Taco the Town

This article was originally published in ‘UC Santa Barbara Magazine’.

Editor’s Note: When it comes to high quality, cheap eats, students are most certainly experts. Here we share some tips from UC Santa Barbara students to help satisfy your taco cravings this summer. 

Lilly’s Taqueria

3.5/5

Sophie Ludgin ’24

COMMUNICATION

Lilly’s is purely a taco spot; you won’t find any chips, beans, cheese, rice, burritos or guacamole anywhere on the menu. What will you find? The option to choose beef cheek, tongue, lip or eye! The tacos come warm and the tortillas are perfectly thin. Although my tacos were filled with just veggies, I still enjoyed great flavors, and felt satiated. I do wish that a pescatarian protein option was offered, or beans, or even cheese.

3.5/5

Megan Bentley ’24

FILM AND MEDIA STUDIES

Lilly’s Taqueria is a classic, feel-good, reliable taco spot. The employees were extremely accommodating and friendly when I asked to customize the single vegetarian option on the menu. The condiment bar had fresh lemons, limes, cilantro and hot sauce to add. More vegetarian options would really take this place above and beyond! But with the affordable prices and the cozy, comfy architecture, I would definitely enjoy coming back.

4/5

Sidney Campbell ʼ25

COMMUNICATION, PSYCHOLOGICAL & BRAIN SCIENCES

This was my first time at Lilly’s, so I decided to try three different street tacos: one carne asada, one pork and one chicken. Typically, I’m more a fan of carne asada, but I really enjoyed the fajitas de pollo. The salsa bar was great, the food came out quickly and the staff was very friendly. The carne asada was a little bit dry, but overall very solid and still great with salsa. I definitely plan on coming back!

Los Agaves

4.5/5

Carley Palmer ʼ25

COMMUNICATION, ECONOMICS

Awesome salsa bar (the green tomatillo was my favorite!) and lots of options. Bonus points for free chips! The fish taco was colorful – topped with mango, cabbage slaw and a chipotle aioli – and delicious. The crispy chicken taco was delicious too, and exactly what I was looking for. I loved the casual vibes, the friendly and helpful people and, of course, the wonderful food!

3.5/5

Gaurav Chakravarty ʼ25

ECONOMICS

The staff was welcoming and kind, the space was bright and clean. The salsa selection and freshness were highlights. The food came out promptly and plated well. The shrimp taco was alright – a generous amount of meat and an interesting combo of toppings, including a cabbage blend I was not a fan of. The al pastor was my favorite. It was well seasoned with caramelized onions bringing it all together. The chicken taco was tasty, but the meat felt dry and under seasoned. Overall, great service and good food.

Zocalo

4/5

Emily Zomoroudi ’24

CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Zocalo is a step above in IV for its warm ambiance. I was very excited to eat the tacos! Portions were generous, beans tasted authentic, and rice was warm and fresh. Moment of truth: I first tried my birria tacos without any dipping sauce. Some of the meat was too chewy, and I wished it had more seasoning. Adding the green sauce elevated the flavor. Overall, I really enjoyed it!

4.5/5

Christa “Liz” Fujiwara ’26

COMMUNICATION

I love how the tacos on the veggie plate had so many different vegetables, and came with a generous portion of rice and beans. I would recommend this for vegetarians, but it was so delicious that I think anyone would enjoy these tacos. I loved the variety of salsas as well!

4/5

Kishi Kieng ’24

BIOLOGY

One of my favorite restaurants in IV. I got their taco platter with al pastor — so flavorful! The rice and beans added even more flavor. It was upsetting to have only one choice of protein for the platter though. Still, I would recommend this place and will go again to eat their tacos!