, and they have a nice selection. I like the fact they do not have a huge menu. In fact it's rather small. But that means they're focused on making a few things very, very well. I'll become regular. read more
9 years ago
Very cool space, great concept and reasonably priced. First, I'll admit I'm a fan of the operator, I think all his restaurants are unique both in the food and ambiance. Taco Chelo doesn't disappoint in either. The indoor/outdoor space is perfect for the March weather! The murals, artwork and finishes give it a great feel. I thought the prices were fair for what you got, but if you are hungry go ahead and over order! We had the fish tacos, vegetarian tacos, carne asade quesadilla, an excellent salad, chips, salsa and guacamole....they have two types of salsa caution one is hot! Everything we ordered was fresh, made to order and tasted great. Our two children were asking for 2nds! There were plenty of vegetables included as well. I would highly recommend Taco Chelo. Easy to get to as it is right off the 1-10 and 7th Street. Be prepared to wait a little bit which is what you want in a restaurant that serves fresh food! Congratulations Aaron on another great spot! read more
8 years ago
Taco Chelo has amazing food and a hip vibe. It's a laid back atmosphere with both inside and outside seating. Sat by the window and was nice to get some outside breeze! Tacos were exceptional, Carne Asada, Barbacoa & Fish were awesome! Tecate Michelada was bomb too! read more
8 years ago
4 years ago
7 years ago
Tacos and horchata are ! First time here and definitely won't be our last! Even my picky 2 year old loved the tacos. read more
Great atmosphere and vibe at this new taco restaurant. I was happy to try it and since it's still new, they have a couple of kinks to work out. The line was out the door (to be expected- Friday evening AND it's a new restaurant) but we were able to snag a seat shortly after ordering. Drinks are a bit over priced in my opinion (canned Arizona sweet tea). Employees were friendly and attentive. I would recommend telling servers that it's not wise to tell a customer NOT to order something because of the assumed wait (fish tacos). I don't eat pork or beef and came there specifically for fish tacos hehe. We ordered 5 of them plus veggie tacos and they all came out rather quickly. They were very delicious! Would've missed out had I listened to the server (I'm sure she meant no harm) ;-) read more
9 years ago
The tacos we're delicious and the staff was friendly. I love what they have done to the place. It looks awesome. The fish taco was my favorite of the three I tried. The guacamole and chips we're fresh. Next time I will have to try their margarita. read more
7 years ago
More info about Taco Chelo
501 E Roosevelt St
Phoenix, AZ 85004
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(602) 368-5316
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http://tacochelo.com
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