28 Best Mexican Restaurants near Isla Vista

“I love an excuse to go into IV and was excited to try a new taco spot! Zocalo is delish. It's a bit pricey for IV but the food is really tasty. I wish chips and salsa were included with the meal. I paid extra for them because that's my favorite part of going out for Mexican food. I had to ask to get them before our food came out though, which was a little annoying. They do offer unlimited salsa, which I appreciate. You order at the register and then food is announced when it's ready at the counter. They do not have parking but there is a lot across the street that you can pay to park at or try to find street parking.“

“I just love getting my money’s worth and having a satisfying experience from beginning to end!! This place is one million percent worth the hype and it’s so good you’ll find yourself stopping on the way to and from LA. Love love love freebirds MONSTER VEGGIE FOR LIFE!!“

“Stopped by with my daughter, a UCSB alum, as we drove through SB. She had to swing by Super Cuca's to get her favorite breakfast burrito.We were curious about what she had lived on during her days here. We thoroughly enjoyed the Rancheros Breakfast Burrito - just delicious and quite filling.I'm glad they have good food for the students.“

“I love the food excellent flavor, really good tacos crispy tacos, salsa, salsas are so good“

“Amazing tacos. Got two of the chicken fajita and they have a self serve bar for salsas/onions/cilantro/limes. No muss no fuss!Vegetarian options: One vegetable taco, not sure what was on it but that's all, they literally only serve tacos lol“

“Love this place. The environment is great food is always delicious!!!!!“

“You know how when you take a bite of something delicious, you do a little wiggle, a little happy food dance? No, just me? Well, this place had me doing it. The service is also amazing and dog friendly! They had outstanding happy hour specials, a salsa bar, cold beer and tasty chips with the perfect amount of seasoning! I do have one complaint......I ran out of room to eat everything ?.Please, if you bring your dogs, be sure they are well-behaved, groomed, and on a leash. Please don't ruin it for the rest of us. ?“

“Food is great their is just a heavy set cashier that seems a littleIndifferent to me. Her tone of voice is a little stand offish and body language and I observed her with other custermers right after me which she was super friendly and animated with so it’s just me she appears to not like.Been coming her 18 years“

“Food was good. Got 2 tacos one of chorizo and one of pastor. We also got 2 tortas de milanesa, flavor and size of food was good. Wish they had a little bit more variety of salsa. We added beans to our tortas which for us always makes them better. The tacos had hand-made tortillas which we really liked. The place could use some music for a nicer atmosphere so it’s not so quiet. Besides that we would go there again.“

“We had a nice birthday celebration for a friend this afternoon at Domingo's. The employees and owner were so welcoming and gracious. The food was delicious too! Everyone was happy with the meals that they ordered. There's a patio and plenty of parking behind the restaurant which is quite nice , considering how hard it is to find a suitable parking space. It's a historic, Old Town Goleta building that originally housed the Post Office!“

“Pepe's is the best Mexican food in Goleta, hands down.My family has eaten Pepe's for over 49 years ...I can remember eating Pepe's when i was a small child. Now i take my daughter, and she loves it .It hasn't changed much over the years other than the addition of the outside patio, a new bar area, and a few remodels over the years .Same great food and same great service !!“

“The food was okay, it seem overpriced. For what it was. I will try it again soon and will see how it's then.Went back and had the tacos the price is high. The lengua tacos were delicious and the cachete was good. The chorizo was salty over all I was happy. Met the owner an original Mexican from Jalisco.“

“As someone who has to eat gluten free, I am so thankful for Elubias! The papusas are all great. We tried a wide variety and liked them all! The nachos were great also. The gluten free burrito was great! The tortilla was amazing for a gluten free option. My one complaint was that it was a lot of beans in comparison to everything else but I still enjoyed it.“

“I was not crazy about the food ordering system but once the food was received...it was good. They literally forgot my order twice in the same sitting. I am a huge fan of the crispy tacos. They are super delicious and the beans were really good. They have an amazing selection of salsas and the enchiladas are very good. Overall a good time.“

“What a great dinner we had!! This place has totally changed for the better! I picked up dinner for my family of 4 and we were all very impressed. I had the chicken enchiladas and they were delicious! Kids had wet burritos with the best verde sauce I have had in town. All the food was fresh, hot and well-prepared. Great job Del Pueblo, we will be back.“

“The food there was so good! I got their Aloo Palak, Basmati Rice & Garlic Naan. They have a really good looking breakfast menu so I'm going to have to try that soon. It's all very flavorful and hoping they become a main stay in IV. Can't wait to try different dishes from this place!“

“The best. Period. For a healthy option, try the chicken salad. The Flying Burritos are so full of flavor, you're gonna want to slap your mama. The salsas at the salsa bar are on point. This place is at the top of my regular Goleta rotation!“

“Tasty food and great service. I've been here multiple times with family and each time the food is 10/10 delicious! We typically order the parillada, which is perfect because it has a little bit of everything. You can choose from an all seafood, all meats, or mixed parillada and between a smaller one (enough for 2-3 people) or bigger one (enough for 4-6 people). I recommend the mixed parillada. You can also substitute items based on your preferences which is nice. Along with amazing food, the staff is super friendly and are consistently checking in on you. The restaurant is also very nice. There is plently of indoor and outdoor space with colorful decor. The one thing i'm not crazy about here is their drinks. I've tried both non alcoholic and alcoholic drinks such as their horchata, winerita, sunset and michelada and was not impressed.“

“Outstanding! I can’t say enough about this place first time here on our travels Great Food Great Service we even met the owner and he took the time to chat with us & gave us some history on the restaurant & it’s excellent menudo only regret…. Is that it wasn’t closer to us This place is a must when in Santa Barbara, Ca.“

“Why do I love Cal Taco?Ever noticed that when you buy a burger from a fast food restaurant, the marketing photos of their burgers look nothing like what they hand you to eat?Here is a picture of my Cal Taco burger. No enhancements, no special handling, just a fresh and delicious, "home-made" burger, with an amazing Char-Burger flavor.○ Friendly staff○ Clean restaurant○ Great food.You have to try this place. ?“

“This is my go-to spot since childhood. I would walk home with friends from school and stop here, my mom would bring home a super plate and add extra tortillas and we would share as a family, and when I was a student in grad school I would binge eat on the burritos. My daughter now is obsessed with the kid quesadilla option! My favorite item is the chile relleno burrito with carne asada. Sit outside or simply grab to-go; you just can't go wrong. The only down side is that parking isn't great. The family that owns and operates Cuca's are so friendly and actively involved in the community. Bonus tip, always ask for extra salsa and enjoy it your leftovers.“

“This place is great. Everything tastes fresh, and has great flavor.We order take out from here often for breakfast, everything we have had has been delicious. The salsas do lack a little flavor sometimes but by and large their selection is great.“

“Bottom Line: A great little local bakeryEvery town needs to have a little local spot like this where people make and serve baked goods.They always have tons of different things in here for you to try - you just have to get down here to try them!I'm lucky enough to have this spot on the way to work, so I can drop in a pick up some goodies pretty much any time.Come check it out!“

“Excellent tostada, tacos and burrito for our first time trying this place. Very friendly staff even though I arrived within half an hour of closing. Fresh and delicious chicken, carne asada and salsas. Can't wait to go back and try more dishes - it won't be long!“

“I had the half chicken which was delicious ! The seasoning was just right, the skin was crispy and the meat was moist and flavorful. They've got a great selection of salsas to choose from as well. The beans and rice were ok but nothing exceptional. They do have beers as well which I didn't see on their website. They offer great food at reasonable prices, would definitely go back next time I'm in the area and would recommend to anyone looking for some great chicken“

“The instore electronic menu's vegetarian menu is wonderfulVegetarian options: They have many tasty vegetarian variations of their usual faire. A switch transforms the menu to show only vegetarian options, revealing new takes on many dishes.“

“We were staying at the Lemon Tree Inn, which happens to be property adjacent to El Sitio. We were in the mood for some Carnitas, and I found El Sitio on Yelp, with good reviews AND a short walk from the hotel (approx 450 feet)! Amazing food! We ordered a breakfast burrito with ham and eggs and the Mixto Especial plate. My wife and I had a Ratatouille moment where we swept into our memories of home cooked meals. The beans are wonderful. The burrito was packed with scrambled eggs and diced ham slices. It was exactly what my wife's grandmother would prepare at home. The tortilla had great chew and held the burrito together without tears or crumbling. The Mixto Especial plate is a shrimp, rajas (julienned strips of Serrano and Bell peppers) and cheese dish, served with rice and beans. It was very flavorful and exactly what I was looking for. This is a true hole in the wall. There are only 4 tables, and most of them are 2 seaters. This is primarily a to-go business, but we got lucky and got a table, so we ate there. They offer fountain sodas for beverages. All of the food is prepared to order, so they have a little sign that asks for each customer's patience on the food prep. They do not consider themselves a fast food establishment. If you're ever in the area, give this place a try. The other burritos, tacos and torts looked pretty good. They've got steady business, so you know this place is legit.“

“This place totally changed my opinion of Mexican food.It is my favorite Mexican food restaurant in town. The must-try entry is Molcajete, for which I could not find any competitors elsewhere.And a good trial-and-error opportunity is its Taco Tuesday buffet (dinner).“