Chando's Tacos: They Are Simply Delicious!

The day is finally here! Chando’s Tacos has come to Elk Grove! Like many of you, this is a long-awaited moment in my family, as the chicken burrito from Chando’s happens to one of my dad’s favorite dishes. Although I don’t want to admit that we were counting the days until the opening, but that may have been a possibility. Boy, are we thrilled to have this place in our hometown!

Founded in 2010 by Lisandro Madrigal, Chando’s Tacos is a Tijuana Style Mexican restaurant whose goal is to bring authentic tacos and Mexican food to the people of Sacramento County. In just a mere ten years, Chando’s has seven locations, 3 food trucks, and 2 Chando’s Cantina locations to call their home. That’s a pretty amazing task to accomplish. But enough talking, let’s get to the point — the food!

Atmosphere

While all venue dining is currently not an option, it is clear that Chando’s Tacos will be ready to host several customers as soon as the restrictions are lifted. Fortunately, there is plenty of space for both indoor and outdoor dining, this place will have the ability to host several guests in a day, but for now, they only have takeout.

I was very happy with my staff interactions, as everyone was extremely helpful and friendly. However, it was clear that many were still going through training, as my order had a few issues that needed to be fixed. The speed of the orders was also something that needed a bit of work, as it took a bit longer than usual for my order to be taken and food to come, but this is to be expected in any business’ first few weeks of being open. On the other hand, these few quirks did not stop my food from being delicious though!

Taco Trio (Birria, Turkey Mole, Chicken)

Of course, I had to start off with the classic tacos! After all, that’s what Chando’s is most known for. I wanted to try a variety of the meats, so I ordered three separate tacos (you can absolutely order three of the same if that makes you more comfortable). The Birria taco was first for my tastebuds. The meat was stuffed into the tortilla and covered in a mild salsa and fresh cilantro. The meat was soft and clearly slow cooked, as it was extremely easy to bite into.

My second taco was the Turkey Mole. Known as their seasonal taco, this was my favorite of the trio. The mole was sweet and heavily coated on the tender turkey. The sweet onions on top were pickled perfectly and gave the perfect crunch. My final taco was the chicken taco. Perhaps the most classic flavor, the meat was grilled to perfection and covered in an avocado-like sauce. Topped with lime, this was the perfect taco!

Tacos De Papa

For all my vegetarians out there, don’t you worry, because Chando’s also offers meatless options as well! This potato taco was crunchy on the outside and silky smooth on the inside. The potato wasn’t too bland and paired well with the sour cream and hot sauce. Not too spicy or starchy, this is a great alternative if meat is not your thing.

Chicken Burrito

As I said earlier, Chando’s Tacos is home to my dad’s favorite burrito, the chicken burrito. So naturally, this was on the list of must-tries. I have to admit that my dad is not wrong with this suggestion. This burrito is carefully filled with a layer of melted jack cheese, cilantro, onions, guacamole, lettuce, pico de gallo, crema, and salsa. The chicken was once again grilled to perfection and thoughtfully placed into every bite. Overall, this was a hit among my whole family.

Street Elote

If you read my review of Mango Crazy, then you would know that I’m a sucker for Mexican street corn, so my expectations for this were very high. I will admit that I knew it wasn’t corn season while I was ordering this, but I still expected a big piece of juicy corn on the cob. However, I was slightly disappointed. The corn was rather flat, and lacked the spice that Elote typically requires. I think that if this was August, the corn would have been much better, so I would recommend ordering this if you go during corn season.

Birria Nachos

I find it pretty hard to go wrong with nachos, especially if they have the “fake nacho cheese.” I was delighted by the amount of cheese used in this dish, as each chip was coated in the warm, gooey dip. The chips were topped with a generous amount of barria meat, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo, salsa, crema and guacamole. While the meat was extremely tender, I found that most of it was covered in fat, making most of the meat inedible, which was a real shame, because the smokey flavor paired well with the toppings and the cheese. Besides this minor issue, this was another hit among the family.

Low Carb Chicken Burrito Bowl

If you’re currently watching what you eat, or want a healthier option, Chando’s won’t leave you out! This burrito bowl is apart of their low-carb menu, and it’s filled with whole beans, grilled chicken, shredded lettuce, cilantro, onion, cheese, pico de gallo, creamy guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. All these fresh ingredients form into a delicious bite that is truly guilt-free. I loved the bursts of flavor and bright colors that this dish brought to my tastebuds.

Overall

Overall, Chando’s Tacos is a great addition to Elk Grove! Their food is fresh, their meat is tender, and their customer service is memorable. While they still have a few minor things to fix, I predict that Chando’s Tacos is going to thrive in Elk Grove. So check out Chando’s Tacos today! Happy dining!