• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Honey, Whats Cooking

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Lifestyle
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Destination » United States » New Jersey » Jersey City » Taqueria | Jersey City, NJ (grove street)

    Posted on: Aug 9, 2010 · Modified: Jan 9, 2022 by honeywhatscooking · 6 Comments

    Taqueria | Jersey City, NJ (grove street)

    0 shares
    CELEBRATING 100,000 HITS FOR...
    HONEY, WHAT'S COOKING?
    First, let me start with the big news... Early this morning at 3:15 AM my blog hit 100,000 page views.  YUP!  I was sooooooooo happy!  I went to bed happy and woke up angry at 9:30 AM because I was scheduled to work on a Sunday.  UHHHH!  I worked till about 2:30 PM.  After working my husband and I strolled around looking at some open houses in the neighborhood.  Man, real estate is not cheap in the Tri-State.  There are so many decisions to be made at this stage in life.  If you don't have a child, should you prioritize location and go for a small living space with access to New York City within minutes, or should you prioritize a larger home with space and an hour away from New York City?  Should we go for quality or quantity?  I love food, I love eating out, I love easy access to New York City, I love going out for a walk, I love being by the water, and I love seeing people out and about.  These decisions are not easy when you don't have children... should you live in the present or plan for the future?  Life is confusing and the choices are endless!  Your thoughts?

    While strolling we thought about life and the decisions we were about to face, we also enjoyed the weather which was beautiful, sunny and breezy.  I literally felt like I was on vacation in Newport, Rhode Island.  There were boats docked near the waterfront.  My hubby then treated me to an early dinner at Taqueria, "a place where tacos, burritos, and other Mexican dishes are sold," to celebrate my 100,000 hits.  🙂  This is a cute shack in Downtown Jersey City that I've been waiting to try F-O-R-E-V-E-R!  Believe it or not, The New York Times reviewed this restaurant saying it is "an instant classic."  I was psyched to try it!

    LOCATION
    238 Grove Street
    Jersey City, NJ 07302
    201.333.3220
    (Grove Street PATH)

    AMBIENCE
    Taqueria is a cute little shack, in other words, you will not be impressed by the decor or ambience.  Don't worry, this place isn't really about the decor, it is only about the food.  Taqueria is loud and can get crowded.  People are constantly coming in and out for takeout.  If you choose to dine here, you have to order and pay for your meal at the counter before you seat yourself.  

    RECOMMENDED TO
    Casual Dining, Everyone, Groups, Kid Friendly.

    CUISINE
    Mexican.

    MENU - $
    Taqueria Online Menu.  The prices here are very affordable and the food is authentic.  $8 for enchiladas is unheard of, now compare that to the $19 for enchiladas I spent at Dos Caminos, New York City, a few months ago.  Which one was better?  I can honestly say Taqueria was better because it was much more authentic.  There are no substitutions allowed at Taqueria which is kind of silly in my opinion.      
    For 2 people:
    3 entrees + 1 coke = $28 (including tip)

    RECOMMENDED HEALTHY EATS... choices below are based on my knowledge of food and nutrition. In general, when dining at Mexican restaurants, avoid anything fried, avoid beef, avoid pork, avoid chorizo, avoid steak, instead choose chicken, fish, and veggies. There is no online nutritional information available for Taqueria. Please use your own discretion when making a decision.

    HEALTHIER EATS
    TACOS
    Fish
    TAMALES
    Verde Chicken
    ENCHILADAS
    Chicken Rojas
    Chicken Verdes
    TOSTADAS
    Chicken
    Bean
    WEEKEND BRUNCH
    Huevos Rancheros
    Huevos a la Mexicana

    MY REVIEW
    My husband and I split 3 items and a Coke. 

    I instantly knew what I wanted, the Chicken Rojas Enchiladas, rojas means red, hence it is a little spicy.  It was so freakinnnnnnn' good!  The chicken was shredded, tender, and flavorful.  The enchiladas were topped off with some kind of crumbled cheese, I believe it is chihuahua cheese, however I could be wrong.  The enchiladas also come with a side of rice, beans, and lettuce.  The meal was so filling and delicious.  LOVED IT!  

    My husband also wanted enchiladas, however he didn't want to order the same thing so he went for the Chicken Tostada instead.  We shared both entrees.  The Chicken Tostada was very good as well, but not as filling as the enchiladas.  The tostada was placed at the bottom and topped off with beans, shredded chicken, lettuce, crema fresca, and some kind of crumbled cheese.  This was so yummy as well and slightly on the healthier side.

    Since my husband was a bit hungry after, we ended up ordering the Chicken Verdes Enchiladas to go.  Verdes means green, so these enchiladas were slightly tangy.  Again, the chicken was shredded, tender, flavorful, and excellent.  I can't say whether the Rojas or Verdes Enchiladas are better, they are both different, the Rojas are slightly spicy, while the Verdes are slightly tangy.  The Verdes Enchiladas also came with a side of rice, beans, and lettuce at a bargain price of $8.

    VERDICT - 4 / 5
    Taqueria is a shack so don't expect amazing customer service, having said that, the food here is finger-lickin' good and it is Zagat rated.  The food here brought me back to Mexico... it was so authentic.  The downfall here is they allow no substitutions whatsoever.  I mistakenly asked them if they had Chicken Quesadillas, however the waitress seemed to have an attitude about it and said, "No substitutions."  Did I really care?  Not really!  I am a total food snob and I knew going into Taqueria not to expect outstanding customer service, I was just there for the food.  The other downfall is they don't offer Margaritas.  I was really looking forward to coming here, kicking back after a long day and just enjoying a glass of Lime Margarita, but I guess not.  The only alcohol they have here is some kind of beer and you can BYOB.  

    The food at Taqueria was not greasy at all, it was flavorsome, and tasted homemade.  I strongly suggest if you don't know what you are ordering, ASK, even if they are rude, JUST ASK!  This is not your typical Americanized Mexican place, don't expect chips, guacamole, and sour cream.  I was quietly discussing with my husband that we should order chips and guac and the rude waitress overheard our conversation and quickly said, "We don't have chips and guacamole."  LOL!!!  I mean there is humor in it, c'mon!  LOL!  You need to look past the poor customer service and you'll quickly realize this place is a hidden gem in Jersey City!  Hey, and it's cheap too!

    « Vegan Blueberry Smoothie
    A Super Easy Spinach Saute »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mari says

      August 10, 2010 at 12:12 am

      this was a funny review.....your waitress sounds so nosy!! haha
      but it looks like a great place...I'll have to check it out

      Reply
    2. honeywhatscooking says

      August 10, 2010 at 2:59 am

      Thanks Mari! We should plan it for brunch one day 🙂

      Reply
    3. Anonymous says

      June 25, 2012 at 4:19 pm

      My friend and I tried Taquiera after reading it from your blog. I tried the chicken enchilada that you recommended. For a shack, it was good. It was pretty flavorful. The place was very lively , which I liked and the service was fast. JC

      Reply
    4. honeywhatscooking says

      June 25, 2012 at 6:12 pm

      @JC - thanks so much. Yeah, it's definitely good, but of course, it's a shack, you can't expect perfection. 🙂

      Reply
    5. Unknown says

      July 19, 2016 at 7:26 pm

      I go there every Tuesday (Taco Tuesday) and food is sooo good and btw the do have chips, guacamole and salsa.

      Reply
    6. Unknown says

      July 19, 2016 at 7:27 pm

      I go there every Tuesday (Taco Tuesday) and food is sooo good and btw the do have chips, guacamole and salsa.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Nisha... a foodie who is passionate about healthy-ish living and mindful eating. You'll find a little bit of everything here. I use mostly organic real ingredients and incorporate seasonal produce in my cooking. I believe food is medicine. Come join me on this soul-searching journey as I share my love for good food, and I hope somewhere along the line, I inspire you to eat better.

    Learn more about me →


    Trending Posts

    • World's BEST Spaghetti RAO’s Homemade Marinara
    • Baked Falafel (healthy, dairy free)
    • Chicken Seekh Kebab (dairy-free, gluten-free)
    • Green Moong Dal Khichdi (healthy)
    • Bombay Grilled Sandwich (vegetarian)
    • Mexican Pizza Taco Bell (vegetarian)
    • Gajar Ka Halwa | Indian Carrot Pudding (gf)
    • Lavash Bread Pizza (healthyish)

    Subscribe

    * indicates required

    Footer

    As Seen On

    Let's Connect!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Menu

    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Lifestyle
    • Shop

    About

    • About
    • Contact
    • Press
    • Privacy Policy

    Subscribe

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Honey, What's Cooking

    0 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Reddit
    • Yummly