Chica Loca Taco

I hate to give a local business such a bad review– especially when I had such high hopes for the place, but the food here is AWFUL. I love tacos. I’m not very picky about my tacos either. But these tacos were flavorless. Like FLAVORLESS and pretty expensive to be flavorless, may I add. Furthermore, my friend and I split the guac, which we both felt like may have had mayo in it? Yuck. Big case of the sads.

Awesome food. Sweet potato tacos are great. Nice staff, good prices, delicious food. Highly recommended.

Hands down best place to eat in Shadyside. Here’s what you do: Grab a six pack across the street and head over to Chica Loca. Nancy will take care you (WHAT UP NANCE!) The chips guac and salsas are all fresh. I order all the tacos on flour but you have the option. The brisket taco is serious. Although, everything is good and I will guarantee a good meal/​good time. Re-​think your destination, especially if you are headed to Steel Cactus for food (mexican around the corner) It is not even a fair comparison. I love Chica Loca.

Super cute /​friendly space and service. The gal at the counter was so amiable and talkative that I almost thought I’d say what would have improved our meal in person, but I felt like I was being too picky at the time. But on the walk home with my friend, we both were talking about how though we were too full to stop for yogurt, we really weren’t satisfied.
We tried a four different kinds of tacos and they were ok, the best were the fish and the veggie because they required the least additional seasoning. The carnitas and the chicken were kind of tough and really lacking seasoning. The salsas were ok too, I preferred the verde over the house, which we thought was supposed to be medium spice but either my taste buds have built up an incredible tolerance or that was the most bland medium ever.
Overall this place has a lot of potential, but the food would benefit from more flavor from both more fresh herbs and spices and slightly more salt, especially on the corn tortillas. I think it’s a pretty easy fix and also maybe the serving time could be a lot faster, it took about 15 minutes and that’s not long for sitting down, but this is a street food concept so it should be quick and there were only two other diners (eating there, but maybe they were slammed with take out?) I’ll for sure be back because it’s the only thing like this in the neighborhood and I think I could just ask for extra spice and herbs.

Viva chica loca!
I have been looking all over Pittsburgh for decent mexican food since I moved here from Dallas 8 months ago. I’m happy to say Chica Loca is not just decent but EXCELLENT! I work up the street and just found my new favorite lunch spot. The decorations are cute, bright, and colorful. The service is friendly and prompt. And the food is SO GOOD. The tacos taste like the ones I used to get from the authentic Mexican markets in Dallas. For the chips, I have only 3 words: nom, nom, nom.

Last weekend, Darren and I went to Chica Loca Taco during the Shadyside Arts Festival and were blown away. I had the Al Pastor which has pulled pork and pineapple and it had me swooning. The tortilla is doubled and the moist, salty pork compliments the pineapple and vice versa.
The guacamole was really good also as was the Mexican Street Corn which has some awesome sauce on it that you have to taste to believe.

Authenticity? Are we still supposed to be concerned with it? Is it still a relevant topic in the culinary arts?
I’ll jump the border and cross the Rio Grande if I want tacos from Mexico. If I just want to eat some quality tacos without the need for a passport, I’ll cross the Monongahela and head East.
This past weekend, after experiencing the Shadyside Arts Festival, Kay and I replenished ourselves at Chica Loca Taco after it captured the corner of my eye several times as we strolled up and down Walnut Street.
Nearly stark mad with hunger, I was greeted by an eclectic staff of cheery youngsters and ordered a trio of torridly tantalizing tacos: The Carnitas, The Pescado, and The Cardon.
The Pescado was the weightiest of the triad and contained a chunk of fish too large to be tilapia (???) that was dressed with slaw, «quesa fresca,» and a sort of «crema» or mayonnaise.
I found nothing «dry» about any of the tacos, from the doubled-​up tortilla to all the vegetables and meats that filled them. The Pescado, with its tender, wet, steamy seafood filet was the feature of our dinner. Saltwater flavors merged with the buttery essence of the dressing and the crunch of the coleslaw, taking me to a tropical paradise of the mind and palate.
The Cardon contained diced onions and cilantro along with its cubed, grilled steak, and The Carnitas did much the same except with shredded, slow-​cooked pork. While the Pescado’s inspired, seaborne excellence outshined both, neither of these «land» tacos disappointed, both containing supple meats that were complimented by potent aromatics and sharp, crumbled cheese.
My stomach demanding even more, I also had a bowl of their fatty, chunky, glistening guacamole along with plenty of their auric, brittle and highly flavorful tortilla chips and a slightly bitter, reduced, smoky, and altogether mysterious salsa. The guacamole was neither baby food nor merely chopped avocado. Rather it met the ideal balance between smooth and lumpy, smearing onto each elegant, delicate, and triumphantly unctuous chip like the green lard that it is. And don’t read my review the wrong way; I liked the salsa, its taste being one that could be considered acquired even if I picked it up quickly.
Kay was gracious enough to allow me a bite of her corn-​on-​the-​cob, a.k.a. Mexican Style Street Corn, and Madre De Dios, I shall NEVER take this summery side-​dish for granted again during the remainder of my Earthbound days. You see, I’m used to simply salting and buttering my corn cobs. CLT goes anotha mutha furtha and slathers some sort of «special sauce» onto it that recalls Russian Dressing or remoulade, thus shooting it straight up towards Tamoanchan for the old gods to enjoy. And were those fat kernels ever sweet, sweet perfection on a stick, made all the sweeter by the clandestine condiment.
Feeling for fro-​yo, we skipped the CLT’s gelato and headed to Happy Berry instead.
If Chica Loca Taco tried to «fool» me into thinking they serve optimal tacos, then call me a fool for I was willingly deceived.
P. S. My 3 tacos, Kay’s single taco, our chips, our salsa, our guacamole, and 1 bottled beverage for each of us came to $ 31 and some change. Great grub on the cheap… in opulent Shadyside? It wasn’t fast food. It was Chica Loca Taco! Hijole!

Had seen this place a few times before and stopped in spur of the moment with my family. We almost didn’t try Chico Loca Taco because it seemed it was crowded, but then we realized the crowd was for Girasole’s, which is downstairs but shares some outdoor space with CLT. Turns out we were the only patrons at first (@7pm on a Saturday), but a few other couples came in while we were there. The Girasole setup gives the impression that CLT is crowded, which is perhaps the main reason that CLT was so uncrowded? Anyway…
We were pleasantly surprised by how good the food was. We ordered two tacos (one shrimp the other brisket) and both were so yummy we just wanted to scarf them down individually instead of sharing as planned! The salsa was okay, but the guac was excellent AND plentiful – we requested (and were given) more chips in order to finish the guac. The tacos weren’t as large as we’d hoped, but what they lacked in size they made up for in taste. And it left room for gelato! ***note: we did not get gelato here but rather at an establishment on Walnut St., as we had tried gelato here before and weren’t impressed***
The setup is odd, with the gelato counter up front and the meal counter in back, which you have to wander back to. Though the space is welcoming, the setup breaks up the seating; but we sat outside anyway and enjoyed the lovely evening along with our delicious food.

This space on Copeland Street has seen it’s share of different business and, despite having lived here for 10 years, it’s the first time we’ve set foot on this floor of the building. But with growling stomachs and a nearby parking spot secured, the promise of a little south of the border lunch lured us in.
Chica Loca Taco is a suprisingly bright space despite minimal windows. It’s very clean and spare with bright, colorful artwork and furnishings. One drawback that my partner picked up on upon entering was a thick smell of cooking in the air. We avoid any bars that allow smoking because it penetrates your clothes. Although the smell in Chica Loca was not unpleasant (as cigarette smoke is to us), we really prefer to not smell like a restaurant when we leave. We’re not sure if this is due to inadequate ventilation or just a byproduct of the open cooking area. Can you fix this?
The menu featured several different types of soft flour tacos with either chicken, shredded pork, veggie, chorizo and a few other options. I asked the server (who was very perky and smiley) if most people order one or two tacos. She said people usually order two because they are about 6″ round. So, two it was!
I ordered one each of the carnitas and chorizo tacos. They were automatically dosed with cheese (quesa fresca), onions and cilantro. Other fixins were available at additional cost but the standards were fine for me. As we waited for our order, we were given one bowl of house fried tortilla chips with two small cups of salsa (of our choosing). My partner’s medium house salsa was run-​of-​the-​mill red tomato salsa with just enough bite to avoid having to down an entire glass of water before our meal arrived… maybe just a few sips. My tomatillo salsa was disappointing. Then again, sometimes you get what you ask for. It was finely diced tomatillos, nothing more. It was pretty bland and would have benefited from a touch of salt, garlic, onion and perhaps some jalapeño.
The tacos arrived in about five minutes and were pretty darn tasty. The soft flour shells were a little dry but the fillings were flavorful, which is the most important part (for me, anyway). Each taco was wrapped in two 6″ tortillas which was a pleasant surprise instead of only one which would have likely fallen apart under the weight and wet of the insides. The chorizo was mildly spicy and melded swimmingly with the cheese and accoutrements. The shredded pork was juicy and flavorful. We made short work of them and were a little surprised how full we felt despite the seemingly small lunch. Oh, and for all this around 15 bucks. Not too shabby for a tasty Shadyside lunch.
Chica Loca is not Mad Mex or Taco Bell (thank God it’s not the latter). Chica Loca hews a little closer to authentic Mexican food which does not drown it’s offerings in sauces and gooey cheese. Simple, fresh (my partner remarked how fresh the tacos tasted) and fast. It’s definitely worth fighting for a precious Shadyside parking spot.

My review was taken down? I still think the service is poor and the food could be whipped up in about a minute. No mas!

very cool, cute taco joint. Reasonable. I will be back. Go there. Tuesday specials are great.

Ingredients are fresh, portions aren an appropriate size (meaning no so big you enter a food coma upon departure), and their «Street Corn» is amazing. The staff is nice and welcoming, as well. Refreshing to go into a place an be actually greeted with smiles. Good job, you Chica Locas!

I really considered not writing this review at all. A lot of the other reviewers here seem to have experienced similar trepidation, but I guess that says something about the restaurant itself.
I fortuitously managed to try Chica Loca on Taco Tuesday (!) and was treated to the super-​special deal of 2 tacos for $ 5, otherwise known as, exactly how much tacos should cost. The chorizo (sourced from Las Palmas in Oakland) taco was really tasty. As noted, they provide the traditional taco format: 2 corn tortillas, lime wedge, topped with cilantro, queso fresco, and diced onion. I got mine with pico de gallo but craved more taste and ended up using extra spicy salsa. The carnitas taco was good, I suppose. Individually, the meat was flavorful and tasty but it got lost in, surprisingly enough, the tortillas. You know there is a problem with your seasoning when it gets overpowered by corn tortillas…
The décor is nothing to write home about: chairs and tables that would look normal on a suburban deck, bright wall colors, and a rather bizarre shotgun layout in which the counter is at the far back, requiring you to walk down the 4 foot aisle past other eaters.
I feel bad because I love eating tacos and supporting local business but I was not that happy with this place. I tried to order the «super secret salsa» as well as the tomatillo salsa and was informed that they were out (this was around 7pm on a weekday). I think the woman I was speaking with was the owner and she was very nice and talkative, encouraging me to return and try the salsas I missed. I probably will go back one day because it was objectively enjoyable food. That said, I would only go back on a tuesday. Having never tried their more expensive tacos, I still think I can say their prices are absurd. Show me a fish taco worth $ 7.50 and I will gladly devour it. Until then, my Pittsburgh taco quest continues.

Fun gelato flavors:
Chai latte
Choc chili raspberry
Mojito
Fun interior, seating at counter where tacos are prepared, cool sidewalk seating/​ppl watching (no creeper).
Tacos…$ 11 gets you two fresh tacos (flavors could be more bold tho!) and chips & salsa. Definitely try if you’re in the mood for Mexican. Would love to see homemade chips, maybe offered as some sort of weekly special?!

Overpriced for little flavor. Tacos are small and cost about $ 3.50-$ 4 each PLUS they’re really not that flavorful. You need to eat about 3 to call it a meal. This place looks cool but I would recommend going to an actual Mexican place to get your tacos. It is severely over priced and the wait is very long compared to any other taqueria or Mexican restaurant I’ve went to.

Simple tacos, such a wonderful thing! Great for a quick meal or when you’re in need of a hangover cure.
The décor: Bright colors, simple.
The food: I recommend the Mexican street corn (with the secret sauce), the carnitas taco, and pollo (chicken) taco. The veggie tacos are pretty meh (especially if you’re a vegan since there is no cheese substitute). If they could offer a tastier version for the vegans or vegetarians that are lactose intolerant then I would def make this place a regular stop.
The bad: Cash only AND there’s no ATM inside.
MOST IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to squeeze the lime over your food. Trust me. You’ll thank me for it.

I wanted to like Chica Loca Taco. I work right on Walnut Street in Shadyside so I’ve had lunch at every restaurant more times than I can count. I was super excited to now have a Mexican joint nearby! Sadly, I have been very disappointed by my recent experiance. 1) I went there during my lunch break, it took them 25min to make me two tacos (beef and chicken). 10min would be acceptable since I know they make everything to order… but I was the only customer at the time! 2) As I mentioned I got 2 tacos, one beef one chicken. The only thing that comes on the tacos is the meat, cilantro, and queso fresca. I had to pay extra for tomatos, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, and guac. Therefore my two tacos ended up costing me $ 11.25! From now on I’m sticking with William Penn Tavern to get my taco fix on Walnut street, 3 beef tacos for $ 4 on Monday’s and Wednesdays.

I really didn’t want to write this review since Chica Loca Taco is new. I know how hard it is to succeed in the restaurant business and I think there are very good intentions behind Chica Loca Taco but there could be improvements with the food. I was very excited to learn that this place would be serving Mexican street food so have been eyeing the place throughout the entire time of construction, awaiting for their opening. I haven’t tried the gelato but I don’t get the connection with the Mexican food.
Anyway great that there are fresh ingredients but the fresca and green salsas needed salt and pepper. Chips were okay. Al pastor and chorizo had some flavor but needed a little more of something — perhaps again salt and pepper or even hot sauce. Chorizo looked kind of like minced dog food…
I left the place with the right amount of full in my belly but not the right type of satiated full. Price is reasonable and the service was incredibly friendly.

The nice thing about this place is that they are «trying» to serve authentic mexican food, however, while they have good intentions, what they prepare is a debauchery of it.
While they serve some of the classics, their choice of ingredients just plain SUCK! their tortillas are very dry, not warm and moist. They managed to double their tortillas up, which is correct, but they didn’t cook them properly! They definetley «heard» about corn on the cob smothered in mayo and parmesean cheese… but you have to use real ROASTED sweet corn… not half-​boiled yellow corn!
Their salsas are bland, not fresh and vibrant. their meat is underseasoned and bland too. No dynamics between dishes. This restaraunt is trying to mimic authentic mexican food, but is failing miserably.
Nonetheless, if you have never experienced real mexican food before, you may still be fooled into thinking they serve good tacos.
Everything they serve «looks» just right, but the taste is far from accurate. If you are the kind of person who would get satisfaction from purchasing a knocked-​off pair of air-jordans…this place is for you! If the painted on fake carbon fiber sole that rubs off as soon as you actually look at them bothers you, I would reccommend making tacos from home like they should be.

Having a taco joint open up in Shadyside was just about the best thing that has happened since I came to Pittsburgh. As soon as I saw a brief mention of this place on the talk pages of Unilocal Pittsburgh, I monitored their progress towards opening by «liking» their page on facebook. It finally opened while I was out of town, so I made it a point to try this place as soon as I got back. Walking back from school yesterday (Monday), I walked up and realized that they’re not open on Mondays. So I tried again today.
The brightly painted walls of this place remind me of a traditional mexican restaurant. When you first walk in, their gelato lies in a similar position where Mercurio’s gelatos used to lie. From the end of the table, I ordered two tacos to go — one al pastor and the other carnitas. They offer a number of salsas, and it seems that you can pack your own, even though they initially ask whether you want any one in particular.
While i waited, i sampled the mojito gelato («with real booze»), one of their many interestingly flavors. It was surprisingly light and tasty, although there were quite a few ice crystals in my sample because the lady scooped from the surface. I’ll most likely try a cup of this the next time I come back; it has just the right lightness that I like for a summer snack/​dessert.
My order was fulfilled in a reasonable time (there was only one other party that had finished eating already). I walked home as quickly as I could so that I could enjoy my tacos while they were still warm and so that the juices from the meat wouldn’t soak through the corn tortilla. My only thought on the walk back was, «I hope they put two corn tortillas, unlike reyna foods…»
And there were two corn tortillas! The tacos aren’t fully decked out like the «super tacos» of small mexican joints — as seen in the pictures, they provide the meat and some diced onions/​cilantro. no lettuce, tomato, or any of that stuff. I asked for a bit of their medium house salsa, which came on the side. it was very mild for my taste (I could barely taste any spicyness), so I’ll be trying their next level up next time I go. The carnitas was slightly dryer than I expected, which eliminated the soggy corn tortilla problem. The corn tortilla had cooled down, and I think it would have tasted better if left on the griddle slightly longer. The pineapple on the al pastor taco definitely helped the taste a bit, but like the carnitas, they were just a tad underseasoned. They put one salsa cup in my bag, which I ran out after 1.5 tacos, which meant that I barely had any salsa for my chips. So if you get your order to go, make sure you have enough salsa! The chips that were also provided in a small bag was a nice accompaniment to my tacos. Thumbs up for not putting much salt on them. For two tacos my meal came out to be ~7.50, which is high/​very high for the standard, but based on location (being in shadyside), I understand their pricing, and I don’t have much to complain about. I hope they’ll have those spicy pickled veggies (Carrots, jalapenos, onions etc) soon! those will definitely be a great condiment for the tacos in addition to solely salsa.
Based on my review, I may just be accustomed to slightly heavier tastes (more spicyness, more spices). Go and try this place! This places deserves to stay around.