Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Tacos Calafia - Downtown

    4.4 (255 reviews)
    ModerateTacos
    Open 8:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Tacos Calafia - Downtown Takeout or Delivery

    Tacos Calafia - Downtown Photos

    Business Info

    TACOS CALAFIA - DOWNTOWN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    More like Tacos Calafia - Downtown

    Recommended Reviews - Tacos Calafia - Downtown

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Heaven R.

    I've been to this location and the one in Gilbert. I really like their food. They have 7 locations across the valley! Pretty cool to learn from our cashier. They do sell alcoholic beverages but I didn't try. I have tried an alcoholic free michi (clamato preparado) at the other location and I really liked it! Service is friendly! It's taqueria style de Tijuana! My friend and I went during first Friday it was super busy but we lucked out with parking in lot. It's conveniently located next to Luv Bridal. They offer grilled onions and jalapeño too! A must try spot :)

    Inside
    Melissa L.

    I LOVEEEE TACOS CALAFIA!! I was starving when I landed at the PHX airport and this location was 10 minutes away. Decided to stop by, so we can also escape the rush hour traffic. We were a bit worried with parking because we saw that it was in downtown, but they have a designated private lot for customers. Inside was so spacious and had such cool decor. It definitely made the vibe more fun. This is also the first location that I saw with the combo deal compared to the one I usually go to in Gilbert. We ordered carne asada and al pastor tacos and mulitas. So so good. I loveee how you can choose between corn or flour for your tortilla. I like the corn tortilla more. The sauces and toppings were left out for us to take which I appreciate so much. If you want jalapeno or grilled onions, you have to ask them at the pick up station. The horchata was also hugee and sharable. I am definitely coming back when I am in the area. I love how there are plenty of tacos calafia location. They also take apple pay.

    Vanessa H.

    Awesome tacos! Ordered carne asada tacos to-go when I was starving and late for dinner a few days ago. Ordering online was easy. The carne asada tacos come with pineapple! Didn't expect that. Next to the pick up area in the restaurant, there is a salsa bar with all of the fixings. I got green salsa, onion and cilantro, and limes. A little bit of each on the tacos was super tasty! I really enjoyed these and will absolutely be back for more.

    Frank T.

    Meh. Self service too slow. $4 for a small bag of chips. Queso was jut melted Velveeta. Quesadilla was nice and tasty and big. Tacos good. Ok meat amount but not coming back. Way better joints cheaper and tastier. This one you are paying for the location. Not coming back.

    Petra V.

    Good taco spot, my favorite part of this place is the tortillas. But you have to eat there while it's fresh and it tastes the best. Their burritos are also huge and good! Can't go wrong with anything you get from the menu.

    Two tacos Taco Asada and two Taco al Pastor with extra pineapple
    Allie N.

    We came here for a quick lunch on one of our free days visiting downtown Phoenix. Parking was easy as we lucked out that someone was just leaving as we pulled up. Otherwise, if you come when it's busy, you'd probably have to find a spot around the block. When we walked in, we were amazed at how huge the restaurant was. However, my favorite part of the whole experience was their self-serve salsa and guacamole bar. I went crazy even before our food was ready and stocked up on salsas and guacamole and the onions and cilantro blend as I know I'm a maximalist and submerge my food in things like that. My boyfriend and I shared a few things family style which included the al pastor nachos, the al pastor vampira taco, and an order of four regular tacos (2 asada and 2 pastor). Coming from California, we're used to having incredible tacos and similar foods but this place was so good and tasted so fresh. It was all well balanced and the amount of meat they gave was incredible for the value. If I were to return to Phoenix, I'd definitely make the stop back here again. It's great for large groups too!

    Carne asada and al pastor tacos. Delicous.
    Rob K.

    Delicous tacos. Got the #1 combo 4 tacos and drink. Carne asada and al pastor were very good. Great salsas to try. The place is nice and clean with plenty of seats. Service was fast and friendly. Best tacos in downtown Phoenix

    Another carne asada beautiful view
    Sarah G.

    I have gl to taco shop is officially this place! I eexpwdiwnced it this past week and I'm so shocked I had never heard of it before. The service is so quick and the carne asada tacos on flour tortillas are the best! They offer great combos! I got the 3 tacos and a drink! The tacos were so good that I had to go up and order one additional tacos. I also liked how they offered the salsa service bar. The onion and cilantro with the green salsa and guacamole are a delicious combo for your tastebuds.

    Protein bowl
    Katelyn L.

    UH YUM ! Went here with some friends blindly and really hyped it up because of the reviews. Thank god it was everything I wanted and more because that would have been a flop & embarrassing if it was bad. I got the chicken taco bowl and that thing was like 3 pounds. There's a topping/salsa bar and I LOADED it up with gauc/salsa/cilantro/etc. Food was fresh & flavorful, came out within 10 minutes, and it wasn't too busy. No taco Tuesday deals though (whomp whomp). We sat on the patio but there's tons of inside seating too. Definitely make a stop here!

    Carne Asada, Al Pastor and Chicken Tacos
    Travis T.

    I had parked near here for a Dbacks playoff game and stopped in for a quick bite after the game. I have visited a couple of other Tacos Calafia locations in the past and love their tacos. I have traveled to Tijuana many times over the years and have had some great late night street tacos. I am glad Tacos Calafia has brought those flavors over here to the Valley. You won't find a full menu of Mexican food here. Tacos Calafia is about tacos and they offer a simple menu of tacos, burritos, mulitas and vampiros. Tacos Calafia started out as a food truck before opening up a few brick and mortar locations around the Valley. This location is very spacious and is right off of 7th street near the Roosevelt Row art district. I love condiment bars and they offer a number of salsas and toppings for your tacos. Tacos are my love language and my stop here satisfied my craving.

    Salsa bar
    brittini a.

    Tacos are one of my favorite go to's for a quick bite, it's nice when you find a really great place. They have the salsa bar, and let me tell you the salsa is not for the weak.. it's got a lil kick to it. If your in the area i definitely recommend stopping by one of the best tacos places around! Can't go wrong.

    Mel B.

    #19 for 2024 We came in to do a job over the weekend. We finished late evening looking for something good to eat. Not too far away Tacos Calafia had good reviews and was still open. It's a large place that can accommodate large parties. A party of 4 was easy. So was the menu mainly tacos and burritos. Ordering is simple. Choose your meat (carne asada, al pastor, pollo, cabeza and nopales) and how you want it (taco, quesadilla, mulita, vampiro, burrito and taco-nachos. I took 4 Al Pastors tacos, my favorite, to along with a Mexican Cola. You pay for everything upfront. Go up to the counter place your order, take a seat until your number is called. Once you get your order you can hit the well stocked salsa bar with peppers, onions, raddishes, carrots and different sauces. I took a couple plates of those. Everything was so good I went back and ordered a vampiro and cabeza. Everyone ate quick and talked about how we were fortunate this time to have found delicious food so quick. It gave us a chance to talk and go over our plans for the weekend. Walls were done in kind of graphitti style deco commonly found in patio settings. It was a good vibe that made us feel comfortable. Very good experience. So good we came back the next night just to make sure it wasn't a dream. It wasn't.

    Noah S.

    The BEST TACO IN THE WORLD. Very authentic tasty. Best tacos by far. Love me some tacos. Go get yourself them.have fun

    See all

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Peter P.
    14
    102
    123

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 1

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rob K.
    2
    145
    327

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 2
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mel B.
    590
    1019
    13612

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 20
    Thanks 1
    Love this 17
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Leo V.

    Leo V.

    Awesome! Thank you for your amazing review Day

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Ww H.
    11
    95
    8

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    I love this place! Really good food and environment! definitely recommend if you are in the area!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 7

    Tacos Calafia - Downtown Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Tacos Calafia - Downtown

    You might also consider

    Taco Viva

    Taco Viva

    4.7
    (463 reviews)
    3.6 mi

    One of my favorite quick, casual places to grab lunch or dinner from! Every time we go, the staff…read moreis always very friendly and welcoming. While the line can be long, don't let it fool you because the service is quick and efficient! The restaurant is also adding a drive thru line, so that should help disperse the line inside of the restaurant. Even with how busy the restaurants can get, I've never had an issue finding a place to sit and eat. They make each item to order in front of you, you get to choose which toppings you want to add. I always order my items "con todo" with onion, cilantro, guacamole/crema, and salsa. This trip I ordered 3 especiales: caramelo (steak), gringa (pork), and gabacho (chicken). Unfortunately, they ran out of chicken, so I subbed for an extra gringa, my favorite of the 3. I also got an order of chips and queso, but be careful because the queso is addicting! They also have a help yourself salsa bar, but the salsas tend to be watery and not very flavorful. The orange one is my favorite, adds a good kick to the food. The pricing is reasonable, especially for the quality of food you get, even when I tend to over order. Overall, I will continue coming to Taco Viva any time I'm in the mood for some yummy tacos!

    We love Taco Viva so much that I'm doubling down on my first review. Best tacos in Phoenix!…read more There are a lot of creative and delicious tacos in the valley. Some of them are from joints that don't qualify as a Mexican Restaurant. Given the choice, I will always choose the simple, authentic, flavorful tacos from Taco Viva! Gracias!

    Photos
    Inexpensive merch
    Inexpensive merch
    Mulas, tacos
    Mulas, tacos
    Outside of Tacos Viva drive thru side.

    See all

    Outside of Tacos Viva drive thru side.
    Paco’s Tacos & Sip

    Paco’s Tacos & Sip

    4.5
    (296 reviews)
    5.6 mi
    $$

    I have mixed feelings. First of all the location moved I guess and now they're located where bread…read moreand honey house is at. In the mornings it's bread and honey and at 3 it turns to Paco's. We arrived at 2:30 and decided to wait . While we waited the young lady was nice enough to give us crepes on the house. They were amazing. We ordered 2 different types of burritos (Cali and chile relleno) and a carnita taco/ birria taco and asada taco. The food was just ok. The meat had no flavor at all. The birria taco is supposed to be crunchy and it was soggy. It just was pretty mediocre tasting and I really wanted to like it. Personally the best part was the crepe that was served at bread and honey

    I'm a big fan of this taco spot during the cooler weather as sitting outside is ideal. This time I…read moredecided to turn the family own to what I called "my secret spot"... Usually I'm camped outside with a few cocktails and I stagger my order. Just to be clear, my favorite item here is the Carne Asada Sope!!! Service was great as they gave the family recommendations. Teenagers went for the (classic Azteca & burrito Mio) burritos and birria tacos. The consommé to them was on point as they finished it all on the burritos. Greedy kids also split one of my Sope's seeing how I hyped it up... and left crumbs!!! Salsa bar is located in the corner and labeled so you don't go blazin hot unexpectedly with a salsa. For the adults, we decided to go with the Asada Fries for the group to share, the Mulitas with Carne Asada, Steet taco combo with rice & beans, horchata's and of course a Margarita (or 2) It was a bit to hot for the patio our front that evening, and they do have a another one out back. The only downside was that that bathroom was down for the night so we didn't hang out for a round 2.

    Photos
    Paco’s Tacos & Sip
    Paco’s Tacos & Sip
    Paco’s Tacos & Sip

    See all

    Taco Chelo

    Taco Chelo

    4.7
    (187 reviews)
    7.8 mi
    $

    Sometimes the best meals happen because your original plan falls through. That was exactly the case…read morehere, and honestly... I'm not even a little mad about it. I ordered the veggie tacos with roasted sweet potatoes (skin on, which was absolutely the right call), pepitas, feta, and all the right toppings. Whoever prepped those sweet potatoes deserves a raise because they were cut into the perfect sized pieces. Every bite had a little sweetness, a little crunch, a little saltiness... it just worked. My dining partner ordered the barbacoa tacos, and I didn't even have to ask if they were good. The involuntary "Mmm..." after the first bite answered that question. Four tacos disappeared in record time, followed by, "I could've eaten two more." That's about as glowing of a review as you're going to get. Now let's talk about these tortillas. Handmade. Corn. Tortillas. Are you kidding me? They're the kind of tortillas that had me question every tortilla I've ever eaten. Soft, fresh, and somehow they manage to steal the spotlight even with everything else on the plate being so good. The chips and guacamole were excellent, too. The chips have to be made in-house and they disappeared at an alarming rate. The salsa that came with them had this smoky, fire-roasted, chipotle flavor that kept me reaching for another chip... and then another... and then suddenly I realized I'd eaten way more chips than I intended. The bottled table salsas deserve their own paragraph because they completely confused me... in the best way. They bring three to the table... a green, a red, and a darker red. I kept tasting them individually thinking, "Okay, these are alright." Then I started mixing them. Game over. On their own, each one was solid. Mixed together? That was the magic. I don't know if that's what they intended or if I accidentally stumbled onto the perfect combination, but from that point on, every taco got the salsa trio treatment. The only tiny hiccup was when we first walked in. We were greeted, asked if we wanted menus, and sat ourselves. We waited for a bit thinking someone would come take our order, only to realize it's actually counter service. Once we figured that out, everything was smooth sailing. Not a big deal at all... just something first-time visitors might want to know. Follow the sign "order here" I also loved the layout. You can actually watch them making the food, which somehow makes the wait even harder because everything smells incredible. Two tacos ended up being the perfect light meal for me. Could I have eaten ten? Absolutely. Those two statements can both be true. Meanwhile, my dining partner polished off four barbacoa tacos and was talking about ordering two more. We only ended up here because another place happened to be closed, and honestly, I'm glad it worked out that way. This ended up being one of those meals we keep talked about on the drive home. Oh and the bathrooms?. I walked in and immediately thought, "Whoa... this is a cool bathroom" The lighting had this pinkish-purple glow that made me feel like I'd accidentally wandered into a trendy lounge instead of a taco shop. I honestly wasn't even sure there was regular lighting in there and I didn't look... because the vibe seemed so intentional. Finally, the music. .. upbeat, dance-worthy, the kind that had me bouncing in my seat while waiting for my food. Between the atmosphere, the lighting, and the music, the whole place had me want to hang out a little longer. Zero regrets. I'll absolutely be back... and next time I'm ordering more tacos.

    So my husband said these are the best tacos he has had and his favorite of any we have had in…read morePhoenix. I felt different. First of all, eating anywhere in Tempe, starts with a frustrating time.... Trying to find parking and having to pay to park. I don't understand why restaurants don't have parking for customers. Idk maybe I don't know where to look. Second, it's hot AF in here. I feel sorry for the guys cooking. It's 105 today and the restaurant is so small, it's probably impossible to keep cool during the summer. Finally, the food. It all tastes very fresh! NO SEED OILS is amazing. I feel like I have won something when I find a restaurant that uses olive oil and beef tallow to cook in. Best corn tortillas I have had for sure. We basically tried one of each taco. (Although some of the tacos we ordered were wrong, so we just kept adding) not a big deal, because they were delicious and we loved them. I felt like the carne was chewy but my husband loves chewier meat. The taco with the marlin was my favorite. And the one that came out kind of like a cheese crisp. It's loud in here and again the space is very small. They do not serve wine at all. But yummy margaritas! The bartender is working solo and working hard! She busted her butt and did an amazing job. And smiled the entire time. She was awesome

    Photos
    Really cool vibe inside
    Really cool vibe inside
    Costra Taco - get it!!!
    Costra Taco - get it!!!
    Piña Colada Agua Fresca - very tasty

    See all

    Piña Colada Agua Fresca - very tasty
    Tacarbon

    Tacarbon

    4.1
    (68 reviews)
    11.9 mi

    Super delicious spot. I came here with my girlfriend she ordered the asada tacos and I got the al…read morepastor and cabeza. Everything was really good but in my opinion the cabeza was the standout. We also had horchata which was great as well. The tacos came out super quickly and the service was solid. I asked for their spiciest salsa since I've got a high tolerance and what was out at the bar wasn't quite enough for me. They actually brought me one from behind the counter that was both really flavorful and seriously spicy. Overall great experience and definitely our new go to taco spot.

    Food: 4-stars - The only reason for the -1 star is because they do not have any chicken options and…read moretheir guac is liquidy with zero flavor. Their pickled red onions are also flavorless. Otherwise the carne asada, lengua and tripa tacos were all delicious and generously portioned! They have grilled jalapeños, and a self-serve garnish bar with 4 different types of salsas, pickled red onions, sliced cucumbers, shredded cabbage, diced onions and chopped cilantro, lime, and their liquidy guac. We came back already for their crunchy tripas and will continue to visit for our taco/burrito fixes. Service: 5-stars - Open kitchen behind the service counter allows you to see how they cook their meats over the charcoal grill. Our order came out pretty quick. 10-15 mins max. It's a fast casual spot so open seating, no host/waiters but there are workers that clean the dining area. Ambiance: 4-stars - Nothing special but clean and open dining areas. Multiple TVs for your viewing pleasure along with an outdoor patio area for outdoor dining. Overall 4-stars - I will say, after ordering for takeout last week, the best experience is to dine-in. The tripas were not as crunchy when taking home to eat. However, if you like your tripas crunchy like I do, dine-in and eat fresh is the best. Tacarbon satisfied our taco craving but they also offer cheese crisps, burritos and plates that include tortillas and beans. Pretty good overall, but definitely still room for improvements - especially for the premium price point. Definitely recommend to check out if you haven't already. It's probably going to be our new go-to spot for Mexican food.

    Photos
    Tacarbon
    Another taco photo
    Another taco photo
    Tacarbon

    See all

    Tacos Calafia - Downtown - tacos - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...