Taqueria Davis

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Location 505 L Street
(intersection of 5th and L Streets, between Aggie Liquor and Pizza Guys)
Hours Mon - Sat 11 AM - 9:00 PM, Sun closed
Phone (530) 758-8453
Menu [WWW]http://taqueriadavis.awardspace.com
Owners Tarcisio and Sara Ledesma

Taqueria Davis is one of the many Mexican restaurants to be found in Davis. Husband and wife work together to run the place. Both are extremely welcoming and kind people. As with most Mexican restaurants in the area, their burritos are pretty popular. The food and salsa are generally considered to be above par for the area. Prices, however, are above average as well. Check out their cabeza if you're daring, which is the meat from the head. They used to serve cesos (beef brains), but ceased by 2006 because of [wikipedia]mad cow disease concerns.

Taqueria Davis' happy hour deal used to be among the best in Davis. See Discounts and Freebies and Cheap Food.
Formerly, every Thursday from 8 pm-9 pm, tacos were $1, domestic beers were $1.50, and Mexican beers were $2.

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I had one of their vegetarian burritos ($4.90) for lunch today. It was beyond large, it was Extra Large. Then again, it was mostly rice. I asked if their horchata ($1.50) was from a mix, and she said they make it from scratch (no hydrogenated fat!), so I had one: delicious. —SteveDavison

2005-03-03 20:01:56   The owners are very nice here. Not every mexican place has employees that all refer to you as 'amigo'. Their happy hour is worth a visit —DaneBehrens

2005-03-09 01:03:00   I had a super burrito w/chicken ($6.25) and, until then, never realized anyone could make a burrito so greasy that it dripped oil. —AndrewChen

2005-05-09 17:37:41   The burritos are better than Guadalajara's, and in the evening you can get a burrito in 5-10 minutes versus 40 at Guadalajara in north Davis. Well, except during happy hour, but that's only twice a week for an hour. —TomHinds

2005-06-30 16:37:56   It's not on the menu, but try an order of "Mexico City Tacos" - chicken and pineapple with melted cheese and put some of their homemade green salsa on there. Amazingly good! You can also buy their salsa to go in cups, I highly reccomend the green. —DanFisher

2005-06-30 16:55:55   I remember going to Taqueria Davis maybe 5 years ago when I was visiting my cousin who attended UCD at the time. We had burritos, and they were good. Yippy! —SummerSong

2005-08-22 21:03:00   I have eaten here many times. The food has always been excellent and the people very friendly. Highly recommended. —PaulThober

2005-09-09 01:02:35   They have lengua (cow tongue) and it's DELICIOUS!!! (If you're daring...) —EddieKim

2005-12-25 18:43:12   The address is not completely correct -need suite # —SteveDavison

2005-12-31 17:12:07   This is by far my favorite mexican restaurant in Davis. It is the most authentic at least in terms of the variety of food they serve; including seviche, menudo, lengua, cabeza etc. I completely agree about the Mexico city tacos, they're awesome!! And unless you are sharing it with another person, want the other half for dinner or are a UCD football player, don't order a super burrito: it's unlikely you'll finish it!!! A regular burrito is plenty... The beef or pork is much better than their chicken so just order one of those two meats instead... —HaleaMeese

2006-04-10 01:51:48   while the chicken is indeed greasy, and probably only about as good as guad's chicken burrito, it's completely irrelevant because of the fact that their steak burritos are good enough that i would consider taking everything else off the menu. —IanLumley

2006-04-26 12:11:48  My buddy Greg used to live down the street so I went there a few times. The owners are very nice and friendly and the service is good. Unfortunately I was not very happy with the food, The Al Pastor was less than great, the chips did not come free unless you spent a certain amount of money, the chips were not home-made and sometimes stale, and the salsas were boring. I would stick with El Mariachi. —HaggroAlex

2006-05-16 23:49:20   Hands down, the best place in Davis for a burrito. It is worth the extra $1 compared to other establishments. The salsa is awesome and the horchata is even better. One night they let me sit and enjoy my meal even though they were already closed. —JoAnnaRich

2006-08-28 16:42:54   Today was my first experience with TD. I had the lunch special — the Que-Taco Plate for $6.50. It was extremely tasty and I found the friendliness factor just as high as everyone here claims. Yay! for Taqueria Davis. —JamesShearer

2006-09-16 19:12:54   It should be noted that they stopped serving cesos a couple of years ago due to the mad cow scare. At least, that's what they told me when I asked them if they still sold 'em. —StephenHo

2006-10-21 12:20:05   The salsa bar is pretty weak —AlJean

2006-10-21 15:03:42   Umm... they don't have a "salsa bar", they have two bowls of salsa. —ChebaccoThirty

2008-02-12 15:03:42   Umm... I feel compelled to mention that I *adore* the red salsa. —drpottsiv

2006-11-07 18:49:22   I only started going here about a year ago, but I refuse to eat mexican anywhere else in Davis now. Thursday dollar taco night is a blast, the tacos are delicious and 1.50 imported beers are hard to beat. The salsa bar may be meager but the two salsas they have are fantastic. The green avacado salsa is my favorite. Also, I reccomend the california burrito (Meat, cheese, potatoes!!!, pico, guac). To my knowledge, Taqueria Davis is the only place that serves one. —DaveBanister

"2006-11-26 16:51:00"   So all all sorts of things have already been said, but I'd just like to second that their burritoes are excellent. I definitely prefer them to Guadalajara's. Also while the owners/people running the places seem nice enough at both, they have definitely always been much more friendly here. —BobbyGray

2006-12-12 21:42:42   This place is gross. I ate there recently and ordered the California Burrito, which made my stomach turn. This place tastes like greasy tex-mex. I am used to Taqueria Guadalajara and just decided to try something new.... from now on I'll stick to Taqueria Guadalajara. —AmandaAbughosh

2006-12-14   I've been here before. Their horchata is very good from what I recall, but their burrito was somewhat lacking. Boo. —ClaytonRehmus

2007-01-03 08:48:04   Does anyone know if the rice and beans are veg? I'm guessing with all the meaty bits like brains that they use the traditional manteca (lard). —ScottWeintraub

2007-01-22 20:28:00   Probably the best burritos in Davis. The only real downside to the place is their limited salsa bar. I really wish they had some pico de gallo. Their green salsa is awesome, however. :) —WilliamLewis

2007-02-13 13:04:27   I think this is the best Mexican food in town. Not only does the meat not have bones in it like Guadalajara, but the service is very friendly and the atmosphere is mellow. —GabeDavis

2007-02-23 15:23:44   The owners are extremely friendly and always happy, which is why I try to go to Happy Hour every Thursday. The tacos taste as amazing as the customer service. —DanielSong

2007-05-24 22:16:55   Food is average tasting. I am not sure what the big deal is for this place beside the happy hour thing, but that was a bit disappointing as well. I have tried a carnitas torta. Even though the pork tasted pretty good, the sandwich is expensive and not worth it. During happy hour, I tried steak, chorizo, and pastor tacos. Chorizo is quite good, definitely flavorful. I have mixed feelings about the pastor meat. The steak is pretty generic to me. I am not sure what makes the Sol beer good, but it was ok. The horchata is quite good, so that gives the place a bit of value. —DavidTran

2007-06-01 12:39:00   I believe the Thursday night beers have raised in price, can anyone verify? Last time I went I think I saw $1.50 domestic $2 mex —KyleLanderhoffis

2007-07-19 15:32:38   Good food of course i always complain the only thing this place needs is more meet on there items other wise good food —dickjones

2007-08-26 15:46:53   Where do I begin? The owners are so kind, very family-oriented. Sometimes when I come in, they make me wait a long time because they cook something up special for me and chat me up for 30 minutes. I don't mind the wait, tho, they make a fabulous burrito. —ElisaWeller

2007-09-12 10:56:53   the lady at the counter is super friendly, the green salsa is super delicious, and the food was super tasty. all in all, a super place. —JillBenciWoodward

2007-09-20 21:36:37   I've waited a while to contribute to this but can wait no longer. I've been eating at TD for over 8 years and it's been fabulous always. First off. A little editorializing. These restaurants we review aren't non-profits. They're small businesses, often owned by individuals and families. You ever seen someone come into a mexican place and gorge on bowl after bowl of FREE chips? Who do you think pays for that? Why shouldn't an owner set boundaries on what they give for free?

Okay. Enough of that. On to TD's food. Their carnitas are the best in the REGION...not just Davis...the region. I'm on the road a lot and hit taquerias all over. TD marinates the pork for hours, maybe even a whole day. They grill it up fresh on the griddle when you order it. When it comes to you, the meat is tender on the inside, carmelized and crusty on the outside, with a piquant, garlicky, tangy, flavor that will knock your socks off. The Chili Colorado is also awesome. Tender flavorful chunks of pork in a rich, deep red, spicy and complex sauce. Ditto for the Chili Verde when they have it. Tender pork chunks that are similarly flavorful like the carnitas but smothered in a great chili and tomatilla sauce. The Pastor is delicious. A blend of BBQ and smokey chili flavors on tender, marinated little pork strips. Go to any other mexican restaurant and order Pastor and I guarantee you will get gristle and rinds in the mix. I've NEVER had anything but delicious cuts of meat in the Pastor from TD. To top it all off, they offer daily specials that are authentic mexican meals and the owners (Tarcisio and Sarah) are just the nicest people in the world. Kind, friendly, caring and dedicated. You'll NEVER find cheap restaurant labor that doesn't give a damn about your meal. This is Davis' mexican food version of "Cheers". Everyone knows your name and they're (and you're) glad you came. Seriously, this place is SOOOOOO much better than the others. It really is. I'll admit that Mariachi has a great green mole and a huge salsa list but TD still beats them all on quality and flavors. —mediator

2007-10-10 15:47:18   I went there today and ordered two tacos, and I ended up getting three by accident, my order and another person's were mixed up. I ate all three and they were so good I went up to pay for the extra, and the woman at the counter told me I didn't have to pay for their mistake. They were carnitas tacos and they were delicious! Their tacos are just like the ones from my favorite place in my hometown, I'm definitely going back again soon. Probably for their happy hour. —EmyFargey

2007-10-11 21:35:36   This place is wonderful. The burritos are huge and worth the five bucks. And the chips and salsa are eternally flowing. Wonderful service. I suggest it. —RobRoy

2007-10-23 01:51:15   I came here recently, curious to see if there would ever be a burrito in Davis that compares to Guads. When I entered, the first thing I noticed was that the prices were pretty high for mexican food. However, when I got my burrito, I was very pleasantly surprised. The burrito was plump, almost completely full, and it had a ton of meat - it almost makes up for the price difference. This is unlike Guads, who tend to give a lot of beans/rice, and whose burritos sometimes sink in to themselves. Also, Taqueria Davis seems to toast their tortillas a little, which makes them pretty tasty. I would personally say that TD and Guads are tied for the best burrito in Davis. —BrandonWong

2007-10-24 19:24:58   Wonderful service and super veggie burrito, and fast and friendly service. Don't forget to leave a tip! —Casey

2007-11-06 00:11:30   It's really nice to know that when I miss the food I'd eat at home I could walk 3 blocks and get it here rather than make that 4-5 hour trip home. They are really awesome here and make sure that your order is right. —GregWebb

2007-11-09 19:14:56   My friends and I have been coming here religously for about 5 years. Sarah and her husband are the sweetest people. They know us all by name and order. I recommend the carnitas in anything, but mostly in a crunchy taco, they are the best I have ever had, also the super quesedilla and the ceviche are tastey. They are by far my favorite taqueria! —cfm

2007-11-10 12:58:26   I came here with a friend to have lunch. The service is super friendly, owner really wants to make you feel welcomed. I ordered a regular chicken burrito and all I have to say is that it was absolutely delicious. The burrito was packed with meat which was tender, juicy, and flavorful with this great red sauce they use. They even have all you can eat chips now which don't tear up your mouth like Gaud's chips. However, their burritos seemed small in comparison to Guad's, leaving me still pretty hungry afterwards. They don't have a lot of salsa variety either. Prices are a little higher than Guad's too. If you can't eat that much and got the cash, this is the place to go. Wonderful service and food, questionable portion and price.

-After going to Gauds recently and being disappointed, I realized I no longer know what a big burrito is. I retract my statement saying that this place has "smaller" burritos than Guads. —CoreyPham

2007-11-14 12:12:40   I love this place!! The owners and so friendly and the food is delicious. They have an ultra spicy hot sauce which goes great w/the california burrito. —YuanNiu

2007-11-29 15:23:33   Best burritoes in Davis by far, tied for best (and friendliest) restaurant owners in Davis as well (with Sam @ Sam's). I must try the ultra spicy sauce. I didn't know and I've eaten here many many many times! Also, the red Salsa is absolutely amazing. —William.Peacock

2007-12-02 09:14:56   Just thought I would let everyone know there is now a online menu which I created for Taqueria Davis, it is located @ [WWW]http://taqueriadavis.awardspace.com —dnm12

2008-01-25 22:06:12   This is much more than a food establishment. Its like family! No question the best carnitas in town, in county, etc, etc. Mexico City tacos are unique and delicious. Don't do the big burrito thing much anymore, but the California Burrito (con carnitas) is out of this world. Thank you Tarcis and Sarah! —DavidFeliz

2008-02-12 14:15:02   Friendly service, delicious food. If you want Mexican food in Davis, you should not miss this place. —drpottsiv

2008-03-13 20:59:58   One of the most friendliest owners in town. I am always greeted with a smile. I've only tried the Californian burrito, but man, it is good! Once I get tired of it, perhaps I'll try something else. This restaurant is on the pricier side, but well worth it if you have money or only eat out occasionally. —BenLee

2008-04-06 21:53:32   The people working here are so friendly and always happy to see repeat customers. The food is so good too, authentic mexican. I love this place, I just wish they were open later hours on Saturday and open on Sunday. —WendyWoo

2008-04-11 21:48:05   just went here tonight and I have been missing out! this place is great. regular burrito with steak and sour cream (oh my god-sour cream!) is amazing. The couple that run this place are wonderful. burritos rival guads, maybe even better. highly recommended! —ericaSbutnotreally

2008-04-22 23:38:33   sarah and tarcicio (i dunno how to spell his name...) are super friendly (i can't count how many times i've heard "hey brudda!" said to loyal customers as they come in) and their food is unbelievable. crunchy pastor tacos! and their salsa is great too. very modest selection, 1 red and 1 green, but i'd take their salsa over any other place that gives out 10 different variations of watery tasteless crap. sometimes i go on $1 taco night, but i order the regular tacos anyway cuz i think they're worth it. and the mexico city tacos are awesome! thank you DanFisher and others for the info. i'll have to try the california burrito now. —beekergene

2008-05-12 10:48:58   Best seviche that I've found in Yolo County —ACA

2008-05-30 21:44:59   I ate their California burrito and it was great. The burrito was huge and it was filled with your choice of meat, potatoes, guac, sour cream, and pico. The potatoes were just at the right amount of mushiness and the chicken was flavor. The salsa bar wasn't too impressive, just chips and a red and green salsa but I liked drizzling the red salsa over my California burrito. For 7.25, it was a big and satisfying meal —justinhu

2008-07-21 20:39:02   All I can say is WOW. The owners are awesome. The super burrito is so much better than Guad's. The salsa bar is small but the green sauce has lime in it which makes it fresh. Like I said, the owners are really really nice. —Rbbie2x

2008-10-10 09:06:57   This place is AWESOME! Apart from their great service and delicious food, you make a lasting friendship with the owners, who are very caring and helpful. It should be noted that due to the size of the restaurant, they are unable to continue with their Happy Hour. I know we will all miss it, but it's understandable that they would decide this. Taqueria Davis is more than worth checking out... —keeks

2008-10-27 19:00:58   I just had an amazing pork burrito here, they are so much better than at Taqueria Guadalajara. —NickSchmalenberger

2008-12-07 15:27:12   Friendly service, good food, but kinda pricey. Davis Taqueria is a good restaurant, but gets more praise than it deserves. People who say that Davis Taqueria is the best/most authentic Mexican food in Davis have clearly not eaten at many Mexican restaurants around here. Davis Taqueria, Guadalajara's, and Chuy's are all good, while Chuy's is the best and most reasonably priced imo. Probably not worth driving all the way across town for a burrito, but neither is Davis Taqueria. —holag

2009-01-12 21:17:23   More praise than it deserves? They deserve way more praise than we could ever come up with. Of course most of us have eaten at other restaurants in town, that's how we've formed our opinion abou this place, Duh!

Hands down, the best carnitas I've ever had anywhere. I grew up eating Mexican food every day (I wonder why) and this is the real deal. —DavidFeliz

2009-02-09 03:04:39   This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Davis. The staff are all warm and welcoming, and they seem to have a lot of regulars, knowing them by name. Unlike many other restaurants, the meat in the burrito actually is tasty and your burrito doesn't drip all crazy. The salsa is limited, but definitely yummy! —TonyaNN

2009-02-10 12:20:26   NOTE: Taqueria Davis is open 11 AM - 9 PM on Saturdays. They have it posted as 11-4 but it's the same hours during the week, you can call to confirm this. They are also open 11 AM - 4 PM on Sundays as far as I know. —campbellb

2009-02-10 18:16:35   I like a lot of different Mexican food...but the Mexico City Taco Special and casual atmosphere keeps me coming back for more! ;) —lilmonstu

2009-02-20 19:11:37   This is the first time I have ever left a Wiki comment, but I felt compelled after my experience tonight. The NICEST people run this place, and the food is so very good. You can buy meat by the pound and it comes with all the fixings (tortillas, onions, salsa, limes) and it is very affordable, great for entertaining! It reminds me of the food I ate when I was a kid growing up in a small border town. great place!!! —kissylizzer

2009-02-20 21:18:30   yaa California Burrito —StevenDaubert

2009-02-23 11:30:12   Taqueria is down the street from my house and we go often because it is a great deal, soooo so so so delicious and I just love the lady at the counter — so sweet and welcoming. —RoxyRobles

2009-02-25 16:07:32   Love this place! Check out this review with photos: [WWW]http://sacfoodies.com/2009/02/25/taqueria-davis/

2009-04-07 19:41:28   I recently tried an egg burrito w/the ultra spicy sauce (which does contain habanero, wooo) - spectacularly delicious as always. Actually, I don't think I've ever had a bad Taqueria Davis experience. I was very happy to learn that they are actually open on Saturdays till 9pm during the school year. —YuanNiu

2009-05-31 01:00:37   the lady here was super-duper nice and accommodating of my vegan needs. when i asked about the status of rice and beans she also suggested that for those who don't do dairy and animal that she could fix something up nice for me anyway. this ended up being a veggie burrito minus rice (which is made with chicken i believe) and cheese, (though the beans are made WITHOUT lard and are vegetarian friendly) plus potatoes, onions and mushrooms (i have no idea why they have fresh mushrooms as i didn't see it as an ingredient in anything on the menu, can't complain). even though i have another preference for mexican food in davis, i'd come back here for the service <3. —MiranPark

2009-06-06 21:34:59   Echoing everyone else here: nice people, great food, etc. It was really busy tonight (Saturday) and food took a long time but they warned everyone before taking the orders. I had the egg burrito and friend had asada fries. Both were excellent and I thought tasty better than Guadalajara. —Sar58

2009-06-07 11:44:42   This place is sofa king good, Tarcisio is the bomb. Even with my terrible Spanish he always says "when we going to mexico boss??". Their carnitas are awesome; these guys are from a little place outside of Jalisco so they really know it well. —YesItsMe

2009-06-09 14:54:30   I ate here for the first time today and I was not impressed. Guad is so much better for a couple of reasons.

1. Guads burritos are bigger
2. At Guad there are more flavors of salsa and the chips are way better (the chips at Davis Taqueria are not good at all really)
3. Guad is cheaper
4. Guad taste much much better.

I ordered a beef super burrito. —RealComputers

2009-06-25 14:03:10   GET THE CARNE ASADA FRIES —TheRadish

2009-07-19 13:34:07   My husband and I go here all the time for their excellent enchiladas (mole - ask for it! and suizas). We like them so much, that we have never had anything else. The fact that the owners are so friendly and welcoming is a great plus. We really love this place! —lemurific

2009-08-15 23:34:41   I can't say anything but great about this establishment. Great food, generous portions, friendly service, and for where it is located, great atmosphere. Get the carnitas super burrito, they are awesome! This is one of the Davis establishments that is in the top 10 in my opinion. —Darren22

2009-08-24 17:25:40   Owners are really friendly and nice. I have no idea how they manage to remember everyone who enters the restaurant. You feel really welcomed everytime you stop by. Food is very authentic, very well served and delicious. There is no sauce that matches their green one and their burritos are really good. Prices are very fair and service is excelent. —Maga

2009-08-26 13:56:08   Love the service and the food here. The people are soooo sweet, and that justifies paying $7.88 for the super burrito. I've also had the soft chicken tacos...so delicious. My only issue was that my super burrito with chicken smelled very fishy...I'm assuming that means the meats are all cooked in the same place, which isn't a huge issue for me but may be for other people. Definitely worth going to...and much better than chipotle (I've never tried guad). —Kiran

2009-09-23 13:14:50   My wife and I just ordered a chicken supreme burrito and a steak burrito (asada). We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the meat in both items. The chicken was all white meat. The steak was high quality. No fatty pieces of meat were in either burrito. We'll certainly eat here again. In my opinion, no other Taqueria in Davis serves larger burritos. The staff are quite friendly and I wish them well. —Buckeye44

2009-10-10 14:40:39   They are always super friendly. They have great food. Wish they were open Sundays! —DamarisTobar

2009-10-16 14:18:01   Wow...possibly one of the most over priced veggie burritos I've ever had. It was basically a BRC + lettuce for $5.90!? AND their salsas were awful. Really bad. The red tasted like Pace and the tomatillo (though better) was too sweet and bland. Sure, they were friendly, but who wouldn't be if gringos were lining up to empty their pockets for you. Also...I counted 2 Mexicans in there and they were both behind the counter! Granted there is a striking absence of Latinos in Davis, but still! —AndyChuck

2009-10-21 00:44:27   CARNE ASADA FRIES! SO DELICIOUS. Also— beef tongue soft tacos are my favorite too. Mmmm. —JenniferGiang

2009-11-10 22:05:56   Best Mexican place in town. The carnitas are legendary. I have hardly strayed from the carnitas in the six-odd years I have been coming here- tacos, burritos, tostadas, and dinner plates are all amazing. The beans and rice are fabulous and the red salsa always hits the spot. Everyone here is extremely nice as well, I wish they were open Sundays too. Don't pass it up! —EricWecker

2009-11-17 16:53:06   Man, the other day Tarcisio slipped a tamale into my chile relleno burrito. Awesome! There is no better place in town. —DavidFeliz

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