Taqueria | Jersey City, NJ (grove street)

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.

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!