Taqueria Yolandita

I have driven past this food truck for several months, and kept saying, "I'm going to try that place one day". Well, I finally did, and let me tell you, I was not disappointed! First of all, the staff is very friendly. Second, the food is delicious! It's also in a convenient location (for me). The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is they don't accept credit cards.

When I first read Sarah P.'s update about the Taqueria Yolandita cart disappearing from its normal Queen City Avenue spot without a trace, I just about wanted to bust out crying.But some of the wife's coworkers found the cart again a couple of weeks later, so I was reassured. This weekend we went to track it down. She has moved down the hill to 1881 Westwood Avenue, in a little gravel lot at the corner of Westwood and Quebec, across the street from the UDF in Fairmount. Still excellent.

I caught this place out of the corner of my eye on the way to a poker game up Queen City Boulevard a couple months back. I didn't notice the taco truck at first, just Tienda la Centro Americana next door (a little grocery) - luckily one of the people in the car does some organizing with Latina/o folks in the city and mentioned they had tacos there, and that they were pretty good. So, I've been wanting to go back for a while now, but never could overcome my fear of the unknown streets of the West side until tonight - and I'm glad I did.The Food: On the side of the trailer there are pictures of tacos, quesadillas, tortas, and burritos, each for $6-7. The woman (could it be Yolandita of Taqueria Yolandita fame?) rattled off the standard list of taco meats available (chorizo, tongue, chicken, etc.) and we ordered 2 barbacoa, 2 carne asada, and 2 al pastor tacos - a grand total of $12.Sarah and I both agree, the barbacoa choice was the best. The meat was moist and flavorful and wasn't nearly as fatty as what I've gotten used to a Taqueria Mercado (which I still like, but it is a bit offputting). Al pastor was second, with more flavor but the texture wasn't as good. And the carne asada was our least favorite - not horrible, but definitely overcooked and pretty tough, without too much flavor.All the tacos come traditionally with cilantro, avocado, and onion. The key limes on the side were juicy for the squeezing, and they also put lemon and radish in the carry out container - something we hadn't seen before. Also, both the red and green salsas were quite tasty, adding a nice burst of flavor and kick of heat to all the meats.The Ingredients: No idea. Hard to imagine organic, local meat was being served - but maybe I'm just a hater (99% probably not).The Story, Setting, & Service: If you want a TRUE taco truck experience, this is the only one in Cincinnati that we're aware of. I want to like Senor Roy's, but that's just not traditional (and wasn't good when I went). All of the trucks taco or otherwise - at least that I'm aware of so far in Cincinnati, are catering to a more upscale/American clientele. In the original sense, trucks were a cheap way to start a business and often meet some ethnic or working class group right where they're at rather than try to hold down a lease.Taqueria Yolandita, planted squarely in the middle of nowhere on the near West side, is by all appearances as authentic as they come. Oh, and you can buy perfume from a suitcase off the counter too if you're stopping by on your way to a hot date and need to freshen up. It's also next door to a Mexican grocery that isn't huge, but seems to have a good little collection of foodstuffs if you're interested in more than the "Mexican" aisle at your local Kroger. Hours are 10-6pm every day of the week, although the proprietor said she goes to church on Sunday night, so they close a little early.This trip left us wondering if there are other gems on the West side, which really isn't far from our house in Northside at all, but we're just too afraid of getting lost to find them. If you've got suggestions, please let us know.The Last Bite: I suppose we might try a burrito or torta someday, but there doesn't seem to be any reason to stray from the tacos here. Next time, we'll likely get a whole bunch of barbacoa ones and pig out happily, knowing we're part of a very small number of people who even know this place exists (until you go and tell all your friends - which you'll probably want to).

Had the Chorizo taco and the Chicken taco... with everything buy sour cream... Yumm. Definitely plan to come back soon

My husband and I tried this little truck today. He got 2 carnitas tacos and 4 asada tacos. I got 1 al pastor and a asada quesadilla. The meat was overall good, the carnitas were pretty bland. The real issue was the tortillas. These are plastic bagged tortillas, which have a certain smell and taste. My husband noticed this right off the bat as he HATES corn tortillas from a plastic bag. We only eat homemade or Milagros because of this. I was disappointed with their tortilla option as that is a huge part of a taco. Also, both the tacos and quesadillas were covered in grease. I mean would I eat it again? Yes if I had a craving. It's better than Taco Bell or any other Mexican restaurants around here. But if you want better tacos? Head up the street to Taco Joven.

I've been working in the area and I have stopped at this food truck several times. They are very well priced and the food is surprisingly delicious. I get 3 steak tacos with everything and the green sauce. Fresh cilantro brightens it up nicely. For $6 it's hard to beat if you are in the middle for some Mexican.

If you want a great taco truck experience in Cincinnati, this is really and truly your best options. Yolandita makes fresh, flavorful tacos and tops them the right way--fresh onions, fresh cilantro, and fresh lime. They are large and filling, but not over-the-top. We've tried a bunch of the fillings, and they have all been delicious.It's cash only, so be forewarned.And for those of you who don't travel to the west side very often, this is relatively close to the center of the city and is easy to find.

Great food! Very authentic Mexican food. We have ate there several times and each and every time we have had the best food! Always fresh and tasty. Will always recommend Taqueria Yolandita to our friends and family. 5 stars...

Some of the best authentic Mexican I've ever had. The tacos were stuffed with tender meat.

Taqueria Yolandita is unreliable. I booked the food truck weeks in advance for a large party. After receiving a full commitment, the coordinator stopped responding. Two days before the event she canceled with little remorse or effort to help find an alternative. They have terrible customer service.