Las Palmas Taco Bar

Las Palmas Taco Bar has been a staple in Santa Cruz for almost 70 years! They are an unassuming hole in the wall but don't let that deter you because their food is delicious. I have been coming here for close to 15 years and to me they have THE best crispy tacos.

I hadn't been here in about 3-4 years but had been thinking about the tacos all the time and decided to take a little road trip to get my fix. A lot has changed since my last visit. Gone is the vintage "Las Palmas Taco Bar" sign, it has now been replaced with a more modern sign and I love that it notes their famous crispy tacos. The building itself has remained unchanged as well as in the interior. They do however take card now, once upon a time it was cash only.

The menu is quite large as they offer a variety of items such as enchiladas, burritos, nachos, taquitos, tostadas, tacos and of course their crispy tacos. It's very no frills, the prices are very reasonable and all of the food is fresh and homemade.

I had the crispy chicken tacos with beans and rice, I believe the plate was $10.50 which is quite cheap. I love that the food still comes on a paper plate. The tacos are filled with juicy shredded chicken, lettuce and lots of parmesan cheese. They were just as good as they were years ago!! The beans and rice were very good as well and had good flavor.

The customer service here is great as well. I highly recommend coming here if you're in the Santa Cruz area or making a trip to the boardwalk as it is a fairly close walk. Great food, great prices, great ambiance and it's a Santa Cruz staple!

Las palmas is a super convenient lunch spot for boardwalkers, and since we wanted something walking distance we came to las palmas and ordered their famous crispy tacos. The guys taking our order were very nice, and do note that they prefer cash but do accept card. Their menu is super expansive with tons of options for everyone and not too pricey.

I ordered the combo plate that came with Spanish rice and beans and a crispy chicken and a soft chicken taco. The tacos were good but a little heavy on the cheese for my liking and the proportions of the filling seemed off. I wanted more of a pollo asada style taco but they do chicken tinga (shredded). The tacos were good just not as flavorful as hoped and the beans were helping it not completely dry out our mouths.

There are better tacos in Santa Cruz but can't beat the convenience and price point of these guys compared to the rest of the closer businesses!

Mexican place by the beach! The vibes were super chill inside and the workers were really nice and friendly.
We got a super burrito and it was BIG! considering the price I thought it was very affordable but I would give 4 stars because the burrito was so big the wrapping was not the best.. The burrito kind of fell apart as we were eating! But what was inside really hit. their pork and beef were so tender and flavourful, the rice was good and there was also avocado and lettuce! However the lettuce reminded me of taco bell lettuce.

We also got some taquitos which were really good. Four dollars for two taquitos and guacamole kinda fireeeee. I just wouldn't reconvened the burritos at this place to anyone. maybe other menu items here would be better!!!

Ok, so we decided to ride Hwy 1 from SF and Santa Cruz seemed like a reasonable turn around spot. We happened to park right in front of the restaurant (metered) and I decided to check the reviews but was kinda turned off by the 3 star rating. After walking the boardwalk we decided we needed a snack before hitting the road. My hubby said it's just tacos, let's try it. Oh man, thank goodness we did. We ordered to go, went back to the car and the first thing I noticed was how good the tacos looked. Then when I bit into it....ahhh SO MUCH FLAVOR! I had a steak taco (soft) and my hubby got a soft steak taco and a crunchy chicken taco. We smashed those and decided to order more so I went BACK inside and ordered more.

I really don't understand the low rating. Customer service was awesome, the great grandson of the guy that created the restaurant was super friendly and helpful. Also, for today's prices I thought the price was reasonable.

The inside is small with about 3 tables and there is a bit of outdoor seating. Everything I saw looked good but I would come strenuous l strictly for the tacos. Honestly, that might have been the best steak tacos I've ever had.

Do yourself a favor and support this business that has been around for decades!

A no frills taco bar that is close to the Boardwalk that's not only affordable but had a decent selection of veg based options as well!

I ordered their Vegan Burrito ($8) which contained rice, beans, guac, sprouts(!!), and pico. While fairly simple, the burrito was pretty big so the portion size was generous for the price. Plus the added sprouts made it a bit more filling - although I would love if they incorporated something else like mushrooms, onions, or other veggies.

Chips and salsa were additionally very good. I loved that they served it on its own tray so they don't skimp out on the side. Great spot overall for a quick bite.

Indoor and outdoor seating is available. Open later during the summer to accommodate for all the beach traffic we get in town.

Food is authentic and made to order. Small place which does have its own parking lot, walking distance to the pier and boardwalk. Order at the counter and self serve from there. Always busy and fills up fast. An established business that doesn't disappoint every time!

"If It's been in business since 1955, it must be good"

If you know me, you know that Mexican food is my love language. So when we stepped out of the hotel and saw the Las Palmas Taco Bar, I knew it was meant to be.

In doing my research, I learned that Las Palmas is famous for it's crunchy tacos. Since I just so happen to love crunchy tacos, I knew I had to try one. I ordered the combination of a crunchy taco, a cheese enchilada, and rice and beans. I also ordered a shredded beef burrito to have on the late night because, you know how WEEEE do....

I typically don't order many chicken dishes unless we're talking chicken sandos or tenders, however, the cashier was rather passionate about his suggestion of the chicken taco. I went with his suggestion and found the chicken to just be okay. Having tried the shredded beef in the burrito, I would have preferred the beef taco. The taco itself was nice and crunchy and had a nice bit of fillings. I did enjoy the enchilada, its delicious sauce, and the rice and beans. I believe the combination plate was about $10.50. The combination and the burrito were served on paper plates so if that's an issue, respond accordingly.

As for the burrito, I ended up taking it to-go and, upon request, was given some foil to wrap it up. Unfortunately, by the time I got around to eating it a few hours later, parts of the tortilla were soggy. Although it was good, i really liked the accompanying hot sauce as it was spicy, I would have enjoyed it even more if it had more meat. That being said, it was a pretty solid sized burrito for the price of ~$8.

Parking: There was some metered parking nearby, but otherwise most of the area is permit only parking. Since it's really close to the boardwalk, I imagine it can be difficult to find parking during the summer months.

The inside of the taco bar is pretty small, mostly 2 tops, but there was a larger outside area. Still, if you're coming in a medium or large group, you'll most definitely be seated at different tables.

I'd say it was a solid 3.5-4 stars today. If I stayed in the same hotel upon returning to SC, I'd definitely come back.

Thanks to the cast and crew at Las Palmas Taco Bar!

I had #11 Two Tacos (Mix or Match)*** and I think my plate speaks for itself, delicious. You must go here and the staff was amazing!!

I don't understand the poor reviews this place gets. At the end of the day the food is tasty, well priced, and simple. I've been going for years and always get the crispy tacos. I mean the sign does say, "World Famous" so why not?! Last visit it was pouring rain but there was plenty of seating inside. I had my nephew with me and he literally licked the plate he enjoyed it so much. The red salsa will make you sweat, even on a rainy day, but it pairs well with the tasty rice and beans. It was $10.50 for 2 beef tacos, rice, and beans.

No frills, just great solid food!

Came here on a whim, just walking around the area. Not disappointed at all. The customer service, immaculate. I didn't get the persons name, but he was so friendly, and comedic. Not many people can get my kid to actually smile, and she came back to the table and she actually commented on his humor.

They were out of guacamole, sad face. But the flavors weren't lacking without. I ordered the special burrito because I hadn't eaten anything all day, and after 5 hours on the boardwalk, I was starved. That burrito was enormous, filled me up and was enough to share if there was someone else to share with.

My kid doesn't usually order burritos, but for whatever reason, she did. And scarfed hers down so fast. She loved the salsa verde as well.

We ate outside, since it was pretty busy inside. The music was loud, but not so loud you can't hear anyone.

I think when I return to SC, I'll definitely return to Las Palmas as well.